simplenlg.features

Enum InterrogativeType

java.lang.Object

java.lang.Enum<InterrogativeType>

simplenlg.features.InterrogativeType

All Implemented Interfaces:

Serializable, Comparable<InterrogativeType>

public enum InterrogativeType
extends Enum<InterrogativeType>

An enumeration representing the different types of interrogatives or questions that SimpleNLG can realise. The interrogative type is recorded in the Feature.INTERROGATIVE_TYPE feature and applies to clauses.

Version:

4.0

Author:

A. Gatt and D. Westwater, University of Aberdeen.

Enum Constant Summary

Enum Constants

Enum Constant and Description
HOW The type of interrogative relating to the manner in which an event happened.
HOW_MANY This represents a "how many" questions.
HOW_PREDICATE A how question related to a predicative sentence, such as John is fine, which becomes How is John?
WHAT_OBJECT This type of interrogative is a question pertaining to the object of a phrase.
WHAT_SUBJECT This type of interrogative is a question pertaining to the subject of a phrase.
WHERE This type of interrogative concerns the object of a verb that is to do with location.
WHO_INDIRECT_OBJECT This type of interrogative is a question pertaining to the indirect object of a phrase when the indirect object is a person.
WHO_OBJECT This type of interrogative is a question pertaining to the object of a phrase when the object is a person.
WHO_SUBJECT This type of interrogative is a question pertaining to the subject of a phrase when the subject is a person.
WHY The type of interrogative relating to the reason for an event happening.
YES_NO This represents a simple yes/no questions.

Method Summary

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
String	getString() Convenience method to return the String corresponding to the question word.
static boolean	isIndirectObject(Object type) A method to determine if the InterrogativeType is a question concerning an element with the discourse function of an indirect object.
static boolean	isObject(Object type) A method to determine if the InterrogativeType is a question concerning an element with the discourse function of an object.
static InterrogativeType	valueOf(String name) Returns the enum constant of this type with the specified name.
static InterrogativeType[]	values() Returns an array containing the constants of this enum type, in the order they are declared.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Enum

clone, compareTo, equals, finalize, getDeclaringClass, hashCode, name, ordinal, toString, valueOf

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

getClass, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait

Enum Constant Detail

HOW

public static final InterrogativeType HOW

The type of interrogative relating to the manner in which an event happened. For example, John kissed Mary becomes How did John kiss Mary?

HOW_PREDICATE

public static final InterrogativeType HOW_PREDICATE

A how question related to a predicative sentence, such as John is fine, which becomes How is John?

WHAT_OBJECT

public static final InterrogativeType WHAT_OBJECT

This type of interrogative is a question pertaining to the object of a phrase. For example, John bought a horse becomes what did John buy? while John gave Mary a flower becomes What did John give Mary?

WHAT_SUBJECT

public static final InterrogativeType WHAT_SUBJECT

This type of interrogative is a question pertaining to the subject of a phrase. For example, A hurricane destroyed the house becomes what destroyed the house?

WHERE

public static final InterrogativeType WHERE

This type of interrogative concerns the object of a verb that is to do with location. For example, John went to the beach becomes Where did John go?

WHO_INDIRECT_OBJECT

public static final InterrogativeType WHO_INDIRECT_OBJECT

This type of interrogative is a question pertaining to the indirect object of a phrase when the indirect object is a person. For example, John gave Mary a flower becomes Who did John give a flower to?

WHO_OBJECT

public static final InterrogativeType WHO_OBJECT

This type of interrogative is a question pertaining to the object of a phrase when the object is a person. For example, John kissed Mary becomes who did John kiss?

WHO_SUBJECT

public static final InterrogativeType WHO_SUBJECT

This type of interrogative is a question pertaining to the subject of a phrase when the subject is a person. For example, John kissed Mary becomes Who kissed Mary? while John gave Mary a flower becomes Who gave Mary a flower?

WHY

public static final InterrogativeType WHY

The type of interrogative relating to the reason for an event happening. For example, John kissed Mary becomes Why did John kiss Mary?

YES_NO

public static final InterrogativeType YES_NO

This represents a simple yes/no questions. So taking the example phrases of John is a professor and John kissed Mary we can construct the questions Is John a professor? and Did John kiss Mary?

HOW_MANY

public static final InterrogativeType HOW_MANY

This represents a "how many" questions. For example of dogs chased John/em> becomes How many dogs chased John

Method Detail

values

public static InterrogativeType[] values()

Returns an array containing the constants of this enum type, in the order they are declared. This method may be used to iterate over the constants as follows:

for (InterrogativeType c : InterrogativeType.values())
    System.out.println(c);

Returns:

an array containing the constants of this enum type, in the order they are declared

valueOf

public static InterrogativeType valueOf(String name)

Returns the enum constant of this type with the specified name. The string must match exactly an identifier used to declare an enum constant in this type. (Extraneous whitespace characters are not permitted.)

Parameters:

name - the name of the enum constant to be returned.

Returns:

the enum constant with the specified name

Throws:

IllegalArgumentException - if this enum type has no constant with the specified name

NullPointerException - if the argument is null

isObject

public static boolean isObject(Object type)

A method to determine if the InterrogativeType is a question concerning an element with the discourse function of an object.

Parameters:

type - the interrogative type to be checked

Returns:

true if the type concerns an object, false otherwise.

isIndirectObject

public static boolean isIndirectObject(Object type)

A method to determine if the InterrogativeType is a question concerning an element with the discourse function of an indirect object.

Parameters:

type - the interrogative type to be checked

Returns:

true if the type concerns an indirect object, false otherwise.

getString

public String getString()

Convenience method to return the String corresponding to the question word. Useful, since the types in this enum aren't all simply convertible to strings (e.g. WHO_SUBJCT and WHO_OBJECT both correspond to String Who)

Returns:

the string corresponding to the question word