Grammatical classification ("tagging") of words in language samples is a component of syntactic analysis for both clinical and research purposes. Previous studies have shown that probability-based software can be used to tag samples from adults and typically-developing children with high (about 95%) accuracy. The present study found that similar accuracy can be obtained in tagging samples from school-aged children with and without language impairment if the software uses tri-gram rather than bi-gram probabilities and large corpora are used to obtain probability information to train the tagging software.

Language teachers’ accounts regarding grammatical assessment have changed over the years. Researchers have presented conflicting approaches, methods and different materials language teachers can use when assessing pupils’ L2 grammar. In addition, different researchers, within the applied linguistic field, have presented and discussed what possibly can affect teachers’ accounts of underlying reasonings for certain practices. This study aims to investigate English teachers’ accounts concerning grammatical assessment and reveal what methods English teachers use, further, what underlying reasonings the teachers have for their choices. To accomplish this investigation, three semi-structured interviews with English teachers from lower secondary schools in Sweden were conducted. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed through thematic analysis and table-coding. The results showed that the English teachers relied on four different methods when assessing their pupils L2 grammar. Grammatical assessment methods that emphasized both a traditional- and alternative assessment approach. Furthermore, all of the English teachers had several underlying reasonings for their grammatical assessment methods. The teachers considered learners’ need, personal experiences, school system guidelines and time constraints. This study provides further insight to the grammatical assessment discussion within teaching English as a second language, and contributes with a perspective of how Swedish lower secondary English teachers work with grammatical assessment.

In English the personal pronouns are morphologically marked for grammatical number, whilst the third-person singular pronouns are also obligatorily marked for gender. As a result, the use of any singular animate antecedent coindexed with a third-person pronoun forces a choice between he and she, whether or not the biological sex of the intended referent is known. This forced choice of gender, and the corresponding lack of a gender-neutral third-person singular pronoun where gender is not formally marked, is the primary focus of this thesis. I compare and contrast the use of the two main candidates for epicene status, singular they and generic he, which are found consistently opposed in the wider literature. Using corpus-based methods I analyse current epicene usage in written British English, and investigate which epicene pronouns are given to language-acquiring children in their L1 input. I also consider current prescriptions on epicene usage in grammar texts published post-2000 and investigate whether there is any evidence that language-external factors impact upon epicene choice. The synthesis of my findings with the wider literature on epicene pronouns leads me to the conclusion that, despite the restrictions imposed on the written pronoun paradigm evident in grammatical prescriptivism, singular they is the epicene pronoun of British English.

