The fixed relation is used for certain fixed grammaticized expressions that behave
like function words or short adverbials, and for which a unique head cannot be identified.
These are a subset of multiword expressions that are morphosyntactically “fixed”
in that they resist internal modification and inflection.
(Compare: flat for headless expressions not behaving like function words;
compound for headed expressions that morphosyntactically resemble single words;
and goeswith for words that contain improper spacing.)
Fixed expressions are annotated in a flat, head-initial structure, in which all words in the expression modify the first one using the
fixed label. The first word bears the ExtPos feature indicating the holistic category of the expression.
At present, this relation is used inside the following expressions, semantically grouped for convenience:
Below the description of fixed expressions are a few idiomatic combinations that are analyzed without fixed. These are summarized as follows:
Non-fixed Expressions
Double spatial prepositions: out of, off of, etc.
about to; as soon/long as; at all, at least/most/best/worst; by far; compared to/with; had better; in general; nothing/anything but; so long; what about, what if
I decided to get a dog rather/ADV[ExtPos=CCONJ] than/ADP a cat
fixed(rather, than)
cc(cat, rather)
conj(dog, cat)
However, when fronted, it attaches as case or mark:
Rather/ADV[ExtPos=ADP] than/ADP a cat , I decided to get a dog.
fixed(Rather, than)
case(cat, Rather)
obl(decided, cat)
instead of
Similar in meaning to rather than, but never analyzed as a coordinating conjunction, always case or mark:
John went instead/ADV[ExtPos=ADP] of/ADP Mary
fixed(instead, of)
case(Mary, instead)
John left early instead/ADV[ExtPos=SCONJ] of/SCONJ staying for the whole thing
fixed(instead, of)
mark(staying, instead)
as opposed to
John decided to leave early , as/[ExtPos=ADP] opposed to Mary
fixed(as, opposed)
fixed(as, to-9)
case(Mary, as)
Causal connectives
because of (and other forms, such as b c of and b/c of)
He cried because/ADP[ExtPos=ADP] of/ADP you
case(you, because)
fixed(because, of)
due to (and other forms, such as d t and d/t)
He cried due/ADJ[ExtPos=ADP] to/ADP the fact that you hurt him
case(fact, due)
fixed(due, to)
how come
How/[ExtPos=ADV] come John left early ?
fixed(How, come)
advmod(left, How)
in order
He cried in/[ExtPos=SCONJ] order to make you feel bad
mark(feel, in)
fixed(in, order)
He cried in/[ExtPos=SCONJ] order that you might feel bad
mark(feel, in)
fixed(in, order)
He cried in/[ExtPos=SCONJ] order for you to have something to feel bad about
mark(have, in)
fixed(in, order)
so as to
John left early so/[ExtPos=SCONJ] as to miss the meeting
fixed(so, as)
fixed(so, to)
mark(miss, so)
so that
He cried so/[ExtPos=SCONJ] that you would feel bad
mark(feel, so)
fixed(so, that)
such that
Let the rectangle KL be applied to DE such/[ExtPos=SCONJ] that KL equals BC
mark(equals, such)
fixed(such, that)
Spatiotemporal markers
in between
John left in/ADP[ExtPos=ADP] between/ADP meetings
fixed(in, between)
case(meetings, in)
prior to
John left prior/ADJ[ExtPos=ADP] to/ADP the meeting
fixed(prior, to)
case(meeting, prior)
on board
on/ADP[ExtPos=ADP] board/NOUN the ship
fixed(on, board)
case(ship, on)
Circumstantial/conditional connectives
in case
I always back up my files in/[ExtPos=SCONJ] case my computer crashes
fixed(in, case)
mark(crashes, in)
I always back up my files just in/[ExtPos=ADV] case
fixed(in, case)
advmod(back, in)
advmod(in, just)
in case of
