Dependency-Based Approaches to Natural Language Syntax
Welcome!
Welcome to the "Dependency-Based Approaches to Natural
Language Syntax" website, or DG Website in short. As the title already
indicates, this website is dedicated to linguistic approaches to the
description and analysis of natural language syntax in terms of
`dependency' : dependency grammars.
What is "Dependency"?
Informally and roughly put, a
dependency-based perspective is constituted by distinguishing a head/dependent
asymmetry, and describing the relations between a head and its dependents in
terms of semantically motivated dependency relations. Ever since Antiquity, this
perspective has been prevalent in linguistics, or -broadly- theories on the
nature of natural language. And even though modern-day linguistics is
predominantly oriented at constituency, various concepts that are employed in
constituency-based approaches to natural language syntax can be traced back to
the dependency-based theories. For example, GB's theta-frames and HPSG
subcategorization lists closely resemble valency frames, whereas the
head/dependency-asymmetry forms the core of HPSG, and can be found in various
guises in categorial grammar. (See the FAQ for
more.)
What is this website for, then?
We have created this website with
the intention to provide a "central" place where those interested in, possibly
even working on, dependency-based approaches to syntax can find more
information. More specifically, this website has the following regions:
- FAQ -
Frequently Asked Questions (and answers to them) concerning dependency
grammar.
- Bibliography - links
to articles, reports, and manuscripts that are available on the Web
- Researchers and
Groups - links to websites of individuals and groups doing research on
dependency grammar
- Conferences and
Workshops - links to websites of conferences and workshops relevant to the
field
- Resources -
links to software available on the web, LaTeX styles, etcetera
- Weblinks - links to
websites that are dedicated to other theories of syntax: HPSG, LFG, Categorial
Grammar, etcetera
- Feedback - if you
have questions, (nice!) remarks and suggestions, please do email
us.
What is new ? (October 18, 1999)
Following up on some feedback
obtained from the DG-LIST, several more links have been added to the Researchers and Groups
page. Also, there is a link to a vast bibliography on Dependency Grammar
literature - see the Bibliography page.
Last updated: October 18, 1999