Annotation guidelines
PARSEME corpora annotated for multiword expressions

Particles versus prepositions and prefixes

The following tests allow to properly identify prepositional verb particles in cases where they might be homographic with prepositions in prepositional phrases (PPs) or with verbal prefixes. The word to be discriminated is referred to as a candidate word. The tests are language-specific and concern English, German and Swedish.

English-specific test for distinguishing particles from preposition

The following tests concern English words which can be either a preposition or a particle depending on the context, e.g. up, on, through, etc. If a candidate word passes any of the two tests it can be categorized as a particle.

Test PREP.EN.1 - [FIN-PART] - Sentence-final particle

Can the sentence be reformulated so that the candidate word w occurs at the end of a clause which is: (i) affirmative or imperative, (ii) headed by the verb governing w, and (iii) not a relative clause?

  • the candidate word is a particle
    • n.a.
    • They got up a petition on Monday. They got it up.
      I took off my clothes. I took my clothes off.
      She tries to take in her clients. She tries to take her clients /in.
    • n.a.
    • n.a.
    • n.a.
    • n.a.
  • go to the next test
    • n.a.
    • I got up the hill. *I got it up.
      He has been off alcohol*He has been alcohol off.
    • n.a.
    • n.a.
    • n.a.
    • n.a.

Test PREP.EN.2 - [AD-INS] - Adjunct insertion

Is an insertion of a circumstantial adjunct prohibited between the governing verb and the candidate word?

  • the candidate word is a particle
    • n.a.
    • They finally got up a petition. *They got finally up a petition.
      I took off my clothes at once. *I took at once off my clothes.
      She always tries to take in her clients. *She tries to take always in her clients.
    • n.a.
    • n.a.
    • n.a.
    • n.a.
  • it is not a VPC
    • n.a.
    • I got up the hill finally. I got finally up the hill.
      He has been off alcohol recently. He has been recently off alcohol.
    • n.a.
    • n.a.
    • n.a.
    • n.a.

This test might be redundant with respect to test PREP.EN.1. It it occurs to be so (after a large-scale annotation), it may be deleted.

German-specific tests for distinguishing particles from prepositions and verbal prefixes

The following tests concern German words which can be both a particle and either a preposition or a verbal prefix, depending on the context, e.g. mit, um, vor, etc. If a candidate word passes any of the three following tests it can be categorized as a particle.

Test PREP.DE.1 - [FIN-PART] - Sentence-final particle

Does the candidate word occur at the end of the sentence or can the sentence be reformulated so as to put the candidate word at the end?

  • it is a particle
    • Kommst Du mit? come you with? are you coming?
      Ich schlage vor allen zu verzeihen. I propose to forgive everyone Ich schlage es vor I propose it
      Der Mülleimer wurde umgefahren. The trash bin was knocked down Er fuhr den Mülleimer um. He knocked down the trash bin
    • n.a.
    • n.a.
    • Ik stel voor iedereen te vergeven. I propose to forgive everyone Ik stel het voor I propose it
    • n.a.
    • n.a.
  • other tests are needed
    • Kommst Du mit jemandem? Are you coming with someone? *Kommst Du jemandem mit?
      Er umfuhr den ganzen See mit dem Fahrrad. He drove around the whole lake with a bike *Er fuhr ihn um.
    • n.a.
    • n.a.
    • n.a.
    • n.a.

Test PREP.DE.2 - [SEP-PART] - Separable particle

Can the verb and the candidate word be spelled both separately and together?

  • it is a particle
    • Passen Sie auf die Autos auf! Be careful with the cars! Sie müssen auf die Autos aufpassen! You must be careful with the cars!
      Er fuhr das Schild um. He drove over the sign Er sollte das Schild nicht umfahren He should not drive over the sign
    • n.a.
    • n.a.
    • Let op de auto's! Pay attention to the cars! Je moet opletten! You must pay attention!
    • n.a.
    • n.a.
  • other tests are needed
    • Er umfuhr den ganzen See mit dem Fahrrad. He rode around the whole lake with a bike *Er fuhr den ganzen See mit dem Fahrrad um.
      Sprechen Sie mit ihm! Speak with him! *Sie sollen ihm mitsprechen.
    • n.a.
    • n.a.
    • zij aanbidden hem they worship him *zij bidden hem aan
    • n.a.
    • n.a.

Swedish-specific tests for distinguishing particles from prepositions and verbal prefixes

Many words are ambiguous between particles and prepositons, e.g. för, upp, … Accordingly, the following sentence may have two different senses:

  • Jag hälsade på Anna I greeted on.PART Anna I visited Anna
  • see: https://taalportaal.org/taalportaal/topic/pid/topic-13998813296768009#section_svl_rtr_rk
  • Jag hälsade på Anna I greeted on.PREP Anna I greeted Anna

The difference can only be judged by the stress/intonation pattern. In the first case, with a particle, the stress is not on the verb but on the particle. In the second case, with a prepositional object, the main stress is on the verb, with only secondary stress on the preposition.

Test PART.SV.1 - [PART-STRESS] - Stress on the particle

Is the main stress on the candidate word rather than on the verb?

  • it is a particle
    • Ongelukken kunnen 'voorkomen Accidents may happen
    • Jag hälsade på Anna I greeted on.PART Anna I visited Anna → The main stress is on the particle
  • it is not a particle
    • Goede regels kunnen ongelukken voor'komen Good rules can prevent accidents
    • Jag hälsade på Anna I greeted on.PREP Anna I greeted Anna → The main stress is on the verb

An error has occured !


PARSEME corpora annotation guidelines version 1.3.6 stable version, last updated on September 20, 2022