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

Generic tests for identifying VMWEs

In order to decide if a candidate is a VMWE, we apply the following generic idiosyncrasy tests. If a candidate expression passes at least one test from 1 to 5, we consider it to be a VMWE, and it can further be categorized by decision tree 2 based on category-specific tests. If tests 1 to 5 fail, the LVC hypothesis may apply but LVC-specific tests are needed to confirm the candidate's VMWE status (at the same time as its LVC category).

Test 1 - [CRAN] - Cranberry word

Does the candidate expression contain a cranberry word?

  • it is a VMWE
    • хващам натясно catch in a tight place to coerce, to pressure → натясно is only used in MWEs
      правя на бъзе и коприва to turn into elder and nettle to scold, to tell off → бъзе is an old word, very rarely used independently
      вземам предвид, имам предвид to → предвид (as adverb) is only used in MWEs
      стоя диван чапраз to stay upright as in Osman council to stay ready to serve → чапраз is an old word, very rarely used independently
    • sich um etw. scharen to gather around something → scharen is not a stand-alone word
    • μάλλιασε η γλώσσα μου is-full-of-hair-3SG the-SG.NOM tongue-SG.NOM my-SG.GEN.POSSto repeat the same thing again and again → μάλλιασε is not a stand-alone word
    • to go astray → astray is not a stand-alone word
    • sin decir ni chus ni mus → chus is not a stand-alone word without to_say neither chus nor mus without saying a word
      no decir ni chus ni mus → chus is not a stand-alone word not to_say neither chus nor mus not to say a word, to remain silent
      a troche y moche → troche is not a stand-alone word to troche and dulled in a nonsensical way, willy-nilly, haphazardly
    • prendre la poudre d'escampette to escape → escampette is not a stand-alone word
    • mangiare a ufo to eat without paying → a ufo is not a stand-alone word
      fare lo gnorri to play dumb → gnorri is not a stand-alone word
      scendere in lizza to enter the lists → lizza is not a stand-alone word
    • odsądzić kogoś od czci i wiary to refuse honor and faith to someone to drag sb's name through the mire/mud, to damage someone's reputation by saying insulting things about them
    • ir para as cucuias to go wrong → cucuias is not a stand-alone word
    • a nu avea habar to have no idea → habar is not a stand-alone word
    • att komma ihåg to remember → ihåg is not a stand-alone word
    • biti si kvit to pay up a debt, owe nothing to somebody → kvit is not a stand-alone word
  • further tests are required
    • правя на сос → правя and сос are stand-alone words
    • sich um etw. herum stellen to stand around something → all words are stand-alone words
    • to go away → go and away are stand-alone words
    • ir a la universidad to go to university → ir, a, la and universidad are stand-alone words
    • andare giù to go down → andare and giù are stand-alone words
    • wyznać tajemnicę to reveal a secret → wyznać and tajemnica are standalone words
    • ir para a escola to go to school → ir, para, a and escola are stand-alone words
    • a nu avea idee to have no idea → all words are stand-alone words
    • att komma på to figure out → komma and på are stand-alone words

Test 2 - [LEX] - Lexical inflexibility

Does a regular replacement of one of the components by related words taken from a relatively large semantic class lead to ungrammaticality or to an unexpected change in meaning?

