Resolution of Ellipses in WH-constructions in Pashto Language

Authors

  • Kamal Din Kamal Assistant Professor, Department of Pashto, Education Faculty, Paktia University, AFGHANISTAN.
  • Sultan Mohammad Hanafi Assistant Professor, Department of Pashto, Education Faculty, Paktia University, AFGHANISTAN.
  • Mohammad Daud Mangal Assistant Professor, Department of Pashto, Education Faculty, Paktia University, AFGHANISTAN.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55544/ijrah.5.4.7

Keywords:

Wh-question in Pashto, Wh-question in English

Abstract

The Pashto language has a question structure consisting of a WH-word and an answer to the question, this is called WH-structure. The resolution of ellipsis occurs in most cases in both written and spoken language in its WH construction. In this term paper, I would like to talk more about the first structure-based rule in Pashto language in the WH construction. The algorithm resolves the ellipsis occurring in the answers to the WH questions by using the syntactic and morphological information of the two questions and their correspondence with the answer. The algorithm determines exactly the ellipses that occur in the answers to the questions that contain WH words. For example: (( څوکWho-Dir), ( چاWho-Obl), ( څهWhat), کوم(Which), ( چرتهWhere) and ( څومرهHow much))) between them. The algorithm was tested on various real texts in the Pashto language, taken from numerous genres such as books, novels, newspapers and online magazines. The algorithm achieved an accuracy of 76 percent.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Babrakzai, F., “Topics in Pashto Syntax PhD Thesis”, Linguistics Department, University of Hawai’I, 1999.

Lappin, S., “A Sequenced Model of Anaphora and Ellipsis Resolution”, 2003.

Rav, L., F. “The Understanding and Generation of Ellipsis in a Natural Language System”, Berkeley AI Research Project Comp: Sc Division University of California Berkeley California.

Sobha, L., B. N. Patnaik., “VASISTH – An Ellipsis Resolution Algorithm for Indian Languages”, In an International Conference MT2000: machine translation and multilingual applications in the new millennium, University of Exeter, British Computer Society. [London: BCS], 19-22 November 2000.

http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/rthompso/ Interaction6Questions.pdf (retrieved 21st April, 2008)

Khattak, P., Niaz, J., Tair, M, Nawaz., Amin, Rohul., Ahmad, M, Bashir., “Bunyadee Pukhto aw Da kaar Kasab Takee”, Pashto Academy Peshawar University

http://www.ask.com/web?q=Definition+ of+Ellipsis&qsrc=2419&o=0&l=dir (retrieved 21st April, 2008)

Dalrymple, M., Shieber, S, M., Pereira, F, C, N., “Ellipsis and Higher-Order Unification”, Journal: Linguistics and Philosophy, Volume 14, Number 4 / August, 1991, Publisher: Springer Netherlands.

Kehler, A., “A Discourse Copying Algorithm for Ellipsis and Anaphora Resolution”, Harvard University Aiken Computation Laboratory, 33 Oxford Street Cambridge, MA. 02138.

Khattak, K, K., “A Case Grammar study of the Pashto Verb”, PhD thesis submitted to Department of Phonetics and Linguistics school of Oriental and African Studies Faculty of Arts, University of London, England, 1988.

Shinwari, P, K, P., “Pukhto Grammer Landez”

Downloads

Published

2025-07-17

How to Cite

Kamal, K. D., Hanafi, S. M., & Mangal, M. D. (2025). Resolution of Ellipses in WH-constructions in Pashto Language. Integrated Journal for Research in Arts and Humanities, 5(4), 44–50. https://doi.org/10.55544/ijrah.5.4.7

Issue

Section

Articles