Request Correction
Use this form to request corrections to the paper metadata. Select the fields that need correction and provide the correct information.
Correction Guidelines
- Click the edit button next to a field to report a correction.
- Fill in the suggested correction value for each field you want to correct.
- Provide your name and email so we can contact you if needed.
Paper Information
The Grammar Does the Work: Functional vs. Lexical Dependency Length Minimization Across the UD Languages
Paper Fields
Click the edit button next to a field to report a correction.
The Grammar Does the Work: Functional vs. Lexical Dependency Length Minimization Across the UD Languages
Dependency length minimization (DLM) is a well-documented processing universal, but previous studies report a single mean dependency distance (MDD) per language, obscuring variation across syntactic relation types. We analyze 122 languages in UD and SUD (version 2.17), showing that DLM operates on two distinct levels. Grammar-driven optimization targets functional dependencies (det, case, aux), which are universally short (mean 1.71, σ=0.33) and invariant across typologically diverse languages. Processing-driven optimization operates on lexical dependencies (nsubj, obj, obl), which are longer (mean 2.87), highly variable (σ=0.63), and constrained by word-order typology. This asymmetry holds in SUD despite reversed head direction (r=0.92). We conclude that "the grammar does the work" of minimization by scaffolding sentences with local functional attachments, leaving processing pressures to determine the ordering of lexical heads.
Authors
Expand an author to correct their information. Use the remove button to request author removal, or add a new author.
PDF Attachment
You may attach a PDF as a corrected version of the paper. Max file size: 10MB. Only PDF files are accepted.
Your Information
Author Declaration *
Select at least one field to correct using the edit buttons above.