| Title | Considerations for the Design of Dependency Treebanks for Linguistic Research in Biblical Hebrew |
|---|---|
| Contributor | Robert S. D. Crellin(author) |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.11647/obp.0463.04 |
| Landing page | https://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0463/chapters/10.11647/obp.0463.04 |
| License | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ |
| Copyright | Robert S. D. Crellin; |
| Publisher | Open Book Publishers |
| Published on | 2025-03-07 |
| Long abstract | The article discusses the design and application of dependency treebanks for Biblical Hebrew, focusing on their potential for linguistic research. It highlights the importance of such treebanks in studying historical languages, where native speaker intuition is unavailable. The study compares dependency grammar frameworks, such as Universal Dependencies and Prague Dependencies, examining their suitability for different research goals, including syntax-semantics interface, word order analysis, and phonological-syntactic relationships. Specific criticisms of Universal Dependencies, particularly its hybrid nature prioritising semantic over surface-syntactic relations, are addressed alongside alternatives like the multilayered Prague Dependencies. The article emphasises the need for research-driven design, recommending adaptations based on the intended linguistic applications and underlying theoretical assumptions. |
| Page range | pp. 99–130 |
| Print length | 32 pages |
| Language | English (Original) |
| Landing Page | Full text URL | Platform | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| https://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0463/chapters/10.11647/obp.0463.04 | Landing page | https://books.openbookpublishers.com/10.11647/obp.0463.04.pdf | Full text URL |
Robert S. D. Crellin (PhD, University of Cambridge) is a Research Fellow at Wycliffe Hall and is affiliated with the Centre for the Study of Ancient Documents, University of Oxford. He specialises in historical linguistics, focusing on the syntax and semantics of ancient languages, the structure of ancient writing systems, and computational approaches to linguistic analysis. His publications include The Semantics of Word Division in Northwest Semitic Writing Systems (Oxbow, 2022) as well as (co-edited with Terry Joyce) Writing systems: Past, Present (… and Future?) (John Benjamins, 2019) and (co-edited with Thomas Jügel) Perfects in Indo‐European Languages and Beyond (John Benjamins, 2020).