Annotation guidelines
PARSEME shared task on automatic identification of verbal MWEs - edition 1.0 (2017)

Structural tests

Structural tests are quite simple preliminary tests that help determining the syntactic structure of the VMWE. This is required in order to pursue categorization by pointing to the right category-specific tests in the last step. In practice, annotators will rarely need them since they will already have an intuition about the VMWE's category when they identify it.

Test 6 - [HEAD] - Syntactic head

Does the candidate contain a unique verb functioning as the syntactic head of the whole?

  • continue to the next test
    • гушна букета to hug the bunch of flowers to die → гушна is the head and the NP depends on it
      правя на салата to make into salad to scold → правя is the head and the PP depends on it
    • eine Fratze ziehen a grimace pull to make a face → ziehen is the head and the NP depends on it
      er gibt auf he gives up → gibt is the head and auf is the particle depending on it
    • κάνωγκριμάτσα to make grimace to make a face κάνω is the head and the NP depends on it
    • to make a face → make is the head and the NP depends on it
      to give up → give is the head and up is a particle depending on it
    • to fare le linguacce to make the grimaces → fare is the head and the NP depends on it
      to far fuori to make out to kill → far is the head and fuori is a particle depending on it
    • zbijać bąki to smash fartsto fool around, to do nothing useful→ zbijać is the head and the NP bąki depends on it
      dać komuś popalićto let someone smoketo make someone's life hard → dać is the head and the infinitive popalić depends on it
    • bater as botas → bater is the head and the NP depends on it
      criar vergonha na cara → criar is the head and the two NPs depend on it
    • a face baie to make bath to bath → face is the head and the NP depends on it
      a ieși înainte to go forth to greet → ieși is the head and înainte is a particle depending on it
    • att ge upp to give up → ge is the head and upp is the particle depending on it
    • imeti krompir to have potatoes to be lucky → imeti is the head and the NP depends on it
  • annotate as OTH
    • цъфна и вържа → none of the verbs is clearly the head, as there is no universally accepted syntactic representation of coordination
    • leben und leben lassen live and let live → none of the verbs is clearly the head, as there is no universally accepted syntactic representation of coordination
    • to pretty-print → there is an unusual case of an adjective modifying a verb
      to drink and drive → none of the verbs is clearly the head, as there is no universally accepted syntactic representation of coordination
    • vivi e lascia vivere live and let live → none of the verbs is clearly the head, as there is no universally accepted syntactic representation of coordination
    • pluć i łapać to spit and catchto be lazy, to do nothing useful → none of the verbs is clearly the head, as there is no universally accepted syntactic representation of coordination
    • pintar e bordar paint and knit to abuse
    • det knallar och går it trots and walks it is OK/as usual → none of the verbs is clearly the head, as there is no universally accepted syntactic representation of coordination

The aim of this test is to distinguish VMWEs of category OTH from those that require further tests. For the special case of nominal, participle and gerund variants of VMWEs, the test should be applied to the canonical verbal form instead. This is required because there may be no verb or the verb may not be the syntactic head

  • вземам решение passes the test → variants like решението, което беше взето pass the test as well
  • eine Entscheidung treffen make a decision passes the test → variants like die Entscheidung wurde getroffen the decision was made, die Entscheidung, welche getroffen wurde the decision which was made, das Treffen der Entscheidung the making of the decision pass the test as well
  • to make a decision passes the test → variants like the decision which was made, decision-making, the making of the decision pass the test as well
  • prendere una decisione to take a decision make a decision passes the test → variants like la decisione è stata presa the decision was made, la decisione, che è stata presa the decision which was made, la presa di decisione the making of the decision pass the test as well
  • zbijać bąki to smash fartsto fool around, to do nothing useful passes the test → variants like zbijanie bąków farts smashingfooling around, doing nothing useful, zbijający bąki smashing farts pass the test as well
  • tomar uma decisão make a decision passes the test → variants like a decisão que foi tomada the decision which was made, decisão tomada decision made pass the test as well
  • a lua o decizie make a decision passes the test → variants like decizia care a fost luată the decision which was made, luarea deciziei decision-making pass the test as well
  • sprejeti odločitev make a decision passes the test → variants like odločitev, sprejeta dne ... the decision was made pass the test as well

Test 7 - [1DEP] - Single dependent

Does the VMWE contain exactly one lexicalized syntactic dependent d of the head verb v?

