3.1.2.5 Exercises for BNC-XML with XAIRA

CATEGORIZING THE TARGET STRUCTURE (SPLIT INFINITIVE)

At first, open XAIRA and create a POS-tag-based query for the split infinitive with one adverb between the infinitive marker to and the bare infinitive of a verb (to+adverb+infinitive).

In order to do this, click on the query builder icon.

This will present you with the Query Builder dialog box. Here you will find two different nodes. On the right, is the scope node, which defines the context that the search will look in. On the left, you will find a so called content node (outlined in red), which defines what it is you are looking for. Click on the content node and go to Edit → Addkey to determine the first element of your query syntax (POS code for "infinitive maker to") .

In the Additional key query dialog box, mark c5, check the Any box and click Refresh. This will present you with a list of POS codes. Select the code for "infinitive maker to" (TOO) and click OK. This will fill your first content node with the necessary information.

Now add two further content nodes by clicking with the left mouse button on the T-shaped branch emerging from the existing node and specify the additional necessary material by selecting POS codes for “general adverb” (AVO) and “infinitive form of lexical verb” (VVI). In order to search for these three POS-tags placed one after another, define the type of link between the query elements: click on the arrow linking the first two nodes, select Link Type and then Next. Repeat this procedure for the link between the second and the third node.

Once each node is filled thus specifying exactly what is you are looking for, press OK to run the query. The program will prompt you to define the number of hits you wish to download. For our purposes, 50 hits will suffice. Click OK.

Your results will be displayed in a KWIC format, with the target word being highlighted in red.

Now check whether or not your results illustrate an instance of a split infinitive.

Select each hit which does not represent the target structure by double clicking it and choose Reverse selection from the Thin command's submenu in order to discard the previously selected hits.

Now select the Annotation command. This will open a pane in which you can write any annotation or comment you wish. In our case, we will want to record that this set of hits represents instances of split infinitives and that unwanted results have previously been discarded. Annotations will be saved with the query.

Finally, make sure you save your query.

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