View source for Basic introduction to parts of speech

[[Introduction aux parties de discours|En français]]

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==Specific questions==

===Pronouns and determiners===

A frequent question<ref>Yes, really!</ref> we get is "What is the difference between a pronoun and a determiner? You tag 'this' as two parts of speech: demonstrative pronoun and demonstrative determiner. I just don't get it, it always translates the same!"

==== Examples in English ====

The simplest way to explain this is to give two example sentences,

:a) I was talking about ''this'' cat.
:b) ''This'' is the cat I was talking about.

In the first case, the ''this'' is modifying the following noun ''cat''. In the second case it is substituting the noun phrase ''this cat''. Where the word ''this'' is used as a modifier in Apertium we call it a determiner, and where it is used to substitute a noun phrase we call it a pronoun.

To translate it, in several languages like French, you need to distinguish the two cases where the word ''this'' will be translated diferently :

:a) Je parlais de ''ce'' chat. 
:b) ''C'''est le chat dont le parlais. 

But this is not always necessarily relevant for translation, for example in Icelandic it is translated as ''þessi'' in both cases. However, it might still be relevant for transfer, for example when the pronoun is a determiner we may want to include it in concordance operations (e.g. for gender, number, and case) with the head noun, but when it is a pronoun we might not.

:a) I will give ''this'' to the cat
:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ég skal gefa kettinum ''þetta''.

:b) I will give it to ''this cat''
:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ég skal gefa ''þessum'' ketti það.

In (b) the determiner ''þessi'' "this" agrees in gender, number and case with the indirect object ''köttur'' "cat", whereas in
(a), it the pronoun ''þessi'' functions as the direct object and agrees with its antecedent. You could probably just tag them both as a pronoun and then distinguish in transfer, but it's easier, and more portable (to languages where there is a difference).

==== Examples in French ====

In French, the definite articles (le, la, les) can be also pronouns. For example :

:a) ''Le'' chat joue.
:b) Je ''le'' vois jouer.

In a), the word ''le'' is an article, in b), it is a pronom. When translating into English, a different word is used in both cases :

:a) ''The'' cat is playing.
:b) I see ''it'' playing.

=== Pronouns replacing a direct or indirect object ===

It is possible that where a pronoun is used in one language, two separate pronouns are used in another language, one to replace a direct object, another to replace an indirect object.

For example, these two English sentences use the same pronoun ''him'' :

:a) I see ''him''.
:b) I give ''him'' this book.

Translated into French, two different words are used :

:a) Je ''le'' vois.
:b) Je ''lui'' donne ce livre.

In a), the ''him'' replace a direct object and is translated by ''le''. In b), it replaces an indirect object and is translated by ''lui''.

=== Nouns and verbs ===

In French (at least), some nouns have exactly the same spelling as verbs in the infinitive or conjugated verbs.  Examples:

En français (au moins), certains noms ont exactement la même orthographe que des verbes à l'infinitif, ou des verbes congugués. Exemples :

:a) Le ''noyer'' est un arbre qui produit des noix.
::The ''walnut'' is a tree that produces nuts.
:b) Tu vas te ''noyer'' si tu ne sais pas à nager.
::You're going to ''drown'' if you do not know how to swim. 

:a) Je ferme la ''porte''.
::I close the ''door''.
:b) Je ''porte'' une valise.
::I ''carry'' a suitcase.

:a) La ''brise'' est un vent léger.
::The ''breeze'' is a little wind.
:b) En tombant, je me ''brise'' les os.
::When falling, I ''break'' my bones.

=== Nouns, adjectives and verbs ===

Sometimes, a word can be a noun, an adjective or a verb :

:a) Les animaux de ''ferme'' vivent dans les champs.
::''Farm'' animals live in the fields.
:b) On ''ferme'' ce magasin le dimanche.
::This store ''is closed'' on Sundays.
:c) Cette viande est très ''ferme''.
::This meat is very ''hard''.

===Sub-ordinating and co-ordinating conjunctions===

* cnjsub = subordinating conjunction "he doesn't fly _because_ he doesn't like to"
* cnjcoo = co-ordinating conjunction "he doesn't fly _and_ he doesn't like to"
* cnjadv = adverbial conjunction "he doesn't want to _so_ he doesn't fly"

{{comment|Improve this description --[[User:Francis Tyers|Francis Tyers]]}}

===Cases and post-positions===

Things to think about:

* Is there agreement/concordance ? 
* Orthography
* Hungarian: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_noun_phrase#A_note_on_terminology Note on terminology]

==Specific words==

=== The English word <code>each</code> ===

* Determiner: '''Each''' day I get out of bed
* Pronoun: They will '''each''' get

=== The French adjective <code>petit</code> ===

In its most common usage, the word ''petit'' (small) is an adjective. Incidentally, one of the few French adjectives written before the noun it qualifies.

However, the noun can be omitted, and in this case, the adjective ''petit'' means a child or a baby (human or animal) :

* Le ''petit'' a 5 ans, la ''petite'' 6 ans.
It could be translated like this :
* The ''little boy'' is 5 years old, the ''little girl'' 6 years old.


* La chienne garde ses ''petits''.
could be translated :
*  The dog keeps her ''puppies''.

== Some intractable cases ==

When several words in sequence can each be analysed in several ways, several contradictory analysis are possible for a sentence or a piece of sentence, and it becomes very difficult for a software of translation to choose, or even for a human speaker if it does not know the context. Two examples from French :

'''Un bras ferme la porte.'''

* First analysis: article, noun, verb, article, noun.
* Second analysis: article, noun, adjective, pronoun, verb. 

In English, this sentence can mean :

* First analysis: An arm closes the door.
* Second analysis: A strong arm carries something.

'''La petite brise la glace.'''

Several interpretations of this sentence are possible :

* First analysis: article, adjective, verb, article, noun.

:* The little girl breaks the mirror (or the pane).
:* The little girl breaks ice.
:* The little girl unties a tense atmosphere.

* Second analysis: article, adjective, noun, pronoun, verb.
:* The small wind freezes her.

==Notes==
<references/>

[[Category:Terminology]]
[[Category:Documentation in English]]