  • continue to next test
    • ритам камбаната kick the bell to die → the single dependent is a noun phrase, камбаната
      ставам на кайма turn into mince to be destroyed → the single dependent is a prepositional phrase, на кайма
      одирам жив skin alive to make someone suffer → the single dependent is an small clause (adjective), жив
    • eine Fratze ziehen a grimace pull to make a face → the single dependent is a noun phrase, Fratze
      , in Betracht ziehen to take into consideration → the single dependent is a prepositional phrase, in Betracht
      er gibt auf he gives up → the single dependent is a particle auf
    • to make a face → the single dependent is a noun phrase, face
      to take into account → the single dependent is a prepositional phrase, into account
      to take turns → the single dependent is a noun, turns
      to give up → the single dependent is a particle, up
    • fare le linguacce to make the grimaces to make a face → the single dependent is a noun phrase, linguacce
      , prendere in considerazione to take into consideration → the single dependent is a prepositional phrase, in considerazione
      egli lo fa fuori he kills him → the single dependent is a particle fuori
    • bić na alarm to strike on alarmto raise the alarm → the single dependent is a prepositional phrase, na alarm on alarm
      cholera wie cholera knowsI have no idea→ the single dependent is the nominal subject cholera
    • cometer um crime to commit a crime → one dependent
    • a face fațăto make faceto to deal with→ the single dependent is a noun phrase, față
      a ieși înainte → the single dependent is an adverb, înainte
    • att ge upp to give up → the single dependent i s the particle upp
    • gre za it is about → the single dependent is a particle, za
      smejati se to laugh → the single dependent is a reflexive clitic, se
      imeti mačka to have a hangover → the single dependent is a noun, maček
  • annotate as ID
    • на стар краставичар краставици продавам to an old cucumber seller cucumbers to sell to try to cheat a more experienced person → two dependents, на стар краставичар (PP) and краставици (NP)
      прочитам от корица до корица to read from cover to cover → two dependents, от корица (PP) and до корица (PP)
      правя (нечий) живот черен make someone'l life black to ruin someone's life → two dependents, (нечий) живот (NP) and черен (small clause)
    • die Katze aus dem Sack lassen to let the cat out of the bag → two dependents die Katze and aus dem Sack
    • to make ends meet → two dependents, ends and meet
      to let the cat out of the bag → two dependents, the cat and out of the bag
    • non diregatto se non ce l'hai nel sacco don't say cat if you don't have it in the bag don't count your chickens before they're hatched → two dependents gatto and nel sacco
    • chować głowę w piasek to hide head in sandto pretend not to see a problem → two dependents, głowę head and w piasek in sand
      bać się własnego cienia to fear SELF one's own shadowto be very timid → two dependents, się SELF and własnego cienia own shadow
    • tapar o sol com a peneira to hide the sun with a sieve to sugar-coat → two dependents
    • a da bir cu fugițiito give tribute with fugitives theto disappear→ two dependents, bir and cu fugiții
      a- i ieși ochii din cap to his come out eyes the from head to stare→ three dependents, i, which is a non-RCLI, ochii, and din cap
    • att sätta sig upp mot någon to sit oneslef up against someone To defy someone → two dependents, sig and upp
    • skrivati glavo v pesekto hide head in sand to pretend not to see a problem → two dependents, glavahead and v pesekin sand
      vlečeš me za nosyou are pulling my nose you're pulling my leg → two dependents, meme and za nosmy nose

The test covers only lexicalized dependents. There may be other, non-lexicalized dependents, which the test ignores. We explicitly call the non-verbal elements dependents instead of arguments or complements because argument-adjunct distinction is irrelevant. The outcome of the test is positive if the verb has a single lexicalized dependent, which can be the subject, the direct or indirect object, but also an adverbial complement, adverb, particle, relative clause, etc.

Test 8 - [CATEG] - Category of the dependent

What is the morphosyntactic category of the dependent d that co-occurs with the head verb v?

