A three-dimensional analysis software

for languages

Budapest

8. 12. 2012

Franz Dotter, Johann Leitner

Basic assumptions• (Body and) brain can be modeled as a 3D-network (containing some

specialisations)• As a result of evolution (including socio-cultural evolution), humans

perceive and process the environment as "scenes" and "scripts" (structured gestalts)

• These "scenes" and "scripts" directly influence(d) the categories of language, e.g. the quality of perception relates to word categories:

Quality of perception Main category in language

Person/thing/object Noun

Action/event Verb

Property of a person/thing Adjective

Property of an action Adverbs

Location/time Adverb(ial phrase)s

Evaluation Sentential adverb

Relation between entities Conjunction/adposition

Basic assumptions 2

and roles/functions of participants in the scene or other cognitive elements relate to different clauses/constituents, e.g.:

role/function Main type of clause

Agent/Topic/Theme Subject

Action Predicate

Patient Object

Orientation in space/time Locative/temporal adverbial

Evaluation, cause etc. Modal adverbial

Basic structure of the software• A cognitive and a language specific level of representation, both conceived as

networks (i.e. having "nodes" = elements and "links" = relations) in direct connection (i.e. no intermediate further module or system).

• The cognitive level is three-dimensional, related to the hypothesis that the brain (not only the visual cortex?) "constructs" a 3D-image of reality.

• The language specific level is two-dimensional, related to the hypothesis that this level can be described from the perspective of the ordering of signs using only two dimensions.

• The cognitive and the language specific level networks are linked together in order to represent language production/reception/processing.

• The format of both levels is that of a construction kit which - by differentiation of form, colour and texture - represents cognitive or language categories and subcategories.

• Two main functions:– Practical instrument for visualising cognitive linguistic analysis;– Search and statistical analysis function concerning any element or combination of elements on

both levels.

Descriptional inventory

• Language specific level: categories detected by standard linguistic analysis of the codings in different languages

• Cognitive level: "(re)constructed" by using "cognitive" interpretations of possible elements or features working "behind" the actual codings

Format of descriptional elements

• Entities are nodes, relations are links.

• Nodes and links can be differentated by form, colour and texture.

• Every "attentional element" is given as an entity.

• Cognitive entities are aggregated to units of "higher level" (= hypothesized evolutionary and language-induced developments from early single-element-constructions reflected by language use)

Original requirements• Generalized 3D editor for modelling scenes

• Scenes consist of:

– Nodes/elements

– Links/relations

– Layers

• Huge repository of node types (shape, colour, texture, ...)

• Pattern matching feature:

– Build up repository

– Look up matching models or sub-models

• Proof of concept prototype

The architecture

A sample model (scene)

Pros

• XML is here to stay forever

• Enough attributes for creating categories and sub-categories

• Code is fully in our hands

• Requirements are stable

• Runs on most machines

And finally...

...the live demo