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- Volume 44, Issue 1, 2020
Studies in Language. International Journal sponsored by the Foundation “Foundations of Language” - Volume 44, Issue 1, 2020
Volume 44, Issue 1, 2020
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Zero morphemes in paradigms
Author(s): Matthias Gerner and Zhang Lingpp.: 1–26 (26)More LessAbstractThis paper sheds a new light on the notion of zero morphemes in inflectional paradigms: on their formal definition (§ 1), on the way of counting them (§ 2–3) and on the way of conceptualizing them at a deeper, mathematical level (§ 4). We define (zero) morphemes in the language of cartesian set products and propose a method of counting them that applies the lexical relations of homophony, polysemy, allomorphy and synonymy to inflectional paradigms (§ 2). In this line, two homophonic or synonymous morphemes are different morphemes, while two polysemous and allomorphic morphemes count as one morpheme (§ 3). In analogy to the number zero in mathematics, zero morphemes can be thought of either as minimal elements in a totally ordered set or as neutral element in a set of opposites (§ 4). Implications for language acquisition are discussed in the conclusion (§ 5).
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On the polysemy of motion verbs in Ancient Greek and Coptic
Author(s): Thanasis Georgakopoulos, Eliese-Sophia Lincke, Kiki Nikiforidou and Anna Piatapp.: 27–69 (43)More LessAbstractIn this paper, we propose a constructional analysis of the meanings of two generic motion verbs in Ancient Greek and Coptic (Sahidic dialect), the verbs baínō and bôk, respectively, both of which are glossed as ‘go’ and are characterized by extensive polysemy. We argue that an adequate analysis of these meanings can only be achieved in a framework that recognizes lexical constructions at the level of the verb sense, showing that each meaning correlates with encoding features (ranging from morpho-syntactic to semantic, discursive, and lexical ones) that are not predictable, or at best are only partially motivated. Through extensive corpus analysis, we identify such significant, frequency-based patterns of correlation, each of which represents a lexical construction. Our data thus argue strongly for an approach to polysemy in which individual meanings are represented as enriched lexical constructions, which include morphological and discursive specifications (in addition to standard valence information).
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Concernee-Concern constructions
Author(s): Mark L. O. Van de Veldepp.: 70–94 (25)More LessAbstractThis paper provides an analysis of the phenomenon commonly known as external possession in the Bantu languages. On the basis of comparative data, I argue for a prototype approach to the intricate problem of determining the conditions of use of such constructions, which I rename Concernee-Concern constructions, introducing two new terms for the thematic roles involved. Situations can be expressed by means of Concernee-Concern construction if they correspond to the prototypical situation that involves somebody’s body part being affected by an action, or if they show a family resemblance to this situation. I argue against the relevance of alienability. The paper also provides a formal typology of Concernee-Concern constructions in the Bantu languages.
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Iconicity in syntax and the architecture of linguistic theory
Author(s): Diego Gabriel Krivochen and Ľudmila Lackovápp.: 95–131 (37)More LessAbstractLinguistic iconicity has been studied since ancient times (e.g., Plato’s Cratylus, see Cooper & Hutchinson 1997). Within modern grammatical description, this notion was mostly developed by Jakobson and Benveniste; nowadays, iconicity in language is even being experimentally tested (e.g., Blasi et al. 2016; Diatka & Milička 2017). However, most studies on linguistic iconicity pertain to prosody, sound symbolism, or morphology; syntactic iconicity has been vastly underexplored. In this paper, we present two hypotheses concerning syntactic iconicity: (1) syntactic descriptions of natural language strings have an inherent structure which is isomorphic to that of representations in some other component of grammar or a non-grammatical system; or (2) linear order imposed on phrase structure is isomorphic to that in some other component of grammar or a non-grammatical system. We will argue in favour of the former, which constitutes a novel perspective on iconicity in grammar. We furthermore discuss the place that iconicity may have in the architecture of a generative system.
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Grammaticalized sources of Kurtöp verbal morphology
Author(s): Gwendolyn Hysloppp.: 132–164 (33)More LessAbstractKurtöp (Tibeto-Burman; Bhutan) has a rich set of finite verbal suffixes which encode evidentiality, mirativity, and egophoricity. This article examines the origins of these suffixes in a typological context, showing how many of them have developed via recent grammaticalizations. Synchronic processes of nominalization and clause-chaining have provided the ideal syntactic contexts for these grammaticalizations to take place. Many of the grammaticalization pathways found here are shown to be typologically common, such as ‘give’ becoming an applicative. We find one suffix, the egophoric, which is an obvious borrowing. Based on the data presented here, this article puts forth the tentative hypothesis that due to principles of iconicity, miratives will tend to be recent grammaticalizations. Similarly, the fact that the Kurtöp egophoric has been borrowed is also, arguably, iconic.
