YARN is All You Knit: Encoding Multiple Semantic Phenomena with Layers

Siyana Pavlova, Maxime Amblard, Bruno Guillaume


Abstract
In this paper, we present the first version of YARN, a new semantic representation formalism. We propose this new formalism to unify the advantages of logic-based formalisms while retaining direct interpretation, making it widely usable. YARN is rooted in the encoding of different semantic phenomena as separate layers. We begin by presenting a formal definition of the mathematical structure that constitutes YARN. We then illustrate with concrete examples how this structure can be used in the context of semantic representation for encoding multiple phenomena (such as modality, negation and quantification) as layers built on top of a central predicate-argument structure. The benefit of YARN is that it allows for the independent annotation and analysis of different phenomena as they are easy to “switch off”. Furthermore, we have explored YARN’s ability to encode simple interactions between phenomena. We wrap up the work presented by a discussion of some of the interesting observations made during the development of YARN so far and outline our extensive future plans for this formalism.
Anthology ID:
2024.dmr-1.8
Volume:
Proceedings of the Fifth International Workshop on Designing Meaning Representations @ LREC-COLING 2024
Month:
May
Year:
2024
Address:
Torino, Italia
Editors:
Claire Bonial, Julia Bonn, Jena D. Hwang
Venues:
DMR | WS
SIG:
Publisher:
ELRA and ICCL
Note:
Pages:
66–76
Language:
URL:
https://aclanthology.org/2024.dmr-1.8
DOI:
Bibkey:
Cite (ACL):
Siyana Pavlova, Maxime Amblard, and Bruno Guillaume. 2024. YARN is All You Knit: Encoding Multiple Semantic Phenomena with Layers. In Proceedings of the Fifth International Workshop on Designing Meaning Representations @ LREC-COLING 2024, pages 66–76, Torino, Italia. ELRA and ICCL.
Cite (Informal):
YARN is All You Knit: Encoding Multiple Semantic Phenomena with Layers (Pavlova et al., DMR-WS 2024)
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PDF:
https://aclanthology.org/2024.dmr-1.8.pdf