Neurolinguistic and syntactic evidence for basic level meaning in proper names

1999 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Willy Van Langendonck
Keyword(s):  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Proper Names ◽  
Special Kind ◽  
Common Noun ◽  
Definite Article ◽  
Lexical Meaning ◽  
The Status ◽  
Proper Name ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Basic Level

This paper is intended to be an interdisciplinary investigation of the status of proper names, although it takes linguistics as its point of departure. In this study I will define proper names in terms of the currently developing Radical Construction Grammar, as promoted by Croft (to appear). Starting from the referential and semantic functions of proper names, I discuss the opposing theses of the language philosophers John Searle and Saul Kripke, and then formulate my position that proper names are assigned an ad hoc referent in an ad hoc name-giving act, i.e. not on the basis of a concept or predication as with common nouns. This ad hoc assignment can be repeated several times, so numerous people can be called John. Proper names do not have asserted lexical meaning but do display presuppositional meanings of several kinds: categorical (basic level), associative senses (introduced either via the name-bearer or via the name-form) and grammatical meanings. Language specifically, this referential and semantic status is reflected in the occurrence of proper names in certain constructions. I thus claim that close (or 'restrictive') appositional patterns of the form [definite article + noun + noun], e.g. the poet Burns, are relevant to the definition of proper names in English and also to the categorical (often basic level) meaning of the name. From proper names we can also derive nouns that appear as a special kind of common noun, e.g. another John. From a methodological viewpoint it is imperative to distinguish here between (proprial) lexemes or lemmas in isolation (dictionary entries) and proprial lemmas in their different functions (prototypically: proper name, nonprototypically: common noun or other). To corroborate the above theses, I will adduce recent psycholinguistic and especially neurolinguistic evidence. The overall argument will be based mainly on material from Germanic languages, especially English, Dutch and German.

DIRECTIONS OF ASSOCIATIVE IDENTIFICATION OF PERSONAL NAMES

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (28) ◽  
pp. 118-128
Author(s):  
Olena Karpenko ◽  
Tetiana Stoianova
Keyword(s):  
Proper Names ◽  
Mental Lexicon ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Sound Symbolism ◽  
Personal Names ◽  
Communicative Process ◽  
Proper Name ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Scientific Value ◽  
The Brain

The article is devoted to the study of personal names from a cognitive point of view. The study is based on the cognitive concept that speech actually exists not in the speech, not in linguistic writings and dictionaries, but in consciousness, in the mental lexicon, in the language of the brain. The conditions for identifying personal names can encompass not only the context, encyclopedias, and reference books, but also the sound form of the word. In the communicative process, during a free associative experiment, which included a name and a recipient’s mental lexicon. The recipient was assigned a task to quickly give some association to the name. The aggregate of a certain number of reactions of different recipients forms the associative field of a proper name. The associative experiment creates the best conditions for identifying the lexeme. The definition of a monosemantic personal name primarily includes the search of what it denotes, while during the process of identifying a polysemantic personal name recipients tend have different reactions. Scientific value is posed by the effect of the choice of letters for the name, sound symbolism, etc. The following belong to the generalized forms of identification: usage of a hyperonym; synonyms and periphrases or simple descriptions; associations denoting the whole (name stimulus) by reference to its part (associatives); cognitive structures such as “stimulus — association” and “whole (stimulus) — part (associative)”; lack of adjacency; mysterious associations. The topicality of the study is determined by its perspective to identify the directions of associative identification of proper names, which is one of the branches of cognitive onomastics. The purpose of the study is to identify, review, and highlight the directions of associative identification of proper names; the object of the research is the names in their entirety and variety; its subject is the existence of names in the mental lexicon, which determines the need for singling out the directions for the associative identification of the personal names.

Peut-on sauver un sens de dénomination pour les noms propres ?

2004 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georges Kleiber
Keyword(s):  
Proper Names ◽  
The Other ◽  
Long Term Memory ◽  
Semantic Description ◽  
Procedural Approach ◽  
Classic Problem ◽  
The Status ◽  
Proper Name ◽  
Procedural Instruction

