Chinese Modifier-Head "VV+NN" Compounds And Their Paraphrases:a Cognitive And Computational Approach

This dissertation investigates the semantic relation and interpretation of the modifier-head compound "VV+NN" in modern Mandarin Chinese, e.g., ydnjiu cailiao(研究材料,research materials), kesou yaoshui(�'�嗽药水,cough syrup) and biye yishi(毕业仪式,graduation ceremony). Chinese is characterized by its morphological simplicity and double-syllabic priority. These characteristics complicate the semantic composition of the modifier-head construction. As such, semantic ellipsis and disconnection are often seen in the "VV+NN" compound.The purposes of this paper are threefold:(1) to analyze the semantic relations within the modifier-head "VV+NN" compound;(2) to identify the implied meaning within this construction and provide appropriate interpretations for it; and,(3) to establish a template for its automatic paraphrase.First, this dissertation will provide an preliminary semantic classification of1049"VV+NN" compounds into the following14categories:"V+agent","V+cause","V+theme","V+patient","V+result","V+instrument","V+material","V+mode","V+location","V+source","V+destination","V+range", appositional relation, and those without a direct thematic role.Secondly, these types of verb-noun compounds are analyzed, the implied meanings are recovered, and altogether508semantic patterns are searched from the Semantic Knowledge Base of Contemporary Chinese. On this basis,39templates are determined for the interpretation of the "VV+NN" compound.According to our observation, except for those "VV+NN" compounds which fall within the category of appositional relation, all other types of "VV+NN" compounds are closely related to the semantic distance between the modifier verb and the nominal head. The closer the semantic relation between the modifier verb and the nominal head is, the more probable the information of this semantic relation will be activated; the looser their relation is, the more probable the qualia information of the nominal head will be activated. In a modifier-head "VV+NN" compound, the information that needs to be supplemented includes the agentive role, handle role and telic role. According to the semantic relation between the verb and the noun, these qualia roles can be determined.Finally, this dissertation demonstrates how the computer program interpret the "W+NN" compound, provides the flowchart of interpretation process, and verifies the validity of the proposed interpretation template.