  • it is a VMWE
    • бълвам змии и гущери to spew snakes and lizards → #бълвам влечуги (to spew reptiles)
      всяка жаба да си знае гьола every frog to know its own puddle → #всяка жаба да си знае локвата
    • die Katze aus dem Sack lassen to let the cat out of the bag → #den Hund aus dem Karton lassen #to let the dog out of the box
      eine Entscheidung treffen to meet a decision to make a decision → #eine Entscheidung machen/herstellen a decision make/produce #to make/produce a decision
    • to let the cat out of the bag → #to allow the feline out of the container
      to make a decision → *to produce/build/create a decision
      to go on → *to go upon
      to stand firm/fast → *to stand hard/rigid/solid
    • meterse en la boca del lobo to_get_into.self in the mouth from_the wolf venture into the lion's den → #meterse en el ojo del gato
      tomar una decisiónto_take a decision to make a decision → #hacer/coger/producir una decisión to_make/grab/produce a decision #to make/grab/produce a decision
    • non dire gatto se non ce l'hai nel sacco don't say cat if it is not in the sack don't count on something before it happens→ #non dire cane se non ce l'hai nel sacco#don't say dog if it is not in the sack
      sputare il rospo spit the toad spit it out → #sputare la rana#spit the frog
    • wiedzieć, co w trawie piszczy to know what in grass squeals to be well informed → #wiedzieć, co w trawniku popiskuje
      wziąć udział to take participation to take part → #to podjąć/pobrać/zabrać członkostwo/uczestniczenie
    • quebrar um galho break a branch to help → #danificar um ramo to damage a stem
    • a da cu bâta în baltă to give with bat-the in pond to say sth embarrassing → *a da cu bățul în baltă to give with stick-the in pond, *a da cu bâta în lac to give with bat-the in lake
    • att Plocka russinen ur kakan to pick the raisins out of the cake to choose only the best things → #att välja ut nötterna från kakan
    • imeti mačka to have a cat to have a hangover → #imeti psa to have a dog
      iti rakom žvižgat to go whistling to cancers to fail, to die → #iti jastogom pet to go singing to the lobsters
  • further tests are required
    • изнасям доклад present a report → изнасям урок/лекция/презентация и т.н.
    • den Bus nehmen to take the bus → den Zug/ das Flugzeug, etc nehmen to take the train/plain/etc
    • to take a plane → to take a bus/car/boat, etc.
    • coger el autobús to_take the busto take the bus → coger el avión/tren, etc. to take the plain/train/etc.
    • prendere il trenoto take the bus → prendere il bus/aereo/etc to take the bus/plain/etc
    • jqum u joqgħod always moving about
    • sprawić kłopot to make a trouble→ sprawić przykrość/trudność/niedogodność/problem/zawikłanie/nieprzyjemnośćto make a(n) nuisance/difficulty/inconvenience/problem/complication
    • quebrar um braço to break an arm → quebrar uma perna/costela/falange to break a leg/rib/phalanx
    • a lua o decizieto take a decision to make a decision → a lua o hotărâre to take a decree to make a decision
    • att ta bussen to take the bus → att ta tåget/flyget, etc to take the train/plain/etc
    • delati težave to make a trouble→ delati preglavice/probleme/ to make a(n) nuisance/problem

Usual modifications for [LEX] include replacing content words in the candidate by synonyms, hypernyms, hyponyms, antonyms, troponyms, meronyms, and related words in general.

Test 3 - [MORPH] - Morphological inflexibility

Does a regular morphological change that would normally be allowed by general grammar rules lead to ungrammaticality or to an unexpected change in meaning?

  • it is a VMWE
    • хвърлям око throw an eye to throw a glance → #хвърлям очи.PLURAL
      хващам бика.DEF за рогата take the bull by the horns → #хващам бик.INDEF за рогата
      не мога да си намеря място cannot find a place for myself to be extremely nervous → only exists in negative form
    • ins Gras beißen to bite into the grass to die → #in ein Gras beißento bite into a grass #in die Gräser beißen to bite into the grasses, in Kraft treten into force step to come into effect → #in Kräfte treten into forces step
    • to kick the bucket → #to kick the buckets
      to pretty-print → *to prettier-print
      to take turns → #to take a turn
    • coger el toro por los cuernos to_take the bull by the horns to take the bull by the horns → #coger el toro por el cuernoto_take the bull by the horn #to take the bulls by the horns to_take the bulls by the horns #to take the bulls by the horns
      entrar en vigor to_enter in vigor to come into effect → #entrar en vigores to_enter in vigors #to come into effects
    • prendre le taureau par les cornes to_take the bull by the horns → #prendre le taureau par une corne to_take the bull by a horn
    • andare a letto con le gallineto go to bed with the hens to go to bed early → #andare a letto con la gallina to_go to bed with the hen
      cercare il pelo nell'uovo to look for the hair in the egg to be pedantic → #cercare i peli nell'uovo
    • budować zamki na lodzie to build castles on ice to rely on unstable foundations → #budować zamek na lodzie to build a castle on ice
      mucha kogoś ugryzła a fly bit someone someone is in a bad temper→ #mucha kogoś ugryzie a fly will bite someone
      wyciągnąć nogito stretch.PERF legsto die→ #wiciągać nogi to stretch.IMPERF legs (imperfective aspectual variant prohibited)
    • bater perna hit leg to walk around → bater a/uma/essas perna/pernas/perninha/pernona to hit the/one/these leg/legs/leg.SMALL/leg.BIG
    • a da colțul to give corner.the to die → *a da colţurileto give corners.the
    • träda i kraft step in force to come into effect → #träda i krafter step into forces
    • klicati jelene to call cerfs to vomit → #klicati jelena to call a cerf
  • further tests are required
    • хвърлям топка to throw a ball → хвърлям топка/топката/топки/топките
    • einen Kuchen backen to bake a cake → viele/keine/den Kuchen backen/machen many/no/the cake bake/make
    • to make a cake → to make a/many/those/no cake/cakes
    • mover el brazo to_move the arm to move the arm → mover/agitar/levantar/estirar el brazo/la pierna/las manos/las piernas to_move/shake/raise/stretch the arm/the leg/the hands/the legs to move/shake/raise/stretch the arm/the leg/the hands/the legs
    • fare un dolce → fare un/molti/dei/quei/nessun dolce/dolci
    • kształtować opinię to form an opinion→ kształtować opinie to form opinions
    • bater o braço to hit the arm→ bater o/os/um/esse braço/braços/bracinho hit the/the.PL/a/this arm/arms/arm.SMALL
    • a face o prăjiturăto make a cake → a face multe/aceste prăjiturito make many/these cakes
    • att baka en kaka to bake a cake → att baka flera/den där/några/ingen kaka/kakor to bake several/that/some/no cake(s)
    • vzeti taksi to take a cab → ne vzeti nobenega taksija/en taksi/dva taksija to take no/one/two/… cab(s)

