Here is an example of what I'd like the descriptions of phenomena and choices files in the write-ups to look like for Labs 2-4. It begins by describing the phenomenon, which is illustrated with examples in IGT format from the test suite. Then it describes how the analysis was implemented via the customization system.
Note that the examples here are a bit more complicated than is ideal. Ideally, each example would avoid intersecting phenomena not strictly required to make the sense (e.g. the 2.SG.OBL in the second sentence). Wherever possible, the examples used to illustrate phenomena should parse with the current grammar or, in the case of ungrammatical or grammatical but not parsing due to bug examples, have exactly one thing wrong with them.
Future tense in Wambaya is marked with an affix on the auxiliary and an optional affix on the verb. That is, if the future tense marker is on the auxiliary, the sentence is interpreted in future tense. The verb can also have a future tense marker, but it is not required. The future tense marker on the verb is not compatible with non-future-tense marked auxiliaries, except when it is used instead as the imperative form.
Here are some examples:
Source: a Vetted: t Judgment: g Phenomena: tense Gurinymi ngu gulugba. Guriny-mi ng-u gulug-ba. good-FAC 1.SG.S-FUT sleep-FUT I will sleep well.
Source: a Vetted: t Judgment: g Phenomena: tense Yabu ny-u nganga angarri-nka. have 2.SG.A-FUT 2.SG.OBL corroboree.IV-DAT You'll keep it for yourself for a corroboree.
Source: author Vetted: f Judgment: u Phenomena: tense Gurinymi ngu gulugba. Guriny-mi ngi-ma gulug-ba. good-FAC 1.SG.S-PAST sleep-FUT intended: I will sleep well.
In order to model this, I first defined some values for tense:
section=tense-aspect-mood
tense-definition=build
tense1_name=pst
tense1_supertype1_name=tense
tense2_name=fut
tense2_supertype2_name=tense
Then I defined a tense inflection position class that takes auxiliary verbs as input. In this pc, one of the morphemes is the future marker ma. This marker constrains the TENSE to be "future" on the verb.
verb-pc20_inputs=verb24
verb-pc20_obligatory=on
verb-pc20_lrt1_name=verb-pc20_lrt1
verb-pc20_lrt1_feat1_name=tense
verb-pc20_lrt1_feat1_value=fut
verb-pc20_lrt1_feat1_head=verb
verb-pc20_lrt1_lri1_inflecting=yes
verb-pc20_lrt1_lri1_orth=-ma
I've also defined a tense inflection position class on the main verbs. It has only one morpheme: the future marker ba. Just like ma, ba constraints TENSE on the verb to be "future".
verb-pc31_inputs=verb16,verb29 verb-pc31_lrt1_name=verb-pc31_lrt1 verb-pc31_lrt1_feat1_name=tense verb-pc31_lrt1_feat1_value=fut verb-pc31_lrt1_feat1_head=verb verb-pc31_lrt1_lri1_inflecting=yes verb-pc31_lrt1_lri1_orth=-ma
This pc is optional, so verbs without ba are unmarked. Because the other things in the auxiliary tense slot specify TENSE values that inconsistent with "future", ba-marked verbs should only co-occur with ma-marked auxiliaries.
Bibliographical note: The two grammatical examples above are from Nordliner, Rachel. 1998. A Grammar of Wambaya, Northern Australia. Canberra: Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, The Australian National University.