This study revisits the classic problem posed by the meaning of proper names, and proposes a procedural approach to this problem, by analysing the meaning of proper names as an instruction to find in long-term memory the referent that carries the proper name in question. This is a revision of my earlier theory of ‘naming predicates’ (Kleiber 1981), which captures the meaning of proper names like Louis in terms of paraphrases of the form “the x who is called Louis”. The concept of ‘naming predicate’ was meant to provide an alternative to the inadequacies of the two classic approaches to the meaning of proper names, viz. theories that analyse proper names as semantically empty (e.g. Mills, Kripke 1972) and theories that analyse proper names in terms of uniquely identifying descriptions (Frege, Russell 1956). An analysis in terms of naming predicates (‘the X called Louis’) gives proper names an abstract type of meaning, thus avoiding the disembodied sign that results from analysing them as semantically empty, and at the same time does not go to the other extreme of incoporating aspects of the referent in the proper name’s meaning, thus avoiding the well-known problems with referential identity (e.g. Tullius = Cicero) and the related puzzles of transparence and opacity. In spite of these descriptive advantages, further research has shown that there are a number of problems with the notion of ‘naming predicate’. One of these problems concerns the status of proper names in ‘naming constructions’ like I am called Louis. Applying a naming predicate analysis to such constructions either leads to infinite regression (Wilmet 1995), or — if Louis in the naming predicate ‘the x called Louis’ is regarded as a phonetic form rather than a proper name — to a denial of proper name status in the very construction that expresses the naming link between proper name and referent (Jonasson 1982). Another problem concerns the cognitive naturalness of an analysis in terms of ‘naming predicates’. While this analysis is quite natural in contexts like There is no Louis in this office, it works less well in contexts like This painting is a real Picasso and, most importantly, in prototypical uses like Louis is a painter and a sculpturer, where a naming predicate analysis solely identifies the referent as the carrier of the proper name. These problems have led me to propose a revision to the theory of naming predicates. The descriptive advantages of using the naming relation between proper name and referent as the basis of the semantic description are obvious, which means that this aspect of the theory needs to be maintained. What causes most of the problems, however, is associating this naming relation with a predicate. As an alternative, I propose to reanalyse it in a procedural sense, not as a predicate describing the referent but as a procedural instruction to look for the referent that carries the proper name. This puts proper names in the domain of indexical signs like deictic elements. Common nouns, on the other hand, are not indexical in this sense but stand for concepts, which means that indexicality only comes into the picture when deictic elements are added.

Rigidity

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Sosa
Keyword(s):  
Proper Names ◽  
Clear Case ◽  
Working Through ◽  
Proper Name ◽  
Definition Of

For an expression to be rigid means (abstracting from some variations) that it refers to one and the same thing with respect to any possible situation. But how is this in turn to be understood? An example will help us work through the definition. Take a word like ‘Aristotle.’ That word is a proper name; and proper names are a clear case of a type of word that refers. ‘Aristotle’ refers to a particular person, the last great philosopher of antiquity; in general, a name refers to the thing of which it is the name. To continue working through the definition of rigidity, we need to make sense of referring with respect to. It is tempting, for example, but mistaken, to understand a word's referring with respect to a possible situation as it's being used, in that situation, to refer to something.

scholarly journals Variability of the language norm in the functioning of toponyms: Problems and contradictions

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 615-632
Author(s):  
Dmitrii Yu. Ilyin ◽  
◽  
Elena G. Sidorova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Proper Names ◽  
Linguistic Competence ◽  
Place Names ◽  
Basic Notion ◽  
Lowercase Letter ◽  
Proper Name ◽  
Geographical Maps ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Linguistic Content

The article examines the linguistic content of the language norm related to the spelling of geographic proper names. As the basic notion, the authors use Ludmila Verbitskaya’s definition of the norm recognizing orthographic standards as a particular case of a language norm. The significance of a research in this area is due, firstly, to specificities of spelling norms, and secondly, difficulties of proper name codification. The orthographic norms are characterized by a significantly higher degree of strictness in comparison with other types of linguistic standards, hence, the avoidance of toponymic orthographic doublets creating problems in place-name identification. Normally, place names are not present in popular orthographic dictionaries and other non-specialized lexicographic sources. Not infrequently, the spelling of a particular locality in a codified form can only be found either on geographical maps and atlases or in gazetteers and registries of geographical names of a particular region. As a result, the spelling norm becomes established in the the native speakers’ linguistic competence primarily through the assimilation and application of the corresponding rules. It was revealed that the most significant contradictions in the implementation of the spelling norm take place when choosing an upper- or lowercase letter in compound proper names, as well as when representing the elements of compounds (separately, as one word or hyphenated). The resultss of the present research can be used in revision of orthography of both existing and newly formed place names to make them concordant with the principles of linguistic ecology

scholarly journals Proposta de definição interdisciplinar de nome próprio

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 70-94
Author(s):  
Márcia Sipavicius Seide
Keyword(s):  
Final Section ◽  
Proper Names ◽  
Relevance Theory ◽  
The Third ◽  
Proper Name ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Object Of Study ◽  
The Ideal