Usual modifications for [MORPH] include inflecting content words in the candidate for gender, number, case, tense, mood, aspect, etc. - depending on the target language's morphology.

Test 4 - [MORPHSYNT] - Morpho-syntactic inflexibility

Does a regular morpho-syntactic change that would normally be allowed by general grammar rules lead to ungrammaticality or to an unexpected change in meaning?

  • it is a VMWE
    • аз ти давам думата си I give you my word → #аз ти давам неговата дума (I give you HIS word)
      аз си продавам душата I sell my soul → #аз продавам неговата душа (I sell his soul)
    • Ichwerde mein Bestes tun I will my best do I will do my best → *Ich werde dein Bestes tun I will do your best, Ich gebe dir mein Wort I give you my word → *Ich gebe dir ihr Wort I give you her word
    • I will do my best → *I will do your best
      I give you my word for that → #I give you his word for that
      he was pulling my leg → #I was pulling my leg
    • te doy mi palabra to_you give_I my word I give you my word → #te doy su palabra to_you give_I his/her word I give you his/her word
    • il vide son sac he empties his bag he reveals his secret thoughts → #il vide mon sac he empties my bag
    • Iofarò del mio meglio → *Io farò del tuo meglio
      Io ti do la mia parola→ #Io ti do la sua parola
    • Polish VMWEs do not seem to exhibit this kind of inflexibility
    • ele se suicidou he self.3P.SG suicided → *ele me suicidou
      eu perdi meu tempo I wasted my time → eu perdi teu/seu/nosso tempo English allows this, Portuguese doesn't. We say I made you waste your time instead.
    • Îți dau cuvântul meu CL.DAT give.1SG word.the my I give you my word → #Îți dau cuvântul luiCL.DAT give.1SG word.the his I give you his word
    • Jag gör mitt bästa I do my best I do my best → *Jag gör ditt bästa I do your best
    • Vlečeš me za nos you are pulling my nose you're pulling my leg → *Vlečeš se za nos you're pulling your nose
      Pojdi se solit! to go salt oneself Get lost! → *Pojdi ga solit go salt him
  • further tests are required
    • копая си гроба to dig my grave → копая ти/му/й/им гроба (to dig your/his/her/their grave)
    • er traf seine Entscheidung he made his decision → er traf meine/ihre/unsere/eure Entscheidung he made my/her/our/your decision
    • he did his job → he did my/her/our/your job
    • Ha hecho su trabajo Has_he/she done his/her work He/She has done his/her work → Ha hecho mi/tu/nuestro trabajo Has_he/she done my/your/our work He/She has done my/your/our work
    • hafatto il suo lavoro → ha fatto il mio/tuo/nostro/vostro/loro lavoro
    • Polish VMWEs do not seem to exhibit this kind of inflexibility
    • Eu fiz meu trabalho I did my job → Tu/ele/nós fizeste/fez/fizemos meu trabalho You/he/we made my job
    • el își face tema he his does homework.the he does his homework → el îmi/ne/le face tema he my/our/their does homework.the he does my/our/their homework
    • han gör sitt jobb he does his job → han gör mitt/hennes/vårt jobb he does my/her/our job
    • opravil je svojo nalogo he did his job → opravil je mojo/njeno/našo/tvojo nalogo he did my/her/our/your job

Usual modifications for [MORPHSYNT] involve agreement or loss of agreement between some components in the candidate.

