Annotation guidelines (version 2.0; UNDER CONSTRUCTION)
Used by the corpora annotated for multiword expressions

Tests for adjectival and adverbial MWEs (AMWEs)

If the DIST test has allowed us to decide that the MWE candidate has an adjectival or an adverbial distribution, the status of this candidate (as an AdjID, AdvID, AV or non-MWE) is to be checked by the decision diagram below. This diagram has a unique entry point and the tests should be applied in the defined order. Each test is clickable and explained with examples in the sections below.

Like for nominal MWEs, the tests below are ordered from more specific ones to more generic ones. Specific tests are those that can be more clearly formulated and answered. Hence, they have priority over subsequent tests that rely on less formalised notions.

Decision tree for adjectival and adverbial MWE candidates

• Apply test AMWE.1 - [DEVERBAL: Candidate derives from a VMWE?]
• It is an AV.VID, AV.LVC.full, etc., depending on the outcome of the VMWE tests, exit.
• Apply test AMWE.2 - [CRAN: Candidate contains a cranberry word?]
• It is an AdjID or an AdvID, exit.
• Apply test AMWE.3 - [MORPH: Regular morphological change ⇒ unexpected meaning shift?]
• It is an AdjID or an AdvID, exit.
• Apply test AMWE.4 - [IRREG-STRUCT: Irregular syntactic structure?]
• It is an AdjID or an AdvID, exit.
• Apply test AMWE.5 - [MODIF: Modification of a component prohibited?]
• It is an AdjID or an AdvID, exit.
• Apply test AMWE.6 - [LEX: Regular replacement of a component ⇒ unexpected meaning shift?]
• It is an AdjID or an AdvID, exit.
• It is not a MWE, exit

Test AMWE.1 - [DEVERBAL] - Deverbal AMWE

Does the candidate contain a deverbal adjective or adverb and can the candidate be rephrased (in the given context) using a verbal expression which passes the VMWE tests?

• It is a deverbal adjectival or adverbial MWE (AV), with the corresponding VMWE subcategory, e.g. AV.VID, AV.VPC.full, etc.
(OEG) 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹𓊹 𓋴𓆓𓄔𓏏𓅓 𓌃𓅱𓂧 𓇋𓍘𓅱 pśč̣.(w)t śč̣m.t mṭw ꞽtꞽ.w The Enneads (pśč̣.(w)t) which-hear (śč̣m.t) the word (mṭw) of the monarch (ꞽtꞽ.w). The Enneads which interrogate the monarch (PT 511c, W) → śč̣m.n ⸗f mṭw śr ꞽś (PT 347b, T) 'he heard the word as an official' i.e. 'he interrogated as an official'; śč̣m.n ⸗f mṭw is a VID.
a decision-making process (AV.LVC.full) → make a decision is an LVC.full
a plan brought to fruition over a decade (AV.LVC.cause) → bring to fruition is an LVC.cause. We will bring the plan to fruition
a time-killing activity (AV.VID) → kill time is a VID We killed time watching a movie
made-up stories (AV.VPC.full) → make up is a VPC.full. They completely made up these stories.
Il était caustique et emporte-pièce take-piece He was caustic and non-nonsense (AV.VID) → emporter la pièce is a VID
Ce plat est très arrache-gueule tearing.up-mouth This dish burns the mouth (AV.VID) → arracher la gueule is a VID
Un exercice casse-gueule break-face a risky exercise (AV.VID) → se casser la gueule is a VID
(τὸν) λόγον ποιούμενος(ton) logon poioumenos making a comment speaking (the.ACC.sg.m) word.ACC.sg.m do.PRS.PTCP.MID.NOM.sg.m
• Further tests are required
reinforcements brought to the front lines → bring to the front lines is not a VID/LVC, so this is not an AMWE
une formule attrape-curieux catch-curious a catchy phrase → attraper les curieux is not a MWE
διαφερόντως τῶν ἄλλωνdiapherontōs tōn allōn differing from others differ.ADV the.GEN.pl.m other.GEN.pl.m
być może to prawda be may it is truemaybe this is true => to może być prawdathis can be true - może byćcan be is not a verbal MWE, so być możemaybeis not an AV (but it is an AMWE)

Test AMWE.2 - [CRAN] - Cranberry word

Does the candidate expression contain a cranberry word?

