4.3.2.3 Multi-referents

Introduction

The final thing that a concept referent can be is a multi-referent. Multi-referents are used to specify that two or more concepts are really the same concept.

Syntax

The syntax of a multi-referent is:

* DIGIT

for example, "*1" or "*2" ... up to "*9".

Meaning

When we write the same multi-referent in two spatially separate concepts, we are thereby indicating that this really is the same concept.

Example

Entity > Animal, Act.

Act = Say.

// An animal is talking to itself
SpeechAct([Animal : *1]<-AGNT-[Act : Say]-RCPT->[Animal : *1]).

This example is available in the AAU directory as Aesop4.plgCG.

Explanation

The SpeechAct fact says that an animal is talking to itself. The referent of both [Animal] concepts is the multi-referent *1, so the concept is really the same concept internally in the machine. Graphically, this would look as follows:

Note how this is different from coreference:

It is the former, not the latter, we are representing with multi-referents.