Este artigo apresenta uma proposta de definição interdisciplinar do conceito de nome próprio elaborada com base na Onomástica Cognitiva (SJÖBLOM, 2010), na Teoria da Relevância (SPERBER  WILSON ,2001 [1995],  SEIDE SCHULTZ, 2014), na Neurolinguística (VAN LANGENDONCK, 2007), e no conhecimento onomástico do falante ideal (SEIDE, 2021). Na primeira seção deste artigo, descrevem-se o objeto de estudo da Onomástica e as características da subárea da Onomástica em que se insere a pesquisa. Na segunda, são retomadas considerações a respeito dos nomes próprios feitas para sua definição como endereço conceitual. Na terceira seção, apresentam-se as descobertas neurolinguísticas e a descrição do conhecimento onomástico do falante ideal, as quais são integradas resultando na redefinição de nome próprio descrita ao final da terceira seção. Na quarta e última seção do artigo, são descritas algumas implicações dessa redefinição para os estudos onomásticos.  Proposal of interdisciplinary definition of proper nameAbstract: This article makes a proposal of interdisciplinary definition of the concept of proper name based on Cognitive Onomastics (SJÖBLOM, 2010), Theory of Relevance (SPERBER WILSON, 2001 [1995], SEIDE SCHULTZ, 2014, Neurolinguistics (VAN LANGENDONCK, 2007) and the onomastic knowledge of the ideal speaker (SEIDE, 2021). In the first section of this article, the object of study of Onomastics and the characteristics of the onomastic subarea in which the research is included are described. In the second, considerations about proper made by Sperber and Wilson (2001 [1995]) are integrated to the definition of proper names as a conceptual address. In the third section, the neurolinguistic discoveries and the description of the onomastic knowledge of the ideal speaker are presented and integrated and the proper name redefinition is described. In the fourth and final section of the article, some implications of this redefinition for onomastics studies are described.Keywords: Proper name, Cognitive Onomastics, Relevance Theory, Neurolinguistics. Onomastic Knowledge of   Ideal Speaker. 

Quantifying the Lemma Massa as a Proper-Name in the John and Massa Tales

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 27-53
Author(s):  
Floyd Knight
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Method ◽  
Proper Names ◽  
Common Noun ◽  
Contextual Analysis ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Fourth Condition ◽  
Proper Name

English nouns have been described as having the ability to “switch easily between common-noun and proper-name uses.” Such changes or transformations are sometimes misanalysed by researchers and are often hard for ELL and L2 ESL researchers to detect. In this article, the author will analyze and tag the use of the Lemma MASTER (Massa/Maussa/Marsta/Marster/Master) as both a proper-name and as a common noun in the John and Massa tales from three corpora as well as provide a procedure for doing mixed method research to adjudicate differences in analysis offered by various scholars. The author will also discuss the need to add a fourth condition to Kripke's definition for proper names and why undertaking pragmatic and contextual analysis is warranted.

scholarly journals Les techniques de traduction des urbanonymes sur l’exemple des romans policiers polonais et leurs traductions en français

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 51-68
Author(s):  
Urszula Kochanowska ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Proper Names ◽  
Common Noun ◽  
Common Belief ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Proper Name

There is a common belief that proper names are not to be translated. The author traced the transfer of urbanonyms in French translations of two Polish crime novels set in contemporary Warsaw. The analysis has been based on the techniques of translating proper names by K. Hejwowski (2004, 2015). The dominant techniques used in various categories of urbanonyms have been distinguished (simple transfer, transfer with spelling modification, translation). In the case of street names, avenues and squares derived from surnames, translators use inflectional neutralization. Another frequent technique is to add the qualifiers rue (‘street’) and quartier (‘district’) to the names of streets and neighbourhoods. In Polish, they are often omitted, which, in the case of street names, is unacceptable in French. Moreover, several techniques allowing removing a proper name or to replace it with a common noun have also been detected. All in all, the techniques applied for translating urbanonyms make it easier for the French recipient to follow the threads of the novel and to read foreign names. However, they deprive him/her of contact with some features of foreign names’ strangeness that characterize a different cultural area.

scholarly journals Synchrone and diachrone aspects of enantiosemy

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tetiana Kolisnychenko
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Special Form ◽  
Semantic Meaning ◽  
Lexical Meaning ◽  
Language System ◽  
Language Structure ◽  
Semantic Component ◽  
Lexical Structure ◽  
The Status ◽  
Definition Of

