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mwe: multi-word expression

The multi-word expression (modifier) relation is used for certain fixed grammaticized expressions with function words that behave like a single function word. Multiword expressions are annotated in a flat, head-initial structure, in which all words in the expression modify the first one using the mwe label.

At present, this relation is used inside the following expressions:

as well

as well as

such as

due to (and other forms, such as d t and d/t)

because of (and other forms, such as b c of and b/c of)

instead of

in case

in case of

of course

so that

more than (when used synonymously with “over” in a quantity)

less than (when used synonymously with “under” in a quantity)

up to (when used in quantities)

according to

in order

rather than

at least (when not used for quantities)

as if

prior to

as to

kind of

whether or not

not to mention

as opposed to

let alone

so as to

in between

all but

that is

how come

had better (and ‘d better)

Not mwes

The following are not annotated as mwes, but are instead labeled according to their apparent internal structure.

out of, off of (All double prepositions denoting spatial relations are annotated with two cases on the nominal)

by far

what about

at all

at most, at least (when used for quantities. To determine whether at least should be an mwe or not in borderline cases, substitute it with at most; if the sentence remains grammatical, it should receive its surface analysis)

at best, at worst

what if

so long


Treebank Statistics (UD_English)

This relation is universal.

610 nodes (0%) are attached to their parents as mwe.

610 instances of mwe (100%) are left-to-right (parent precedes child). Average distance between parent and child is 1.10819672131148.

The following 26 pairs of parts of speech are connected with mwe: ADV-ADV (157; 26% instances), ADP-ADP (151; 25% instances), ADJ-ADP (84; 14% instances), ADV-ADP (56; 9% instances), SCONJ-SCONJ (32; 5% instances), ADP-NOUN (26; 4% instances), VERB-ADP (24; 4% instances), ADP-SCONJ (13; 2% instances), SCONJ-ADV (9; 1% instances), SCONJ-CONJ (9; 1% instances), ADV-VERB (8; 1% instances), ADJ-SCONJ (7; 1% instances), ADV-PART (7; 1% instances), ADV-SCONJ (6; 1% instances), SCONJ-NOUN (4; 1% instances), SCONJ-VERB (4; 1% instances), ADP-VERB (2; 0% instances), SCONJ-PART (2; 0% instances), VERB-ADV (2; 0% instances), ADP-ADV (1; 0% instances), ADP-CONJ (1; 0% instances), ADV-NOUN (1; 0% instances), AUX-ADV (1; 0% instances), DET-NOUN (1; 0% instances), SCONJ-ADJ (1; 0% instances), SCONJ-ADP (1; 0% instances).


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