De nos jours, il n’est pas rare d’utiliser des logiciels capables d’avoir une conversation, d’interagir avec nous (systèmes questions/réponses pour les SAV, gestion d’interface ou simplement Intelligence Artificielle - IA - de discussion). Ceux-ci doivent comprendre le contexte ou réagir par mot-clefs, mais générer ensuite des réponses cohérentes, aussi bien au niveau du sens de la phrase (sémantique) que de la forme (syntaxe). Si les premières IA se contentaient de phrases toutes faites et réagissaient en fonction de mots-clefs, le processus s’est complexifié avec le temps. Pour améliorer celui-ci, il faut comprendre et étudier la construction des phrases. Nous nous focalisons sur la syntaxe et sa modélisation avec des grammaires catégorielles. L’idée est de pouvoir aussi bien générer des squelettes de phrases syntaxiquement correctes que vérifier l’appartenance d’une phrase à un langage, ici le français (il manque l’aspect sémantique). On note que les grammaires AB peuvent, à l’exception de certains phénomènes comme la quantification et l’extraction, servir de base pour la sémantique en extrayant des λ-termes. Nous couvrons aussi bien l’aspect d’extraction de grammaire à partir de corpus arborés que l’analyse de phrases. Pour ce faire, nous présentons deux méthodes d’extraction et une méthode d’analyse de phrases permettant de tester nos grammaires. La première méthode consiste en la création d’un transducteur d’arbres généralisé, qui transforme les arbres syntaxiques en arbres de dérivation d’une grammaire AB. Appliqué sur les corpus français que nous avons à notre disposition, il permet d’avoir une grammaire assez complète de la langue française, ainsi qu’un vaste lexique. Le transducteur, même s’il s’éloigne peu de la définition usuelle d’un transducteur descendant, a pour particularité d’offrir une nouvelle méthode d’écriture des règles de transduction, permettant une définition compacte de celles-ci. Nous transformons actuellement 92,5% des corpus en arbres de dérivation. Pour notre seconde méthode, nous utilisons un algorithme d’unification en guidant celui-ci avec une étape préliminaire de clustering, qui rassemble les mots en fonction de leur contexte dans la phrase. La comparaison avec les arbres extraits du transducteur donne des résultats encourageants avec 91,3% de similarité. Enfin, nous mettons en place une version probabiliste de l’algorithme CYK pour tester l’efficacité de nos grammaires en analyse de phrases. La couverture obtenue est entre 84,6% et 92,6%, en fonction de l’ensemble de phrases pris en entrée. Les probabilités, appliquées aussi bien sur le type des mots lorsque ceux-ci en ont plusieurs que sur les règles, permettent de sélectionner uniquement le “meilleur” arbre de dérivation.Tous nos logiciels sont disponibles au téléchargement sous licence GNU GPL. / Nowadays, we have become familiar with software interacting with us using natural language (for example in question-answering systems for after-sale services, human-computer interaction or simple discussion bots). These tools have to either react by keyword extraction or, more ambitiously, try to understand the sentence in its context. Though the simplest of these programs only have a set of pre-programmed sentences to react to recognized keywords (these systems include Eliza but also more modern systems like Siri), more sophisticated systems make an effort to understand the structure and the meaning of sentences (these include systems like Watson), allowing them to generate consistent answers, both with respect to the meaning of the sentence (semantics) and with respect to its form (syntax). In this thesis, we focus on syntax and on how to model syntax using categorial grammars. Our goal is to generate syntactically accurate sentences (without the semantic aspect) and to verify that a given sentence belongs to a language - the French language. We note that AB grammars, with the exception of some phenomena like quantification or extraction, are also a good basis for semantic purposes. We cover both grammar extraction from treebanks and parsing using the extracted grammars. On this purpose, we present two extraction methods and test the resulting grammars using standard parsing algorithms. The first method focuses on creating a generalized tree transducer, which transforms syntactic trees into derivation trees corresponding to an AB grammar. Applied on the various French treebanks, the transducer’s output gives us a wide-coverage lexicon and a grammar suitable for parsing. The transducer, even if it differs only slightly from the usual definition of a top-down transducer, offers several new, compact ways to express transduction rules. We currently transduce 92.5% of all sen- tences in the treebanks into derivation trees.For our second method, we use a unification algorithm, guiding it with a preliminary clustering step, which gathers the words according to their context in the sentence. The comparision between the transduced trees and this method gives the promising result of 91.3% of similarity.Finally, we have tested our grammars on sentence analysis with a probabilistic CYK algorithm and a formula assignment step done with a supertagger. The obtained coverage lies between 84.6% and 92.6%, depending on the input corpus. The probabilities, estimated for the type of words and for the rules, enable us to select only the “best” derivation tree. All our software is available for download under GNU GPL licence.

