Search results for " entailment"

Iterated Conditionals and Characterization of P-Entailment

2021

In this paper we deepen, in the setting of coherence, some results obtained in recent papers on the notion of p-entailment of Adams and its relationship with conjoined and iterated conditionals. We recall that conjoined and iterated conditionals are suitably defined in the framework of conditional random quantities. Given a family \(\mathcal {F}\) of n conditional events \(\{E_{1}|H_{1},\ldots , E_{n}|H_{n}\}\) we denote by \(\mathcal {C}(\mathcal {F})=(E_{1}|H_{1})\wedge \cdots \wedge (E_{n}|H_{n})\) the conjunction of the conditional events in \(\mathcal F\). We introduce the iterated conditional \(\mathcal {C}(\mathcal {F}_{2})|\mathcal {C}(\mathcal {F}_{1})\), where \(\mathcal {F}_{1}\)…

Probabilistic Logic under Coherence‚ Model−Theoretic Probabilistic Logic‚ and Default Reasoning in System P

2016

We study probabilistic logic under the viewpoint of the coherence principle of de Finetti. In detail, we explore how probabilistic reasoning under coherence is related to model-theoretic probabilistic reasoning and to default reasoning in System P. In particular, we show that the notions of g-coherence and of g-coherent entailment can be expressed by combining notions in model-theoretic probabilistic logic with concepts from default reasoning. Moreover, we show that probabilistic reasoning under coherence is a generalization of default reasoning in System P. That is, we provide a new probabilistic semantics for System P, which neither uses infinitesimal probabilities nor atomic bound (or bi…

Probabilistic Logic under Coherence, Model-Theoretic Probabilistic Logic, and Default Reasoning

2001

We study probabilistic logic under the viewpoint of the coherence principle of de Finetti. In detail, we explore the relationship between coherence-based and model-theoretic probabilistic logic. Interestingly, we show that the notions of g-coherence and of g-coherent entailment can be expressed by combining notions in model-theoretic probabilistic logic with concepts from default reasoning. Crucially, we even show that probabilistic reasoning under coherence is a probabilistic generalization of default reasoning in system P. That is, we provide a new probabilistic semantics for system P, which is neither based on infinitesimal probabilities nor on atomic-bound (or also big-stepped) probabil…

Machine-readable entailments with the Italian 'prendere' construction expressing hitting and insulting events

2022

The Italian language features a little debated transitive construction with prendere ‘to take/to catch’ in which a prepositional phrase (PP) with an adverbial value occurs mandatorily (e.g. Lui prese a pugni Leo ‘He punched Leo’). Semantically, this construction often implies the use of physical force or verbal offence. In the hitting or insulting event, the notional subject generally is a [+ Human] Agent, whilst the notional direct object generally is a [+ Animate] Affectee ([1]: 4). It can be contended that prendere, which carries no literal meaning, is zero-valent and that the predicate assigning semantic roles is the PP. A computational tool will be illustrated, …

The so-called Reaction object construction: Reaction or co-predication?

2017

Natural Language Inference in Ordinary and Support Verb Constructions

2020

The family of clause types known as 'support (or 'light') verb construction' (SVC) manifests a peculiar syntax-semantics interface if compared with ordinary verb constructions (OVC). If, in e.g. She laughed, the verb licenses an argument and assigns it a semantic role, syntacticians of every stripe nowadays agree that it is the noun laugh, in She gave a laugh, which fulfils the same function. The differences between the two types have been extensively discussed in the linguistics literature (systematic research started in the 1970s), less so in Computational Linguistics. This paper has two objectives. First, it will propose an innovative type of semantic role, which is termed Cognate Semant…

Two Types of pseudo-clefts?

2010

Sentences such as 'What Fred does is complain' and 'What Fred does is important' have both been labeled as pseudo-clefts, though of two distinct types. We provide four tests to structurally distinguish such constructions. Entailment patterns and a number of structural ties between the post-copular constituent and specific constituents of the pre-copular relative clause suggest using the label ‘pseudo-cleft’ for the former type only. This paper also examines certain cases of pseudo-clefts with no simple correlates, and vice versa, to argue – contra Higgins 1973 – that these do not necessarily contradict the existence of a structural connection (a transformation, in the sense of Z. S. Harris)…

Measuring Meaning

2021

This study will present a tool designed for meaning extraction with monoclausal sentences in Italian. Its main features will be illustrated with instances of the Italian causative clause type featuring the verb fare ‘make’ (e.g. Egli fa piangere il bambino ‘He makes the child cry’), a construction which invariably embeds a clause (e.g.Il bambino piange ‘The child cries’) with which it establishes an entailment relationship. The tool automatically accomplishes the following tasks: it answers relevantwh- questions (e.g. Who cries? Who makes someone cry?) and detects the entailment. Concurrent with this presentation, this study will also encourage a reflection on the research currently being c…

Proteus: Adverbial multi-word expressions in Italian and their cognate counterparts in -mente

2022

Abstract: This contribution focuses on Italian adverbs ending in -mente (e.g. lussuosamente ‘luxuriously’) with an analytic counterpart (a multi-word expression, MWE) which is etymologically related and it is capable of equally performing the adverbial function (e.g. di lusso). Two sentences diverging only in this regard have the same truth values and they entail each other. Morphologically, such adverbial MWEs are formed by a preposition which is followed by a noun/adjective sharing the content morpheme of the -mente adverb. However, in some contexts the cognate –mente adverb cannot replace its MWE. For instance, only adjectival MWEs can be used as predicates in copular constructions (La f…

Automatic Extraction of Semantic Roles in Support Verb Constructions

2021

This paper deals with paraphrastic relations in Italian. In the following sentences: (a) Max strappò delle lacrime a Sara 'Max moved Sara to tears' and (b) Max fece piangere Sara 'Max made Sara cry', the verbs differ syntactically and semantically. Strappare 'tear/rip/wring' is transitive, fare ‘have/make’ is a causative, and piangere 'cry' is intransitive. Despite this, a translation of (a) as (b) is legitimate and therefore (a) is a paraphrase of (b). In theoretical linguistics this raises an issue concerning the relationship between strappare and fare/piangere in Italian, and that in English between move and make. In computational linguistics, can such paraphrases be obtained automatical…