The phenomenon of semantic shifts in the lexical meaning of a word in the language system is known as enantiosemy. Notwithstanding an increased attention to the problem of enantiosemy by scholars (Benkovičová (1993), Böhmerová (1997), Traugott (2006), Liberman (2009) et al.) there is still no generally accepted definition of enantiosemy. Our research is motivated by the necessity to determine its status in linguistics. The objective of the paper is threefold: to clarify its niche in language structure; to decompose the lexical meaning of the enantiosemes, and differentiate its types in discourse. The discourse analysis proves the influence of discourse register on the shifts of the semantic meaning components in the lexical meaning of the referred units. The enantiosemy is the coexistence of apparently contradictory components in the word lexical meaning (Traugott, 2006), cf.: it constitutes a special form of ambiguity (Gambarara, 2013). We define the enantiosemy as a lexical category that is based on the semantic component opposition in the lexical structure of the word. The following types of enantiosemy are singled out: lexical; semantic; phraseological; evaluative; and stylistic or ironic. Enantiosemy is based on the existence of the two opposite meanings in one lexeme that appear in the circle of a language unit. It arises from semantic shifts when the semantic meaning of a lexeme splits with the formation of two opposite meanings. Analysis of enantiosemy reveals some analogous groups in the sense of relation of opposition. And due to the coexistence of opposite components (negatively-marked and positively-marked) in the semantics of place name it can be viewed as enantiosemic unit and the shift between components according to the discourse register is shown. The status of enantiosemy among related linguistic phenomena is determined in the paper.

scholarly journals Christian religious constructions and their folk and colloquial naming (in the texts by E.V. Chestnyakov and current patois of the Unzha area)

Neophilology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 393-401
Author(s):  
Elena G. Veselova
Keyword(s):  
Common Noun ◽  
Semantic Structure ◽  
Interior Decoration ◽  
Local Topography ◽  
The Status ◽  
Proper Name ◽  
The Village ◽  
The Temple

We consider the peculiarities of ecclesionyms functioning in Unzha patois from the point of their form, semantic structure and speech usage. The research is based on the texts of the local writer E.V. Chestnyakov, as well as field materials collected in Kologriv and its environs. We analyze a number of religious constructions names and identify their connection with the topography of the area. We pay special attention to identify the sacred elements of the interior decoration of the chapel closest to the writer's house, where in the texts of E.V. Chestnyakov adjoins Church Slavonic and folk and colloquial vocabulary, as well as the status in the patois of the lexeme chapel, which can be considered as a transform of a common noun into a proper name, which is typical for small territories. We note that a specific feature of the ecclesionims, the names of the Unzha churches, which act as local topographic signs, are such types of metonymy as the transfer of one of the side-altars to the entire temple name – the temple name to the village, and the village name to the temple. We conclude that the live folk speech re-codes complex official names into short, and often different, variants. Often, the transformed names of religious constructions reflect dialectal phenomena and the local topography features.

scholarly journals ДЕЯКІ ПРОБЛЕМИ МОРФОЛОГІЇ У СВІТЛІ НАУКОВОЇ КОНЦЕПЦІЇ С. І. ДОРОШЕНКА

2019 ◽  
pp. 18-21
Author(s):  
О. А. Олексенко
Keyword(s):  
Constant Attention ◽  
Lexical Meaning ◽  
The Third ◽  
Part Of Speech ◽  
Morphological Unit ◽  
The Status ◽  
Syntactic Function ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Verbal Category ◽  
Morphological System

The peculiarity of the diiepryslivnyk (participle) as a morphological unit of language generates scientific discussions, in particular, in the field of scientists’ constant attention there is a definition of its part-language affiliation. Linguists in their approaches to determine the place of the diiepryslivnyk in the morphological system of the Ukrainian language are divided into three groups. The first one is made up of those who consider the adverb to be the hybrid adverbial-verbal category, which is one of the forms of the verb, but has the potential to adverbialize. The second group includes those researchers who consider the diiepryslivnyk as a separate, independent part of the language that has features as verb and adverb, and their own semantic and grammatical marks. The third approach, common to modern grammatists, which include diiepryslivnyk to adverbs, regards it as a verbal adverb, emphasizing the verbaid character of this class of words. The aim of the article is to elucidate the views of Professor Doroshenko on this class of words. Speaking about the lexical meaning of the adverb, the scientist argues that although it has an verbal basis, but the meaning does not correspond to the verb, because it is transformed in accordance with its syntactic function - the procedural circumstance, and this is the specificity of the semantics of the diiepryslivnyk. Scientific research revealed the scientist’s original vision as for the syntactic, semantic, morphological and derivative features of the diiepryslivnyk, which gave the reason S. I. Doroshenko to support those linguists who speak in favor of giving the diiepryslivnyk the status of a separate part of speech.

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