Difference between revisions of "Wichita and English/Ambiguity Resolution"

Latest revision as of 00:12, 5 May 2026

WIC

Initial Evaluation of Ambiguity: 1.23

Initial Coverage: 69.11%

Final Evaluation of Ambiguity: 1.0

Final Coverage: 71.26%

https://github.swarthmore.edu/Ling073-sp26/ling073-wic-eng

First Form of Ambiguity

hita = edge and bank

nahitéːhárih aːríːwaːwaˀas. = They ate beside the creek.

wahitéːtiskih nahiˀiyassissah kiyakí;ctawiːːˀi hakoːcitih = When he was getting onto the bank, having gotten across the water, it was hard for him to get back outside.

Second Form of Ambiguity

khac = white and pure

kˀítaːkskhac wéraˀ hasˀaːˀákicitaːheˀeh. = White coyote must he had his knife with him.

keˀeséːcˀiriyari hinníˀ keˀeskihaːkhachanniwihi. = You will shake your head and you will throw me into the pure water.

Third Form of Ambiguity

neˀeːh = chicken and turkey

neˀeːh háskeˀekíːchaseˀéːskih = They used to dance the turkey dance

teːs tacˀarharaˀas neˀeːh = He was bringing corn to chickens

WIC→ENG

Generalizations:

1. In Wichita, "hita" can mean "bank" (as in riverbank), or "edge". When used in the context of a river, "bank" is used, edge is used anywhere else.

 <rule weight="1.2">
   <match lemma="hita"/>
   <match lemma="haː" tags="n.*">
     <select lemma="bank" tags="n.*"/>
   </match>
 </rule>

 <rule>
   <match lemma="hita" tags="n.*">
     <select lemma="edge" tags="n.*"/>
   </match>
 </rule>

2. "Khac" can mean "white" or "pure". "White" is used when describing animals and "pure" is used anywhere else.

  <rule weight="1.2">
   <match lemma="khac" tags="adj.*">
     <select lemma="white" tags="adj.*"/>
   </match>
   <or>
     <seq n="nonhumanthings"/>
   </or>
 </rule>

 <rule>
   <match lemma="khac" tags="adj.*">
     <select lemma="pure" tags="adj.*"/>
   </match>
 </rule>

3. "neˀeːh" refers to both "chicken" and "turkey". "Turkey" is prominently only used in the form of 'turkey-dance' a Wichita cultural dance, while chicken is used in most other contexts.

 <rule weight="1.2">
   <match lemma="neˀeːh" tags="n.*">
     <select lemma="turkey" tags="n.*"/>
   </match>
    <match lemma="ˀichasaˀiː"/>
 </rule>

 <rule>
   <match lemma="neˀeːh" tags="n.*">
     <select lemma="chicken" tags="n.*"/>
   </match>
 </rule>