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The role of syntax in complex networks: Local and global importance of verbs in a syntactic dependency network

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  • Čech, Radek
  • Mačutek, Ján
  • Žabokrtský, Zdeněk

Abstract

Syntax of natural language has been the focus of linguistics for decades. The complex network theory, being one of new research tools, opens new perspectives on syntax properties of the language. Despite numerous partial achievements, some fundamental problems remain unsolved. Specifically, although statistical properties typical for complex networks can be observed in all syntactic networks, the impact of syntax itself on these properties is still unclear. The aim of the present study is to shed more light on the role of syntax in the syntactic network structure. In particular, we concentrate on the impact of the syntactic function of a verb in the sentence on the complex network structure. Verbs play the decisive role in the sentence structure (“local” importance). From this fact we hypothesize the importance of verbs in the complex network (“global” importance). The importance of verb in the complex network is assessed by the number of links which are directed from the node representing verb to other nodes in the network. Six languages (Catalan, Czech, Dutch, Hungarian, Italian, Portuguese) were used for testing the hypothesis.

Suggested Citation

  • Čech, Radek & Mačutek, Ján & Žabokrtský, Zdeněk, 2011. "The role of syntax in complex networks: Local and global importance of verbs in a syntactic dependency network," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 390(20), pages 3614-3623.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:phsmap:v:390:y:2011:i:20:p:3614-3623
    DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2011.05.027
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ramon Ferrer-I-Cancho, 2008. "Some Word Order Biases From Limited Brain Resources: A Mathematical Approach," Advances in Complex Systems (ACS), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 11(03), pages 393-414.
    2. Caldarelli, Guido, 2007. "Scale-Free Networks: Complex Webs in Nature and Technology," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199211517.
    3. Liu, Haitao, 2008. "The complexity of Chinese syntactic dependency networks," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 387(12), pages 3048-3058.
    4. Réka Albert & Hawoong Jeong & Albert-László Barabási, 2000. "Error and attack tolerance of complex networks," Nature, Nature, vol. 406(6794), pages 378-382, July.
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