Valency Affecting Rules in Extended Categorial Grammar

Abstract

An extension of categorial grammar is formally defined in which (C1,…Cn)/(D1…Dn) is a category whenever the C. and D. occur. Expressions in such categories combine with those of category D. to form those of category C .. all i I<=i<=n. Within this framework we show how to formulate Valency Affecting Rules (VAR's) such as Passive. Causative. Raising to Object. etc. E.g. Passive is defined as a way of deriving P:s (n place predicates) from Pn+ls. So it has an n-tuple category as above in which for each i. D. is an n+I place predicate category and C. is the appropriate n-place predicate category. (n place predicates. P :s. are expressions which combine with those of an appropriate argument category An to form Pn-I's. Pn is identified with S).