Relation 7: Content-Container
Definition
Content-Container(X, Y) is true for a
sentence S that mentions entities X and Y if and only if:
(1) X and Y appear close in the syntactic structure of S [so for example we do
not assign the relation to entities from separate clauses in a composite
clause];
(2) according to common sense, the situation described in S entails the fact
that X is or was (usually temporarily) stored or carried inside Y;
(3) common sense dictates that X may be removed from Y without significantly
changing the nature of Y; more precisely, X is not affixed to Y, nor is it
usually considered to be a component of Y.
Definition --
restrictions
(a) The container must be clearly delineated in space [so for example
atmosphere, sea or cloud are locations rather than containers].
(b) There is strong preference against treating legal entities (people and
institutions) as content.
(c) There is weak preference against treating buildings and vehicles as
containers.
Definition
--
notes
(i) The relation
applies equally well to physical content and to abstract content. It the latter
case metonymy can usually be found in the sentence.
(ii) The situation often suggests either Location-Located or Part-Whole. The
annotators will assign Content-Container if it is a feasible interpretation,
even if it is not necessarily the preferred
one.
Positive Examples
"The <e1>apples</e1> are in the <e2>basket</e2>."
WordNet(e1) = "n1", WordNet(e2) = "n1", Content-Container(e1, e2) = "true"
Comment: This is a prototypical example of
Content-Container.
"The <e1>plane</e1> contained precious <e2>cargo</e2>."
WordNet(e1) = "n1", WordNet(e2) = "n1", Content-Container(e2, e1) = "true"
Comment: Again, this is not a prototypical
example of Content-Container. However, it is still true that the plane contains
the cargo.
"The <e1>theory</e1> contained many <e2>flaws</e2>."
WordNet(e1) = "n1", WordNet(e2) = "n1", Content-Container(e2, e1) = "true"
Comment: The flaws are "inside" the theory
only in a metaphorical sense. However, we will allow this metaphorical usage.
Therefore condition (2) is fulfilled. It seems reasonable to assume that the
flaws can be removed from the theory, although it is possible that they cannot
be removed. Therefore we will suppose that condition (3) is fulfilled.
"I emptied the <e1>wine</e1> <e2>bottle</e2> into my
glass and toasted my friends."
WordNet(e1) = "n1", WordNet(e2) = "n1", Content-Container(e1, e2) = "true"
Comment: This satisfies (2), because the
sentence entails that the bottle contained wine. It also satisfies (3), because
the empty bottle is still a bottle.
Near-Miss Negative Examples
"The <e1>passengers</e1> will soon get out of the
<e2>car</e2>."
WordNet(e1) = "n1", WordNet(e2) = "n1", Content-Container(e1, e2) = "false"
Comment: We prefer Entity-Location(e1, e2)
because of restriction (b). Content-Container(e1, e2) is possible under a less
strict interpretation.
"The <e1>plane</e1> contained an innovative turbine
<e2>engine</e2>."
WordNet(e1) = "n1", WordNet(e2) = "n1", Content-Container(e2, e1) = "false"
Comment: This sentence violates (3) in the
definition of Content-Container. If you remove the engine from a plane, you have
changed the nature of the plane. Instead we could say Part-Whole(e2, e1), the
engine is a part of the plane.
"I think I drank about a <e1>bottle</e1> of
<e2>wine</e2>."
WordNet(e1) = "n2", WordNet(e2) = "n1", Content-Container(e2, e1) = "false"
Comment: This sentence violates (2) in the
definition of Content-Container. The word "bottle" is used as a unit of
measurement, so the sentence does not entail that the wine was inside a bottle.
Instead we could say Measure-Measured(e1, e2), a bottle is a measure of the
quantity of wine.
"The <e1>macadamia nuts</e1> in the <e2>cake</e2> also
make it necessary to have a very sharp knife to cut through the cake neatly."
WordNet(e1) = "n2", WordNet(e2) = "n3", Content-Container(e1, e2) = "false"
Comment: This sentence violates (3) in the
definition of Content-Container. If you remove the nuts from the cake, you have
changed the nature of the cake. Instead we could say Part-Whole(e1, e2), the
nuts are part of the cake.
"Ornette Coleman's crazy <e1>music</e1> was perfect in Cronenberg's
<e2>film</e2> Naked Lunch."
WordNet(e1) = "n1", WordNet(e2) = "n1", Content-Container(e1, e2) = "false"
Comment: This example is problematic for
two reasons. First, it is only metaphorically true that the music is "inside"
the film. Second, it could be argued that removing the music from the film would
change the nature of the film. This is a marginal example. It might be argued
that Content-Container(e1, e2) is true. Instead we could say Part-Whole(e1, e2),
the music is part of the film.
"The <e1>apples</e1> were stacked in a
<e2>pyramid</e2>."
WordNet(e1) = "n1", WordNet(e2) = "n1", Content-Container(e1, e2) = "false"
Comment: The sentence is probably talking
about a pyramid made of apples. It is possible, but less likely, that the apples
are stored in a pyramidal container. This sentence violates (3) in the
definition of Content-Container. If you remove the apples, the pyramid is gone.
Instead we could say Part-Whole(e1, e2), the pyramid is made of apples.
"The <e1>book</e1> contained a <e2>chapter</e2> on
ants."
WordNet(e1) = "n1", WordNet(e2) = "n1", Content-Container(e2, e1) = "false"
Comment: It is reasonable to say that the
chapter is inside the book, so condition (2) is fulfilled. However, removing a
chapter from a book likely changes the nature of the book, so condition (3) is
violated. Instead we could say Part-Whole(e2, e1), the chapter is part of the
book.
"I broke the <e1>wine</e1> <e2>bottle</e2>."
WordNet(e1) = "n1", WordNet(e2) = "n1", Content-Container(e1, e2) = "false"
Comment: We may assume that the wine
bottle was intended to hold wine, but the sentence does not tell us whether the
bottle holds wine or even whether it may have held wine in the past. Therefore
condition (2) is violated. Instead we could say Purpose-Tool(e1, e2), the bottle
is a tool for holding wine.
"Deep inside the <e1>forest</e1> there is a huge
<e2>tree</e2> where children used to play."
WordNet(e1) = "n1", WordNet(e2) = "n1", Content-Container(e2, e1) = "false"
Comment: This sentence violates condition
(3). Removing a tree from a forest is like removing a finger from a person or a
slice from a cake. The tree is a component of the forest. Instead we could say
Part-Whole(e2, e1), the tree is part of the forest.