• It is an adjectival or an adverbial idiom (AdjID or AdvID), depending on its distribution.
spick and span very clean and tidy (AdjID) → spick is not a standalone word in English
The boat rocked to and fro on the waves back and forth (AdvID) → fro is not a standalone word in English
She was in fine fettle in good condition (AdjID) → fettle is not a standalone word in English
He drove off in high dudgeon angrily (AdvID) → dudgeon is not used outside this idiom
He was hale and hearty healthy and strong (AdjID) → hale is not used outside this idiom
se laisser aller à vau-l'eau downhill (AdvID) → vau is not a standalone word in French
Une famille de bon aloi of good sterling A family of sterling reputation (AdjID) → aloi is not used outside this expression
boire à tire-larigot drink to excess (AdvID) → larigot is not used standalone in French
manger à la bonne franquette eat without any fuss (AdvID) → franquette is not used standalone in French
construire un abri de bric et de broc construct a shelter from a hodgepodge of objects (AdvID) → 'broc' is not a standalone word
μετ’ ἡμέρηνmet’ hēmerēn during the day in broad daylight during day.ACC.sg.f → μετά meta + accusative ‘during’ (in classical Greek μετά meta + accusative = ‘after’)
Po prostu zamknęliśmy się we własnym domu Simply we locked ourselves in our own house - 'prostu' is not a standalone word
преко јегоpreko jego bejond jego beyond all measure
• Further tests are required
w celu manipulacji in the aim of manipulation in order to manipulate - both 'w' and 'cel' are standalone words

Test AMWE.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 an adjectival or an adverbial idiom (AdjID or AdvID), depending on its distribution
(OEG) 𓆓𓏏𓇿 𓂋 𓈖𓅘𓎛𓎛 č̣.t r nḥḥ for the linear-eternity (č̣.t) to (r) the circular-eternity (nḥḥ). for ever and ever (PT 414c, W) → * č̣.t r nḥḥ.
up in arms very angry (AdjID) → #up the arm
by heart learn something in such a way that you can say it from memory (AdvID) → #by hearts
by no means not at all (AdvID) → #by no mean
from time to time sometimes but not often (AdvID) → #from times to times
hot under the collar embarrassed or angry about something (AdjID) → #hot under the collars
larger than life more interesting, obvious than usual (AdjID) → #larger than lives
down to earth practical (AdjID) → #down to earths
By the way, have you decided yet? (AdvID) → *by the ways, have you decided yet?
des usines à l'abandon at the abandonment abandoned factories (AdjID) → #aux/*à abandons
Elle vient ici à titre exceptionnel at title exceptional She exceptionally comes here (AdvID) → #aux/*à titres exceptionnels
Il pleut. En conséquence, on ne sort pas. in consequence It rains. As a result, we'll not go out (AdvID) → #en conséquences
μετ’ ἡμέρηνmet’ hēmerēn during the day in broad daylight during day.ACC.sg.f → #μετ’ ἡμέρας met’ hēmeras
masz to jak w banku you have it as in a bank it is guaranteed for you (AdjvID) → #jak w bankach as in banks
z powrotem with return back - #z powrotami
• Further tests are required
w celu manipulacji in the aim of manipulation in order to manipulate - w celach manipulacji

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

Test AMWE.4 - [IRREG-STRUCT] - Irregular syntactic structure

Does the candidate have an irregular internal syntactic structure, i.e. the language's regular grammar rules do not allow a phrase with this structure?

• It is an adjectival or an adverbial idiom (AdjID or AdvID), depending on its distribution
(OEG) 𓆓𓏏𓇿 𓂋 𓈖𓅘𓎛𓎛 č̣.t r nḥḥ for the linear-eternity (č̣.t) to (r) the circular-eternity (nḥḥ). for ever and ever (PT 414c, W) → The preposition ꞽr/r is usually used with a noun as an adverbial phrase of the verb, e.g. ꞽ:šm ⸗k ꞽr P(ꞽ) (PT 624b) “You shall go to Pe”. It is unusual for the preposition ꞽr/r to be used with a coordinating function to link one noun with another, as in č̣.t r nḥḥ.
(all) of a sudden suddenly (AdvID) → *(Adv) P Det Adj (=sudden)
one of a kind unique (AdjID) → *of a kind in the sense of of a unique kind
four-in-hand knot a method of tying a necktie (AdjID) → four is an orphan
back in the day back then (AdvID) → #in the day vs. in the old days
At bottom, he is a kind person (AdvID) → #at a/the bottom (of N)
By and large, the project was a success (AdvID) → Unusual coordination (preposition and adjecvive)
Elle est à bout (de forces/nerfs) at limit (of forces/nerves) She is exhausted (AdjID) → bout is not determined (unusual) cf. au bout du couloir
Elle est sous pression au travail She is under pressure at work (AdjID) → pression is not determined (unusual) cf. sous une grande pression
Un costume sur mesure on measure made-to-measure (AdjID) → mesure is not determined (unusual) cf. sur la mesure de N
Un plat aigre-doux sour-sweet A sweet and sour plate (AdjID) → Unusual coordination with hyphen
po raz piąty się zgodzić for the fifths time to agree to agree for the fifths time (AdvID) → #po piąty raz
• Further tests are required
w celu manipulacji in the aim of manipulation in order to manipulate - w celu in the aim of in order to has a regular syntactic structure of a nominal

