The paper addresses the problem of representing ambiguities in a way that allows for monotonic disambiguation and for direct de-ductive computation. The paper focuses on an extension of the formalism of underspeciied DRSs to ambiguities introduced by plural NPs. It deals with the collective/distributive distinction, and also with generic and cumulative readings. In addition it provides a system...

The paper addresses the problem of representing ambiguities in a way that allows for monotonic disambiguation and for direct de-ductive computation. The paper focuses on an extension of the formalism of underspeciied DRSs to ambiguities introduced by plural NPs. It deals with the collective/distributive distinction, and also with generic and cumulative readings. In addition it provides a system...

Compound words with irregular plural nouns in first position (e.g. mice-eater) are produced far more frequently than compound words with regular plural nouns in first position (e.g. *rats-eater), (Gordon, 1985). Using empirical evidence and neural net modelling, the studies presented here demonstrate how a single route, associative memory based account might provide an equally, if not more, val...

In other verbs, singular∼plural vowel alternations were not lost, but were simply rearranged. For example, in strong verbs like hëlfen ‘help’, nëmen ‘take’, and geben ‘give’ (classes IIIb, IV and V, respectively) the 1sg formwas rebuilt tomatch the plural, as in (2a) (ibid., §242). The result was a new alternation within the present tense paradigm, parallel to a separate pattern of alternation ...

A manual search paradigm explored the development of English singular-plural comprehension. After being shown a box into which they could reach but not see, infants heard verbal descriptions about the contents of the box (e.g., "There are some cars in the box" vs. "There is a car in the box)" and were then allowed to reach into the box. At 24 months of age, but not at 20 months, infants' search...

This paper presents a representation for natural language plurals in knowledge base queries, implementing collective, distributive, cumulative, and multiply distributive senses of the plural by means of higher predicates. The underlying semantics is based on Franconi’s theory of collections. The collective reading of a plural applies the predicate to the whole collection; the distributive readi...

Patients and physicians can inhabit distinctive social worlds where they are guided by diverse understandings of moral practice. Despite the contemporary presence of multiple moral traditions, religious communities and ethnic backgrounds, two of the major methodological approaches in bioethics, casuistry and principlism, rely upon the notion of a common morality. However, the heterogeneity of e...

Plural internal reduplication in Washo has generated much interest in the phonological literature. This study presents a novel analysis that unifies the treatment of a set of seemingly disparate aspects of this plural reduplication pattern (e.g. variation in the placement and size of the reduplicant, contrastive vowel length in stressed syllables, post-tonic gemination, and vowel-length inherit...

The acquisition of German plurals has been the focus of controversy in the last decade. In this paper we claim that degree of productivity (i.e. the capacity of nouns to form potential plurals) plays a key role in determining pace of acquisition. A plural elicitation task was administered to 84 Viennese German-speaking children aged 2;6 to 6;0. Analyses of correct responses showed that the high...

INTRODUCTION Among the complications of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy are perinephric bleeding and hypertension. CASE PRESENTATION We describe the case of a 31-year-old Asian man with an unusual case of hemoptysis and lung contusion and cavitation with exudative plural effusion due to pulmonary trauma following false positioning of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. Differential d...