I always back up my files in/[ExtPos=ADP] case of a crash
fixed(in, case)
fixed(in, of)
case(crash, in)
whether or not
He 's crying whether/[ExtPos=SCONJ] or not you feel bad about it
fixed(whether, or)
fixed(whether, not)
mark(feel, whether)
Elaboration/exemplification/analogy connectives
as if
It was as/[ExtPos=SCONJ] if he cried to make you feel bad
fixed(as, if)
mark(cried, as)
in that
I agree in/[ExtPos=SCONJ] that the food is tasty
fixed(in, that)
mark(tasty, in)
advcl(agree, tasty)
let alone
He could n't handle being hurt , let/VERB[ExtPos=CCONJ] alone/ADJ hurt by you
fixed(let, alone)
cc(hurt-10, let)
conj(hurt-6, hurt-10)
not to mention
This restaurant is pretty cheap with good food , not/[ExtPos=CCONJ] to mention their friendly staff
fixed(not, to)
fixed(not, mention)
cc(staff, not)
conj(food, staff)
such as
I like fluffy animals , such/[ExtPos=ADP] as dogs
case(dogs, such)
fixed(such, as)
that is
The dogs need to be housebroken -- that/[ExtPos=ADV] is , '' potty - trained ''
fixed(that, is)
advmod(trained, that)
Topic shift markers
as for
As/[ExtPos=ADP] for me , I love dogs!
fixed(As, for)
case(me, As)
obl(love, me)
as to
As/[ExtPos=SCONJ] to whether I love dogs ...
fixed(As, to)
mark(love, As)
As/[ExtPos=ADP] to my love of dogs ...
fixed(As, to)
case(love, As)
Attributional markers
according to
According/[ExtPos=ADP] to John
fixed(According, to)
case(John, According)
Speaker commitment markers
all but
John has all/DET[ExtPos=ADV] but/ADP left
fixed(all, but)
advmod(left, all)
kind of, sort of (as a hedge)
I kind/[ExtPos=ADV] of like dogs
fixed(kind, of)
advmod(like, kind)
of course
I like dogs , of/[ExtPos=ADV] course
advmod(like, of)
fixed(of, course)
Approximators (quantity modifiers)
more than (when used synonymously with “over” in a quantity)
More/[ExtPos=ADV] than 90 percent
advmod(percent, More)
fixed(More, than)
less than (when used synonymously with “under” in a quantity)
Less/[ExtPos=ADV] than ten percent
advmod(percent, Less)
fixed(Less, than)
up to (when used in quantities)
Up/[ExtPos=ADV] to fifty percent
fixed(Up, to)
advmod(percent, Up)
as many/much/few/little as (when used in quantities)
As/[ExtPos=ADV] much as fifty percent
fixed(As, much)
fixed(As, as)
advmod(percent, As)
all of (when used in quantities)
All/[ExtPos=ADV] of ten minutes
fixed(All, of)
advmod(minutes, All)
Reciprocal pronouns
The first word is marked as PronType=Rcp. See discussion at PRON.
each other
They saw each/DET[ExtPos=PRON] other/ADJ
fixed(each, other)
obj(saw, each)
one another
They saw one/PRON[ExtPos=PRON] another/DET
fixed(one, another)
obj(saw, one)
Not fixed
The following are not annotated as fixed, 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)
Get out of there !
nmod(Get, there)
case(there, out)
case(there, of)
Get off of that !
nmod(Get, that)
case(that, off)
case(that, of)
by far
Dogs are the best animal by far
nmod(animal, far)
case(far, by)
what about
What about John ?
nmod(What, John)
case(John, about)
at all
I don't like her at all
nmod(like, all)
case(all, at)
in general
as a focusing modifier
my fear of grizzles , and bears in/ADP general/ADJ
case(general, in)
nmod(bears, general)
as an adverbial in a clause
In/ADP general/ADJ , I prefer tea to coffee
case(general, In)
obl(prefer, general)
at least, at most, at best, at worst (policy revised in issue EWT#553)
In the revised approach, at least is treated like other PPs, regardless of its meaning, and should always attach as obl or nmod
(note that internal modifications like at the very least cause problems for the prior fixed analysis):