Topic-focus articulation algorithm on the syntax-prosody interface of Romanian

Abstract

We propose in this paper an implementation of the Prague School's TFA (Topic-Focus Articulation) algorithm to support the Romanian prosody design, relying on the experience with FDG (Functional Dependency Grammar) and SCD (Segmentation-Cohesion-Dependency) parsing strategies for the classical, i.e. predication-driven, but Information Structure (IS) non-dependent, syntax. As contributions worth to be mentioned are: (a) Outlining the functional and hierarchical organization of linguistic markers and structures within SCD and FDG local-global parsing, on both sides of the syntax-prosody interface of Romanian, (b) Pointing out the relationship between classical (IS-free) syntactic structures, IS (topic-focus, communicative dynamism) depending textual spans, and the corresponding prosodic intonational units, (c) Adapting and implementing the TFA algorithm for the first time to Romanian prosodie structures, to be continued with TFA sentence-level refinements, its rhetoricallevel extension, and embedding into local-global linking algorithms. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.