Esta tese investiga os termos gramaticais árabes pertencentes às classes do nome, do verbo e da partícula. Com o intuito de propor uma harmonização dos termos árabes em português, buscam-se encontrar termos equivalentes em ambos os idiomas, e, para isso, três possibilidades são levantadas: a) equivalência direta, quando os semas das definições terminológicas dos termos gramaticais árabe e português forem concordantes; b) equivalência aproximada, quando nem todos os semas forem concordantes, nesse caso, investigamos a descrição de uso de mais de um termo gramatical português na tentativa de encontrar um equivalente mais adequado para o termo árabe; c) não-equivalência, quando não for verificado equivalente em português para o termo gramatical árabe, então, propomos um neologismo terminológico ou uma paráfrase. O objetivo desta pesquisa é traçar bases teóricas e metodológicas para uma futura elaboração de um dicionário bilíngue (árabe-português) de termos gramaticais árabes. Apresentamos 15 termos teste, a fim de exemplificar os procedimentos metodológicos de análise delineados, até a redação do verbete final que formaria a macroestrutura do referido dicionário. Dos novos termos analisados, 9 pertencem à categoria do nome e 3 ligados à partícula. Como a classe verbal foi objeto de estudo do mestrado (CAFFARO, 2013), selecionamos apenas 3 termos para ilustrar os objetivos traçados na presente tese e, da mesma forma, redigimos os verbetes finais para os termos selecionados. / This thesis investigates the Arabic grammatical terms that belong to the classes of noun, verb and particle. In order to propose a harmonization of these Arabic terms in Portuguese, we have tried to find equivalent terms in both languages and for this, three different possibilities have been generated: a) direct equivalence, which occurs when the terminological definition characteristics of the Arabic and Portuguese grammatical terms were coincidental; b) very nearly equivalence, that happens when not every characteristics were coincidental, in this case, we have investigated the description of use of more than one Portuguese grammatical term as an attempt to find a most appropriate equivalent to the Arabic term; c) non-equivalence, when a Portuguese equivalent has not been verified for the Arabic grammatical term, so we propose a terminological neologism or a paraphrase. The aim of this research is to set up the theoretical and methodological basis for the elaboration of an Arabic grammatical terms bilingual dictionary (Arabic- Portuguese). We have presented 15 test terms, in order to exemplify the outlined methodological procedures, up to the final entry writing, which would be responsible for composing the macrostructure of the mentioned dictionary. Nine of the new analyzed terms belong to the category of noun and three of them are related to the particle. As the verb class has been studied in Master Degree (CAFFARO, 2013), we have selected just three terms to illustrate the objectives presented in this thesis, similarly, we have written the final entry to the selected terms.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-27T13:48:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 LAZARA DIVINA COELHO.pdf: 2121141 bytes, checksum: cd4a685fb28ee75bab3fe1a7fdf87201 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-11-26 / The object of this research is the Historical-Grammatical Method understood as a system of Bible interpretation derived from the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century. Its goal is to trace the route of this method, since the post-apostolic period up to contemporary times, and solidification as a method of interpretation adopted by different theological currents in the search for systematization of its methodology. Its relevance lies in the possibility of rescuing the history of the method seen as a precedent over the others in terms of the orthodox system and aim of biblical interpretation. The search path can be set into stages of research and presentation of the results: in the first case takes place the identification and definition of method: the traditional hermeneutic, as presentation of methodological principles and techniques needed to interpret biblical texts, is the formal principle of the Method; and the exegesis, as the application of hermeneutical principles to the biblical text in order to understand and explain it, it is the method referred, in practice, to the steps to be given in the interpretation process. In the second stage, there is a review of the historical process which culminated in the Grammatical-Historical Method: by it the embryo of the method is located in the post-New Testament period and its development in the centuries that followed, passing by the schools of Antioch, the West and St. Victor, beyond the Protestant Reformation and later periods. And, in the third stage, we describe the method itself of theological and methodological perspectives. The conclusion is that the grammatical-historical method of the view that God exists and has revealed himself to man through the written Word and that this revelation, to have originated in his will, makes this knowledge possible and necessary to man. The possibility of knowledge achieves the sense of the Scriptures as intended by God through the human author. It is about a unique, true and full sense, clearly stated and explained in the Scriptures and their understanding can be achieved through ordinary means, as the preaching, the reading and the prayer. / O objeto dessa pesquisa é o Método Histórico-Gramatical entendido como um sistema de interpretação da Bíblia procedente da Reforma Protestante do século XVI. Seu objetivo é traçar o percurso desse método, desde o período pós-apostólico até a contemporaneidade, e sua solidificação como método de interpretação adotado por correntes teológicas distintas na busca da sistematização de sua metodologia. Sua relevância encontra-se na possibilidade de resgatar a história do método visto como precedente sobre os demais em termos de sistema ortodoxo e objetivo de interpretação bíblica. O caminho da pesquisa pode ser definido em estágios da investigação e da apresentação dos resultados: no primeiro, acontece a identificação e definição do método: a hermenêutica tradicional, como apresentação de princípios metodológicos e técnicas necessárias para interpretar textos bíblicos, é o princípio formal do Método; e a exegese, como a aplicação dos princípios hermenêuticos ao texto bíblico com o objetivo de entendê-lo e explicá-lo, é o método que se refere, na prática, às etapas a serem dadas no processo de interpretação. No segundo estágio, há uma revisão do processo histórico que desembocou no Método Histórico-Gramatical: por ela o embrião do método é localizado no período pós-Novo Testamento e seu desenvolvimento nos séculos que se seguiram, passando pelas escolas de Antioquia, do Ocidente e de São Vitor, além da Reforma Protestante e períodos posteriores. E, no terceiro estágio, descreve-se o método propriamente dito das perspectivas teológica e metodológica. A conclusão é que o Método Histórico-Gramatical parte da perspectiva de que Deus existe e revelou-se ao homem por meio da Palavra escrita e que essa revelação, por ter origem na sua vontade, faz esse conhecimento possível e necessário ao homem. A possibilidade de conhecimento alcança o sentido das Escrituras conforme pretendido por Deus por meio de autor humano. Trata-se de um sentido único, verdadeiro e pleno, claramente exposto e explicado nas Escrituras e sua compreensão pode ser conseguida mediante os meios ordinários, como a pregação, a leitura e a oração.

