misc

make run-batch SUITE=all

Added a new feature to the Makefile-of-Deprivation: the ability to run a directory-full of test suites. This is one thing semconst has been able to do for a long time, but which I never bothered to implement. But now that we have a clear need for it...

1. put all dyalog-output in suite/semconst-output
2. make run-validator SUITE=foo
       (re)runs the validator for a specific suite. Do this for each suite. Optional, but probably more comfortable this way.
   
   
3. make run-batch SUITE=all
       validates and geni-converts all semconst suites; combines the resulting geni suites into one file (*.geni-input => all.geni-input) and works from that one file. By virtue of Makefile dependency tracking, this detects if you have already run the validator, so don't worry about any redundant steps taking place. Also, if you ever make a mistake in validation, you can just re-run the step above to correct a specific file and then re-run this step.

Well, it's a bit of a hack, and it isn't smart enough, say, to use the all grammar when you're just trying to run a single suite. I could that functionality in too, but only if it's really useful, because it's just more intelligence/complexity to throw into the mix.

yang1991ffs

Trying to read this article now. Should hopefully give us more details on the systemic TAG stuff.

active projects

• Papers with C - 23 jan
• paraphrase selection chapter - 15 feb
• applying for a job - 20 feb
• Adjunction polarities implementation

adjunction polarities probably play nice with intervals

I was talking to the good folk at Clgrm yesterday. They say that they use a similar idea to our adj-as-multiplication for dealing with coordination, which is interesting, except that I don't really know what they mean. In other news, Clgrm's doing some fun stuff with their polarities for parsing. I'm not sure if they've written up about it yet, so I guess I should keep the blogging on a leash.

Also, I was a bit worried about whether it would be practical to implement the multiplication scheme given intervals (atomic disjunction)... but then it occurred to me after coffee that intervals don't really matter. Look, the intervals you're going to get for adjunction polarities are ALWAYS going to be zero to one. So who cares? When you multiply them together, the worst that can happen is that you go from a zero-to-one interval to... a zero-to-one interval.

yesterday

In our discussion, it came up that I should consider looking into ACG and see if there is any connection with the systemic stuff (eh?!). Thanks for the thought!

what next

Tidied up and pushed in all my changes on the polarity and the trace filter stuff. It should just work, but I'll have to run it chez C to be sure.

I'm really tempted to work on those adjunction polarities right now. I'm a bit worried because there's two layers of polarities to deal with (abstract-data-type, anybody?). And I'm not convinced that we have our indices in the right place, but that's a seperate issue. But now that the intervals thing is taken care of, I feel like we're ready to go ahead.

writing your dissertation...

I'm really impressed by our Centre de Documentation: they always manage to find what I need, fast and friendly for that matter. They've also completed my suggestion to purchase Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day by Joan Bolker, now in my grubby little hands. I don't know how useful it's going to be. Maybe it's going to be cheesy self-help. Or maybe it's going to be The GTD of PhD students. Will have to see.