Are there Core Frames in Framenet? An Exploratory Network Analysis on Frame-to-frame Relations of Framenet

Abstract

The study aims at conducting network analysis on Framenet to identify the Core Semantic Frames as the most basic Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) of Chinese language learning in early childhood education in Hong Kong. Framenet <https://framenet.icsi.berkeley.edu/> is a lexical database based on a theory of meaning called Frame Semantics developed mainly by Charles J. Fillmore since 80’s of the last century. It is a network of semantic frame which is conceptual structure of event, relation, or entity and the participants in it. For example, frame “Commerce_goods-transfer” describes the concept of commercial transaction typically involves Seller, Buyer, Goods, Money and other non core elements such as Place, Purpose, Means, Time, etc on which the event “the Seller gives the Goods to the Buyer in exchange for the Money” is represented. Frames are connected by “frame to-frame relation”. For example, frame “Commerce_goods-transfer” is inherited from frame “Transfer”, has subframe of “Commerical_transaction”, and is perspectivized in two frames “Commerce_buy” and “Commerce_sell”. Framenet can be used to interpret the meaning and form of usage of language. Frame semantics is conceptually oriented and is easily applied in cross-linguistic context. Network Analysis, in particular, cluster analysis, is conducted on frame-to-frame relations of Framenet to analyze the core and periphery structure of Framenet. The result is further investigated qualitatively to identify the Core Semantic Frames for early childhood education. The study is part of project “Provision of School-based Support in the Learning of Chinese Language for Non-Chinese Speaking (NCS) Students at Primary Level (2014-2017)” aims at developing a progressive curriculum framework for the learning and teaching of Chinese Language in the partner schools in accordance to their needs and objective conditions , so as to facilitate the smooth transition of their culturally and linguistically diverse students from kindergartens to primary schools and their transitions from primary schools to secondary schools <http://www.edb.gov.hk/en/edu-system/primary-secondary/applicable-to-primary-secondary/sbss/sbps/usp/USP-NCSP1/index.html>. One of tasks of the project is to identify the Chinese language system which is pedagogically suitable for South Asian ethnic minority children to learn Chinese as an additional language in Hong Kong. The study also has implication on how network analysis can be used for research on Framenet.