Test 5 - [SYNT] - Syntactic inflexibility

Does a regular syntactic change that would normally be allowed by general grammar rules lead to ungrammaticality or to an unexpected change in meaning?

  • it is a VMWE
    • на стар краставичар краставици продавам to an old cucumber seller cucumbers to sell to try to cheat a more experienced person → #продавам краставици на стар краставичар, #краставиците са продадени
      бълвам змии и гущери → #бълвам гущери и змии
    • Noun phrase (NP) or prepositional phrase (PP)
    • speak of the devil the person one is talking about shows up → #he was speaking of the devil
      to go bananas to get crazy → #bananas are gone
      to drink and drive → #drive and drink
      to kick the bucket → #the bucket was kicked
    • coser y cantar to_sew and to_sing easy as pie, a piece of cake → #cantar y coser to sing and to sew
      perder la cabeza To_loose the head to go bananas → #Perder las cabezas To_loose the heads
    • alzare la cresta to lift the crest become cocky → #la cresta è stata alzata the crest has been lifted
      andare in malora go to ruin go to ruin → #nella malora è andata in ruin was gone
      vivi e lascia vivere live and let live → #lascia vivere e vivi let live and live
    • kogoś krew zalewa blood foods someone someone gets furious→ #ktoś jest zalewany przez krew someone is flooded by blood (passive blocked)
      robić bokami to do with-sidesto have serious financial problems→#robić swoją robotę bokami to do one's job with sides (regular modification blocked)
      dobrze komuś z oczu patrzy well someone.DAT from eyes lookssomeone looks like a good person → #uprzejmość dobrze komuś z oczu patrzy kindness well someone.DAT from eyes looks (subject prohibited)
      nie zagrzać miejsca w pracy not to warm a place at worknot to stay long at one work → #zagrzać miejsce w pracy to warm a place at work (negation is compulsory)
      zdechł pies! died the dog!it is a lost cause→ #pies zdechł the dog died (a regular word order variability is blocked)
      wziąć w łebto take into headto fail → #wziąć porażkę w łeb to take failure into head(direct object prohibited for the normally transitive verb wziąćto take)
    • pisar na bola step on the ball make a mistake → #a bola na qual ele pisou the ball on which he stepped
    • a da colțul to give corner.the to die → *colțul a fost dat corner.the has been given
    • det knallar och går it trots and walks it is OK/as usual → #det går och knallar
    • delati se Francoza to pretend to be French to pretend to be indifferent → *delan Francoz made French
  • further tests are required
    • продавам неговата кола I sell his car → колата му беше продадена (his car was sold), неговата кола, която тя продаде (his car which she sold), т.н.
    • jemandes Auto waschen to wash one's car → ihr Auto wurde gewaschen her car was washed, das Auto, welches sie wusch the car that she washed, Autowaschen car-washing, etc
    • to wash one's car → her car was washed, the car that she washed, car washing, etc.
    • pisar la arena to step on the sand → la arena que pisaste The sand on which you stepped
    • lavare la macchina →la sua macchina è stata lavata, la macchina che ha lavato, il lavaggio della macchina, etc.
    • kształtować opinię to form an opinion → opinia jest kształtowana the opinion is formed
    • pisar na areia to step on the sand → a areia na qual você pisou the sand on which you stepped
      jogar futebol to play football → ?futebol é jogado football is played One may argue that this is a VMWE because passive sounds strange. However, we assume that this sense of jogar does not accept passive. Since this construction is very productive, we do not annotate it as VMWE.
    • a spăla maşinato wash the car→ maşina a fost spălată, maşina pe care a spălat-o, spălarea maşinii etc.the car was washed, the car that he/she washed, car washing
    • att tvätta bilen to wash one's car → min bil tvättades my car was washed, bilen som hon tvättade the car that she washed, biltvätt car-wash etc.
    • narediti film to make a movie → Film, narejen po knjigi a movie based on a book

LVC Hypothesis

Does the candidate consist of a verb and a nominal complement, where the verb has a purely syntactic operator function (performing an activity or being in a state) and the noun expresses this activity or state?

