HPSG is not generative grammar

[Carl Pollard]

Hi Adam,

That's fascinating. I always thought any kind of mathematical
system that (inter alia) determined a set of strings or a set
of structural representations of some kind or other counted
as a generative grammar. I wonder whether Neil Smith's usage
had any mathematical conception behind it, or if he was just using
the term "generative grammar" as an informal synonym for
Chomsky-style linguistically oriented activity.

Carl

>
In case you ever wondered whether the term `generative grammar' encompasses
HPSG or not, there is now a definite answer to this question:

"For alternatives to generative grammar, see inter alia Borsley, 1996;
 Pollard & Sag, 1994; Steedman, 1993; Bresnan, 1994; Hudson, 1990."

This is a quote from: Neil Smith (1999), "Chomsky: Ideas and Ideals",
p.223, Cambridge University Press.

Happy New Year, to generative and non-generative grammarians alike,

	Adam P.

--
           ,
ADAM PRZEPIORKOWSKI
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On leave from the Institute of Computer Science,
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