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The dual nature of irrealis in complementation
Author(s): Axel Holvoetpp.: 165–190 (26)More LessAbstractThis article explores the connection between irrealis mood and type of complement clause. It is argued that irrealis performs different functions in propositional and state-of-affairs complements, reflecting either irreality (non-actualisation in a situation that often has a concrete location in time) or lack of temporal and situational anchoring. While these distinct functions could be viewed as different realisations of a general irrealis meaning, one must keep in mind that general irrealis meanings are generalisations of more specific meanings arising in particular contexts of grammaticalisation. It is argued that the functions defined above are useful intermediate generalisations enabling a coherent account of irrealis use in complementation. However, the distinction between propositional and state-of-affairs complements is not neat: functions characteristic of the propositional domain also occasionally spill over into the state-of-affairs domain (in the form of counterfactuality or non-factuality marking) and vice versa (as the unanchoring function of subjunctives with evaluative predicates).
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Nominal classification
Author(s): Timothy Feistpp.: 191–230 (40)More LessAbstractIt is often claimed that reference tracking is a key function of nominal classification systems, not least because of the role such systems can play in referent disambiguation. This paper reports on the results of a comparative study of reference in texts from four languages, focusing specifically on the disambiguating function of nominal classification. The results strongly suggest that disambiguation is not a primary function of nominal classification systems. While gender and/or classifiers sometimes contribute to the avoidance of referential conflict, the reality is that the conditions have to be just right – all competing references must be of opposing genders, and those genders must be formally distinct – and this happens with surprisingly low frequency. We are better off viewing disambiguation as a convenient by-product of nominal classification systems that a language can exploit when conditions allow.
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Plural marking patterns of nouns and their associates in the world’s languages
Author(s): Rong Chenpp.: 231–269 (39)More LessAbstractPlural marking reaches most corners of languages. When a noun occurs with another linguistic element, which is called associate in this paper, plural marking on the two-component structure has four logically possible patterns: doubly unmarked, noun-marked, associate-marked and doubly marked. These four patterns do not distribute homogeneously in the world’s languages, because they are motivated by two competing motivations iconicity and economy. Some patterns are preferred over others, and this preference is consistently found in languages across the world. In other words, there exists a universal distribution of the four plural marking patterns. Furthermore, holding the view that plural marking on associates expresses plurality of nouns, I propose a hypothetical universal which uses the number of pluralized associates to predict plural marking on nouns. A data set collected from a sample of 100 languages is used to test the hypothetical universal, by employing the machine learning algorithm logistic regression.
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Frajzyngier, Zygmunt & Erin Shay. 2016. The role of functions in syntax: A unified approach to language theory, description, and typology
Author(s): Guangrong Wan and Yuehai Xiaopp.: 270–279 (10)More LessThis article reviews The role of functions in syntax: A unified approach to language theory, description, and typology
Volumes & issues
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Volume 49 (2025)
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Volume 48 (2024)
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Volume 47 (2023)
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Volume 46 (2022)
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Volume 45 (2021)
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Volume 44 (2020)
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Volume 43 (2019)
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Volume 42 (2018)
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Volume 41 (2017)
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Volume 40 (2016)
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Volume 39 (2015)
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Volume 38 (2014)
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Volume 37 (2013)
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Volume 36 (2012)
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Volume 35 (2011)
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Volume 34 (2010)
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Volume 33 (2009)
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Volume 32 (2008)
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Volume 31 (2007)
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Volume 30 (2006)
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Volume 29 (2005)
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Volume 28 (2004)
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Volume 27 (2003)
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Volume 26 (2002)
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Volume 25 (2001)
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Volume 24 (2000)
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Volume 23 (1999)
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Volume 22 (1998)
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Volume 21 (1997)
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Volume 20 (1996)
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Volume 19 (1995)
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Volume 18 (1994)
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Volume 17 (1993)
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Volume 16 (1992)
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Volume 15 (1991)
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Volume 14 (1990)
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Volume 13 (1989)
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Volume 12 (1988)
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Volume 11 (1987)
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Volume 10 (1986)
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Volume 9 (1985)
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Volume 8 (1984)
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Volume 7 (1983)
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Volume 6 (1982)
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Volume 5 (1981)
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Volume 4 (1980)
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Volume 3 (1979)
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Volume 2 (1978)
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Volume 1 (1977)
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On contact-induced grammaticalization
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Irrealis and the Subjunctive
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