O Reconhecimento das Expressões Faciais tem atraído bastante a atenção dos pesquisadores nas últimas décadas, principalmente devido às suas ponteciais aplicações. Nas Línguas de Sinais, por serem línguas de modalidade visual-espacial e não contarem com o suporte sonoro da entonação, as Expressões Faciais ganham uma importância ainda maior, pois colaboram também para formar a estrutura gramatical da língua. Tais expressões são chamadas Expressões Faciais Gramaticais e estão presentes nos níveis morfológico e sintático das Línguas de Sinais, elas ganham destaque no processo de reconhecimento automático das Línguas de Sinais, pois colaboram para retirada de ambiguidades entre sinais que possuem parâmetros semelhantes, como configuração de mãos e ponto de articulação, além de colaborarem na composição do sentido semântico das sentenças. Assim, este projeto de pesquisa em nível de mestrado tem por objetivo desenvolver um conjunto de modelos de reconhecimento de padrões capazes de resolver o problema de intepretação automática de Expressões Faciais Gramaticais, usadas no contexto da Língua de Sinais Brasileira (Libras), considerando-as em Nível Sintático. / The facial expression recognition has attracted most of the researchers attention over the last years, because of that it can be very useful in many applications. The Sign Language is a spatio-visual language and it does not have the speech intonation support, so Facial Expression gain relative importance to convey grammatical information in a signed sentence and they contributed to morphological and/or syntactic level to a Sign Language. Those expressions are called Grammatical Facial Expression and they cooperate to solve the ambiguity between signs and give meaning to sentences. Thus, this research project aims to develop models that make possible to recognize automatically Grammatical Facial Expressions from Brazilian Sign Language (Libras)

O Reconhecimento das Expressões Faciais tem atraído bastante a atenção dos pesquisadores nas últimas décadas, principalmente devido às suas ponteciais aplicações. Nas Línguas de Sinais, por serem línguas de modalidade visual-espacial e não contarem com o suporte sonoro da entonação, as Expressões Faciais ganham uma importância ainda maior, pois colaboram também para formar a estrutura gramatical da língua. Tais expressões são chamadas Expressões Faciais Gramaticais e estão presentes nos níveis morfológico e sintático das Línguas de Sinais, elas ganham destaque no processo de reconhecimento automático das Línguas de Sinais, pois colaboram para retirada de ambiguidades entre sinais que possuem parâmetros semelhantes, como configuração de mãos e ponto de articulação, além de colaborarem na composição do sentido semântico das sentenças. Assim, este projeto de pesquisa em nível de mestrado tem por objetivo desenvolver um conjunto de modelos de reconhecimento de padrões capazes de resolver o problema de intepretação automática de Expressões Faciais Gramaticais, usadas no contexto da Língua de Sinais Brasileira (Libras), considerando-as em Nível Sintático. / The facial expression recognition has attracted most of the researchers attention over the last years, because of that it can be very useful in many applications. The Sign Language is a spatio-visual language and it does not have the speech intonation support, so Facial Expression gain relative importance to convey grammatical information in a signed sentence and they contributed to morphological and/or syntactic level to a Sign Language. Those expressions are called Grammatical Facial Expression and they cooperate to solve the ambiguity between signs and give meaning to sentences. Thus, this research project aims to develop models that make possible to recognize automatically Grammatical Facial Expressions from Brazilian Sign Language (Libras)

As possibilidades de colocação dos pronomes pessoais átonos em sequências de verbos do espanhol e do português brasileiro não são simétricas: enquanto neste último se verificam menos oportunidades para a chamada subida do clítico, naquele ela é claramente mais frequente. Para descrever tal situação, esta dissertação analisa a configuração de composições verbais, perifrásticas ou não, dos dois sistemas linguísticos, de modo a classificá-las de acordo com seus diferentes níveis de gramaticalização e, a partir daí, com base em determinadas características sintáticas e semânticas relevantes para a problemática do posicionamento dos clíticos nessas estruturas. A seguir, se constata, mediante o exame de alguns exemplos representativos, que a coincidência nos parâmetros anteriores não implica um mesmo padrão quanto aos lugares ocupados pelas formas pronominais átonas junto a cadeias de verbos da língua espanhola e do português do Brasil. Com o objetivo de incluir outros fatores e de encontrar respostas mais completas, se pesquisam, então, novas explicações sobre o fenômeno e essas, por fim, também são debatidas, já que se identifica que nem sempre são suficientes ou totalmente precisas. / The possibilities of positioning atonic pronouns in verbal sequences in Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese are not symmetrical: while in the latter less opportunities for clitic climbing are noted, in the former it is clearly more frequent. To describe this situation, this dissertation analyses the configuration of periphrastical or not periphrastical verbal compositions of the two linguistic systems, in order to classify them according to their different levels of grammaticalization and, from there, based on certain syntactical and semantic characteristics relevant to the question of clitic positioning in those structures. Subsequently, it is evidenced, through the exam of a few representative examples, that the coincidence in previous parameters does not imply the same standard regarding the positions of atonic pronominal forms in verbal chains in the Spanish language and Brazilian Portuguese spoken in Brazil. With the objective of including other factors and finding more complete answers, we research new explanations for that phenomenon, which are finally also debated, since it is identified that not always they are sufficient or totally precise.

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