  • Reflexive clitic - apply IReflV tests. If the outcome is negative, discard the VMWE candidate.
    • страхувам се fear myself.REFL to be afraid
      радвам се feel joy myself.REFL to feel joy
    • sich wundern to wonder, sichschämen to be ashamed
    • English does not have IReflV expressions
    • se suicider to suicide, s'évanouir to faint
    • suicidarsi to suicide, vergognarsi to be ashamed
    • bać się fear SELFto be afraid
    • suicidar-se to suicide, queixar-se to complain
    • a se sinucide to commit suicide with obligatory ACC reflexive clitic
      a se holba to stare with obligatory ACC reflexive clitic
    • čuditi se to wonder, smejati se to laugh, onesvestiti se to faint
  • Particle - apply VPC tests. If the outcome is negative, discard VMWE candidate.
    • Bulgarian does not have VPC expressions
    • anfangento begin, er fängt anhe begins, er hat angefangen he has begun → in German, VPCs may occur separated or within one word, we annotate all occurrences!
      ich schlage vor I propose
    • παίρνω μπρος, βάζω μπροςνα, κάνω πίσω
    • to give up, to look forward to
    • far fuori to make out to kill, lo fa fuorihe kills him , lo ha fatto fuori he killed him
    • Polish does not have VPC expressions
    • Portuguese does not have VPC expressions
    • Romanian does not have VPC expressions
    • gre za it is about
      dati skozi to go through
      biti za to agree
  • Noun phrase (NP) or prepositional phrase (PP) headed by a preposition governing a noun - apply LVC tests. If the outcome is negative, categorize as ID.
    • ритам камбаната kick the bell to die → камбаната is a noun phrase composed of a single noun
      давам зелена светлина give green light to allow → зелена светлина is a noun phrase composed of an adjective and a noun
      ставам на кайма turn into mince to be destroyed → на кайма is a prepositional phrase composed of a preposition governing a noun
    • dieNase rümpfen the nose wrinkle turn up one's nose at sth. → die Nase is a noun phrase composed of a determiner and a noun
      in Kraft treten into
    • to make a wish → a wish is a noun phrase composed of a determiner and a noun
      to take turns → turns is a noun phrase composed of a single plural noun
      mettere radici → radici is a noun phrase composed of a single plural noun
    • prendere in considerazione take into account → in considerazione is a prepositional phrase composed of a preposition and a noun
      rompere il silenzio to break the silence → il silenzio is a noun phrase composed of an article and singular noun
    • podjąć decyzjęto take a decision→ decyzję decision is a nominal phrase composed of a single noun
      chodzić prostą drogą to go (on) a straight road.INST to avoid complications → prostą drogą(on)a straight road is a noun phrase composed of an adjective and a noun in (instrumental)
      bujać w obłokach to swing in the cloudsto fantasize→ w obłokach in the clouds is a prepositinal phrase composed of a preposition and a noun
    • tomar banho to take a shower → banho is a noun phrase composed of a single noun
    • a rupe tăcerea to break silence the to start talking → tăcerea is a noun phrase composed composed of a single noun
      a face baie to do bathto take a shower → baie is a noun phrase composed of a single noun
    • biti v dvomihto doubt→ v dvomih in doubt is a prepositional phrase composed of a preposition governing a noun
  • Other - categorize as ID.
    • Adjective:
      • излизам сух от водата to come out dry from the water to avoid taking responsibility
        одирам жив skin alive to make somone suffer
        гоня дивото chase the wild.ADJ to take risks → дивото is a substantive
      • rot sehen to see red
      • τα βάφω μαύρα them-NE.PL.ACC paint-1.SG black-NE.PL.ACC be very sad
      • to stand firm, to see red
      • voir rouge to see red to be very angry
      • vedere nero to see black
      • zrobić swojeto do one's ownto do what one is supposed to do
      • pensar grande to think big
      • a vedea roșu to see red
        a o face lată to CL.ACC make wideto party
      • narediti svojeto do one's ownto do what one is supposed to do
    • Verb:
      • не искам и да чуя don't want to even hear to oppose strongly → и да чуя is a VP
        правя сам да си говори make someone talk to himself to drive someone crazy → сам да си говори is a clause
      • ??
      • to make do
      • laisser tomber let fall to let down
        vouloir dire want say to mean
      • lasciar andare let go to unhand
        voler dire want say to mean
      • dać komuś popalić to let someone smoketo make someone's life hard
      • querer dizer want say to mean
      • zagosti jo komu to play music to someoneplay a joke on someone
    • Adverb:
      • изваждам наяве take out in the open to uncover
        хващам натясно catch in a tight place to coerce, to pressure
      • φέρωβαρέως
      • to get well
      • buttare giù to throw down to demoralize
      • chcieć dobrze to want wellto have good intentions
        robić komuś dobrze to do someone.DAT wellto please someone
        źle/marnie skończyć badly finishto come to a bad end
      • cair
          bem
         fall well to be appropriate
      • a se face bine to himself make well to get well
        a face bine to make well to help
      • obrniti se na bolje to turn for better to be better
    • Pronoun:
      • мързи ме (it feels) lazy me.ACC to be lazy
      • τακαταφέρνω to make it
        τηνπατάω to fail
      • to make it
      • le faire it make to be enough/successful
      • farcela to make it to manage
      • No example found in Polish
      • dá-lhe João! give to him/her, João! show them what you got, João!
      • a o lua la măsea CL.ACC.F.3SG take PREP tooth.ACC to drink heavilywith the non-anaphoric feminine clitic 'o' functioning as an expletive
    • Etc.