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The Initial State


$$ Initial ::= "initial" Constant-Expression "," Rule-Set ";" .
$$ Rule-Set ::= "rules" (Rules {"else" Rules} | "(" Rules {"else" Rules} ")") .
$$ Rules ::= Rule-Name {"," Rule-Name} .

The initial state in a combination rule file is defined as follows:

initial value, rules rule1, rule2, $...$;

The initial state specifies a category for the empty word start (or sentence start) in a combi rule file; the rules listed behind rules are applied in parallel to combine the empty word (sentence) start with the first allomorph (word form). The rules may be enclosed in parentheses.

If you want rules to be executed only if no other rule has been successful, you can put their names behind the other rules' names and write an else in front of them:

initial value rules rule1, rule2 else rule3, rule4 else $...$;
If none of the normal rules rule1 and rule2 have been successful, rule3 and rule4 are executed. If these rules also fails, the next rules are executed, and so on.


next up previous contents
Next: The Constant Definition Up: Definition of the Programming Previous: The Symbol Table   Contents
Bjoern Beutel