Re: [SHOEBOX] Null Morphemes

> From: WickedBob@aol.com [mailto:WickedBob@aol.com]
>
> In a message dated 7/22/00 16:31:35 PM Central Daylight Time,
> dbell@GRAYWIZARD.NET writes:
>
> > And also without precluding the parsing of other cases:
> >
> >  \t i   galdranne
> >  \m ir  galdr  =an   -e
> >  \g the Galdor =masc -[A]
> >  \p DET NAM    =GND  -ERG
> >
> >  \t i   galdrannon
> >  \m ir  galdr  =an   -on
> >  \g the Galdor =masc -[Obl]
> >  \p DET NAM    =GND  -DAT
> >
>
> Very good!  I wish I had thought of this earlier!!!!  For your entry for
> galdran have two underlying forms, as follows:
>
> \lx galdran
> \u galdr -an -0  (Or whatever the null morpheme will be)
> \u galdr -an
Ah yes.  Amazing how simple the solution appears once found.  This works
splendidly!  The additional ambiguity is a bit of a pain, but less so than
the alternatives.  Thanks once again Jeff.  You have certainly earned the
title of "Master Shoeboxer" for your two solutions to my two dilemmas.

>  It would be nice if we could specify the word boundary variable in the
> second underlying form, but we can't.  If we could, all ambiguity
> would be
> gone from the system, but it would still work.  Maybe something
> for the next
> Shoebox?  Oh well.  I've put it to the test, with the examples
> above, and it
> does work, and it produces both forms perfectly as desired, in
> addition to
> the null morpheme case..

Yes, I've added it to my short wish list.  Just how often does the SIL
upgrade Shoebox?  How responsive are they to suggested improvements?  I
suppose as it is freeware, one cannot expect much, but one can dream can't
one.

Does anyone use any of the other tools listed on the SIL site.  Having
tasted the joys of Shoebox, I wonder what other goodies lay there waiting to
be sampled.

David

David E. Bell
The Gray Wizard
    dbell@graywizard.net
    www.graywizard.net

"Wisdom begins in wonder." - Socrates