coreference: coreferential mentions

Definition

Relation between two expressions referring to same entity. The coreference relation is used to annotate a limited subset of coreferential expressions where the reference to a previous expression is explicit (e.g. it, this method).

Examples

Argument types

Arg1: reference or referencing phrase (see Section 5.18)

Arg2: any

Direction

From latter mention to former (see below).

Further details

coreference relations are always annotated from the latter to the closest earlier referencing expression so that they form a reference chain. However, this structure should be understood only as an artifact of the applied annotation primitive: the underlying coreference relation is understood to be symmetric and transitive, so that any two annotations directly or indirectly connected by coreference annotations are taken to stand in the relation of coreference. The references connected by coreference annotation chains thus conceptually form equivalence classes defined by the referenced entities.