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The Swedish FrameNet++: Harmonization, integration, method development and practical language technology applications
Edited by Dana Dannélls, Lars Borin and Karin Friberg Heppin
[Natural Language Processing 14] 2021
► pp. 139–166

Chapter 6
Swedish FrameNet++ and comparative linguistics

| University of Gothenburg
| Uppsala University
| University of Gothenburg
| University of California

In this chapter we describe a multilingual extension of Swedish FrameNet++, intended to address research questions of a broad comparative nature, in genealogical, areal and typological linguistics, focusing on the integration into Swedish FrameNet++ of so-called core vocabularies, used in several linguistic subfields in order to conduct massive comparative studies involving large numbers of languages. Specifically, we describe the inclusion of two such lexical databases covering several hundred South Asian languages, with the aim of investigating areal and genealogical connections among these languages.

Article outline
  • 1.The multilingual aspects of Swedish FrameNet++
  • 2.Core vocabularies for comparative linguistic studies
    • 2.1Basic vocabularies in linguistics
      • 2.1.1Semantic simplicity
      • 2.1.2Early acquisition/commonness/representativeness/frequency
      • 2.1.3Resistance to replacement
      • 2.1.4Related kinds of vocabularies
    • 2.2The composition and size of core vocabularies
      • 2.2.1The “words” of core vocabularies
      • 2.2.2Selecting core vocabulary concepts
      • 2.2.3Selecting core-vocabulary lexemes
      • 2.2.4Comparing core vocabularies
      • 2.2.5Conclusions
  • 3.Two lexical databases for investigation of South Asian linguistic diversity and unity
    • 3.1Linguistic diversity in South Asia
    • 3.2Grierson’s comparative vocabulary in Swedish FrameNet++
      • 3.2.1The Linguistic survey of India
      • 3.2.2The LSI comparative vocabulary
    • 3.3The Intercontinental Dictionary Series as a comparative linguistic research tool
      • 3.3.1A lexical basis for investigating the linguistic landscape of the indian Himalayas
      • 3.3.2The IDS – not just another Swadesh list
  • 4.Conclusion and future prospects
  • Notes
  • References
Available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at [email protected].

Published online: 26 November 2021
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/nlp.14.06bor
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