Test AMWE.5 - [MODIF] - Prohibited modification

Does one of the lexicalized components of the candidate prohibit a modification (by adjectives, relative clauses, adverbs, determiners, PPs, etc.) which would be considered grammatical in a regular construction of the same syntactic structure? In other words, can you think of such a modification which would normally be allowed but which here leads to ungrammaticality or to an unexpected change in meaning?

• It is an adjectival or an adverbial idiom (AdjID or AdvID), depending on its distribution
(OEG) 𓆓𓏏𓇿 𓂋 𓈖𓅘𓎛𓎛 č̣.t r nḥḥ for the linear-eternity (č̣.t) to (r) the circular-eternity (nḥḥ). for ever and ever (PT 414c, W) → No modification is attested in č̣.t r nḥḥ in Old Egyptian.
from time to time (AdvID) → #from long time to short time
Au besoin, je vous aiderai at.the necessity If necessary, I'll help you (AdvID) → #au besoin urgent, #au besoin que vous connaissez
Dans tous les cas, c'est foutuin all the cases In any case, it's screwed (AdvID) → #Dans tous les cas connus/possibles/qu'on connaît
μετ’ ἡμέρηνmet’ hēmerēn during the day in broad daylight during day.ACC.sg.f
szkoła średnia school middle college - #szkoła raczej średnia school rather middle
na serio on seriously seriously - *na bardzo serio on very seriously
z powrotem with retun back - *z ostatecznym powrotem with final retunr
• Further tests are required
The idea is dead and buried prematurely (AdjID)
L'idée est morte et enterrée dead and buried prématurément (AdjID)
ὡς ἔπος εἶπεινhōs epos eipein to speak the word almost word.ACC.sg.n say.AOR.INF.ACT → can appear with πᾶς pas ‘every’ and οὐδείς oudeis ‘no’
w celu manipulacji in the aim of manipulation in order to manipulate - w tym celu in this aim, w przestępczym celu in a crimial aim, w nieodgadnionym celu in a misterious aim

Test AMWE.6 - [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 an adjectival or an adverbial idiom (AdjID or AdvID), depending on its distribution
(OEG) 𓇳 𓎟 rꜥw nb every (rꜥw) sun (nb). everyday i.e. daily (PT 263a, W) → *grḥ nb "every night".
The idea is dead and buried (AdjID) → #The idea is dead and interred
He is on cloud nine very happy (AdjID) → #on cloud ten
ice-cold drinks (AdjID) → #snow-cold
She thinks she is over the hill no longer young (AdjID) → #over the mountain
a hot pink dress (AdjID) → #hot red, #cold pink
L'idée est morte et enterrée dead and buried (AdjID) → L'idée est #décédée et enterrée
À la limite, on reporte la réunion at the limit if necessary (AdvID) → #à l'extrémité, #au seuil
Par-dessus le marché, il a plu over above the market On top of that, it rained (AdvID) → #sur le marché, #par-dessus le bazar/commerce/pacte
ὡς ἔπος εἶπεινhōs epos eipein to speak the word almost as/to word.ACC.sg.n say.AOR.INF.ACT → #ὡς λόγος εἶπειν hōs epos eipein
z powrotem with return back - #z powróceniem
w celu manipulacji in the aim of manipulation in order to manipulate - w zamierzeniu manipulacji in the intention of , w zamyśle manipulacji in the intention of
• It is not a MWE, exit
τὸ πρὸ τοῦto pro tou the before the before the.ACC.sg.n before the.GEN.sg.n
co dzień what day every day - co godzina what hour every hour, co stulecie what century every century , co kwadrans what quarter every quarter of an hour