  • assume that it is a VMWE
    • вземам решение to make a decision → the semantics is expressed by the noun решение, while the verb вземам expresses tense, aspect and mood, and assigns semantic role 'agent' to the subject
    • eine Entscheidung treffen a decision meet to make a decision → treffen only expresses that an activity (Entscheidung) happened
      Mut haben to have courage → haben only expresses that the subject has a property (Mut)
    • to make a decision → make only expresses that an activity (decision) happened
      to commit suicide → commit only expresses that an activity (suicide) happened
      to have courage → have only expresses that the subject has a property (courage)
    • tomar una decisión to make a decision → tomar only expresses that an activity (decisión) happened
      cometer un crimen to commit a crime → cometer only expresses that an activity (crimen) happened
      tener coraje to have courage → tener only expresses that the subject has a property (corage)
    • dare un suggerimento give a suggestion give a suggestion → dare only expresses that an activity (suggerimento) happened
      avere coraggio to have courage → avere only expresses that the subject has a property (coraggio)
    • wziąć udział to take a participationto take part → wziąć only expresses an activity (participation)
    • tomar uma decisão to make a decision → tomar only expresses that an activity (decisão) happened
      cometer um crime to commit a crime → cometer only expresses that an activity (crime) happened
      ter coragem to have courage → ter only expresses that the subject has a property (coragem)
    • a lua o decizie to take a decisionto make a decision→ lua only expresses that an activity (decizie) happened
    • ta ett beslut take a decision to make a decision → ta only expresses that an activity (beslut) happened
    • sprejeti odločitev → sprejeti only expresses that an activity (odločitev) happened
      narediti samomor → narediti only expresses that an activity (samomor) happened
      imeti pogum → imeti only expresses that the subject has a property (pogum)
  • the candidate is NOT a VMWE
    • вземам пари to take money → вземам has a concrete meaning and пари (money) is not an activity or state
    • einen Kuchen machento make a cake → machen has a concrete meaning and the thing being made (Kuchen) is not an activity or state.
      Nachbarn haben to have neighbours → haben might be an operator verb but Nachbarn are not activities or propertiesHoffnung geben to give hope→ Hoffnung is a state/property, but geben adds inchoative (i.e. change-of-state) semantics to it
    • to make a cake → make has a concrete meaning and the thing being made (cake) is not an activity or state
      to have neighbors → have might be an operator verb but neighbors are not activities or properties
      to give hope → hope is a state/property, but give adds inchoative (i.e. change-of-state) semantics to it
    • tomar un zumo to_take a juiceto have a juice → tomar has a concrete meaning and the thing being taken (zumo) is not an activity or state
      tener vecinos to_have neighbors → tener might be an operator verb but vecinos are not activities or properties
      dar esperanza to give hope → esperanza is a state/property, but dar adds inchoative (i.e. change-of-state) semantics to it
    • fare un quadro to make a painting to make a painting → fare has a concrete meaning and the thing being made (quadro) is not an activity or state
      avere fratelli → avere might be an operator verb but fratelli are not activities or properties
      dare speranza → speranza is a state/property, but dare adds inchoative (i.e. change-of-state) semantics to it
    • odmówić udziału to refuse the participationto refuse to participate → udział is a state/activity but odmówić adds semantics to it (refusal to perform the activity)
    • tomar um suco take a juicehave a juice → tomar has a concrete meaning and the thing being taken (suco) is not an activity or state
      ter vizinhos to have neighbors → ter might be an operator verb but vizinhos are not activities or properties
      dar esperança to give hope → esperança is a state/property, but dar adds inchoative (i.e. change-of-state) semantics to it
    • a face o prăjiturăto make a cake → face has a concrete meaning and the thing being made (prăjitură) is not an activity or state
    • narediti palačinke to make pancakes → narediti make has a concrete meaning and the thing being made (palačinke) is not an activity or state.

The LVC hypothesis is not a real test, but its application is largely based on intuition and it may be hard to judge whether a verb is only performing the role of operator. This hypothesis accounts for LVCs that have otherwise no salient inflexibility but still correspond to multiword predicates we want to annotate. If you are unsure, we advise you to assume that the combination is a VMWE and go to the LVC tests. If the expression fails the LVC tests, then you must change your mind and consider that the answer to the LVC hypothesis was actually NO.