Pragmatic and Discourse Processing
Types of Referring Expressions
Language often uses different kinds of expressions to refer to people, objects, or ideas. These
are known as referring expressions. They help the speaker and listener identify what or who
is being talked about in a particular context.
There are five main types of referring expressions — Indefinite Noun Phrases, Definite
Noun Phrases, Pronouns, Demonstratives, and Names.
1. Indefinite Noun Phrases
An indefinite noun phrase is used to refer to something that is new to the listener or not
previously mentioned in the conversation.
It introduces new information into the discourse.
Indefinite noun phrases usually contain the words “a,” “an,” or “some.”
Example:
Ram had gone around one day to bring him some food.
Here, “some food” is an indefinite reference because it introduces a new idea to the listener
— it has not been mentioned before.
Explanation:
Indefinite noun phrases help in starting a new topic or adding new information about entities
that are not yet known to the listener.
2. Definite Noun Phrases
A definite noun phrase is the opposite of an indefinite one.
It refers to something that is already known, specific, or identifiable to the listener.
Such phrases usually contain the article “the.”
Example:
I used to read The Times of India.
Here, “The Times of India” is a definite reference because it points to a specific, well-
known newspaper.
Explanation:
Definite noun phrases are used when both the speaker and listener can identify the entity
being mentioned. It helps maintain clarity when referring to known topics.
3. Pronouns
A pronoun is a word used instead of a noun to avoid repetition.
It refers back to a noun that has already been mentioned, so it is a form of definite reference.
Example:
Ram laughed as loud as he could.
Here, the word “he” refers to “Ram.” Thus, “he” is a pronoun referring expression.
Explanation:
Pronouns make sentences smoother and less repetitive. They rely on the context to identify
who or what they refer to.
4. Demonstratives
Demonstratives are words used to point to specific entities and show their relation to the
speaker in terms of distance or context.
Common demonstrative pronouns are this, that, these, and those.
Examples:
• This is my book.
• That is your car.
Explanation:
Demonstratives not only refer to objects but also indicate proximity — for example, “this”
(near the speaker) and “that” (far from the speaker). They behave differently from normal
pronouns because they directly “demonstrate” or point to something.
5. Names
Names are the simplest and most direct form of referring expressions.
They identify specific people, places, organizations, or things.
Names do not need any context to be understood.
Example:
Ram laughed as loud as he could.
Here, “Ram” is a name referring expression, as it directly identifies a particular person.
Explanation:
Names are used for precise identification and do not depend on previous context. They can
also refer to organizations or locations like India, Microsoft, or Taj Mahal.
Describe discourse reference resolution?
Discourse Reference Resolution is the task in Natural Language Processing (NLP) of
determining which entities in a discourse (text or conversation) are being referred to by
expressions like pronouns, noun phrases, or definite descriptions.
In simple terms, it is about figuring out who or what each referring expression (like he,
she, it, this, that) points to across multiple sentences in a text.
Key Points:
1. It deals with references across sentences, not just within a single sentence.
2. Helps maintain coherence and understanding in a text.
3. Uses techniques like anaphora resolution, coreference resolution, and discourse
modeling.
Example:
Ram went to the park. He saw Shyam there. The boy greeted him warmly.
• “He” → refers to Ram (anaphoric reference)
• “The boy” → refers to Shyam
• “him” → refers to Ram
Discourse reference resolution ensures that each pronoun or noun phrase is linked to the
correct entity in the discourse.
Define Reference Resolution also explain it's types.
Definition:
Reference Resolution is the task of determining which entities are referred to by which
linguistic expressions in a text. It helps interpret who or what is being talked about.
Example:
Ram, the manager of ABC bank, saw his friend Shyam. He went to meet him.
• References: Ram, his, He
• “He” → refers to Ram
Key Terminologies:
1. Referring Expression: Words/phrases used to refer to an entity.
o Example: Ram, his, he
2. Referent: The entity being referred to.
o Example: Ram
3. Corefer: Two expressions referring to the same entity.
o Example: Ram and he
4. Antecedent: The original noun a pronoun refers to.
o Example: Ram → antecedent of he
5. Anaphora / Anaphoric: Reference to an already mentioned entity.
o Example: “he” referring to Ram
6. Discourse Model: Representation of entities and their relationships in the text.