The PAPPI System

Appeared in Volume 8/1, February 1995

Keywords: grammars.

Announcing the first public release of PAPPI, a Prolog-based natural language parser for theories in the Principles-and- Parameters framework. PAPPI is designed to run on Sun Sparcstations with Quintus Prolog. The PAPPI system includes:

An X-Windows-based user interface to the underlying Prolog-based parser.
A sample implementation of classic GB-theory, based on theory described in Lasnik and Uriagereka's textbook "A Course in GB Syntax". The implementation also includes sets of example sentences and sample parameterization for several languages.

PAPPI is designed to be a high-level research tool for experimenting with and learning about linguistic theory. This release represents just one possible instantiation within the Principles-and-Parameters framework. Users are encouraged to experiment with and modify the sample principles.

This is free software developed at the NEC Research Institute, Inc., an institute for conducting long-term, fundamental research in computer and physical sciences. Comments and suggestions for improvement to the system will be gratefully accepted!

The system is available for anonymous FTP from:
ftp://external.nj.nec.com/pub/sandiway/Pappi-2.0.tar.Z

Current requirements: Sun Sparcstation; SunOS 4.1.3 or 5.3 (aka Solaris 2.3); Quintus Prolog 3.1.4 or 3.1.1 (June 1992); Approx. 35MB of disk space (55-70MB to install).

Contact address:

Sandiway Fong
NEC Research Institute, Inc.
Princeton NJ 08540, USA 
Email: sandiway@research.nj.nec.com
Fax: 609 951 2482