scholarly journals Definiteness, Information Structure, and Indirect Modification in the Kunbarlang Noun Phrase

Languages ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 111
Author(s):  
Ivan Kapitonov
Keyword(s):  
Structure Analysis ◽  
Hierarchical Structure ◽  
Noun Phrase ◽  
Word Order ◽  
Information Structure ◽  
Formal Analysis ◽  
Head Noun ◽  
Structural Effects

Kunbarlang shows considerable variation in the word order patterns of nominal expressions. This paper investigates these patterns, concentrating on the distribution of noun markers (articles) and on attributive modification. Based on examination of spontaneous discourse and elicitation, I identify two main contributions of the noun marker: definiteness and predicative reading of modifiers. Furthermore, the order of adjectives with respect to the head noun is shown to correlate with information-structural effects. Taken together, these facts strongly support a hierarchical structure analysis of the NP in Kunbarlang. In the second part of the paper, Kunbarlang data are compared to the typology of determiner spreading phenomena. Finally, I entertain the prospects of a more formal analysis of the data presented and indicate their theoretical and typological relevance, including expression of information structure below the clausal level, typology of adnominal elements, and architecture of attributive modification.

Pragmatics for Latin

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Devine ◽  
Laurence D. Stephens
Keyword(s):  
Noun Phrase ◽  
Word Order ◽  
Information Structure ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Informational Content ◽  
Compositional Process ◽  
Association With Focus ◽  
Narrow Scope ◽  
Order Language ◽  
Free Word

Latin is often described as a free word order language, but in general each word order encodes a particular information structure: in that sense, each word order has a different meaning. This book provides a descriptive analysis of Latin information structure based on detailed philological evidence and elaborates a syntax-pragmatics interface that formalizes the informational content of the various different word orders. The book covers a wide ranges of issues including broad scope focus, narrow scope focus, double focus, topicalization, tails, focus alternates, association with focus, scrambling, informational structure inside the noun phrase and hyperbaton (discontinuous constituency). Using a slightly adjusted version of the structured meanings theory, the book shows how the pragmatic meanings matching the different word orders arise naturally and spontaneously out of the compositional process as an integral part of a single semantic derivation covering denotational and informational meaning at one and the same time.

scholarly journals Noun Phrase in Mandailing Language

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Azizah Husda ◽  
Mulyadi Mulyadi
Keyword(s):  
Noun Phrase ◽  
Word Order ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Phrase Structure ◽  
Head Noun ◽  
Regional Language ◽  
Tree Diagram ◽  
Descriptive Qualitative

This paper discusses on the rules of Noun Phrase (NP) in Mandailing language. The objectives are firstly to structurally examine the phrase structure rules (PSR) of NP in Mandailing language and to investigate the constituents of each rules in NP. The method is descriptive qualitative with a case study. The data taken from the native speakers of Mandailing language through interviewing. The data are the utterances of Mandailing language in daily conversation. The analysis is based on the use of X-Bar theory, to see how NPs in Mandailing language are hierarchically governed and presented in tree diagram. Thus, the findings showed that there are five major rules of NP in Mandailing language, (a) single noun as headword, (b) pre-modifier preceedes head noun, (c) post-modifiers follows head noun, (d) head noun between pre-modifier and post-modifier, and (e) complex NP with coordinative conjunction. Also, there is found particle na to relate NP with the complement such as AP. To summarize, Mandailing language has similar patterns of word order with Indonesia language. Overall, this research gives contribution to provide a deep understanding in studying morphosyntactic in linguistics especially phrase structures beyond the effort on exploring and revitalizing a regional language in Indonesia.

Information Structure in Asia

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexis Michaud ◽  
Marc Brunelle
Keyword(s):  
Noun Phrase ◽  
Word Order ◽  
Information Structure ◽  
The Relationship

The languages of Asia are highly diverse. Rather than attempting a review about information structure (IS) in this huge linguistic area, this chapter provides observations about two languages that differ sharply in terms of how they convey IS. Yongning Na (Sino-Tibetan) is an example of a language with abundant morphemes expressing IS, which stand at different points along the grammaticalization path: some are exclusively used for the marking of IS, others (such as demonstratives) are equally common as IS markers and in another function, and others still are used secondarily to indicate IS, in particular particles indicating the relationship that a noun phrase bears to a verb. Vietnamese (Austroasiatic) makes little use of such morphemes, and relies greatly on word order and on a range of passive-like structures. Along with key morphosyntactic facts, this chapter addresses the issue of how intonation contributes to foregrounding and backgrounding strategies in these two tonal languages.

Word Order, Information Structure and Intonation of Discontinuous Nominal Constructions in Cantonese / Ordre des mots, structure de l’information et intonation des phrases nominales discontinues en Cantonais

2014 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Picus Sizhi Ding ◽  
Caroline Féry
Keyword(s):  
Structural Properties ◽  
Noun Phrase ◽  
Word Order ◽  
Crucial Role ◽  
Information Structure ◽  
Order Information ◽  
Discourse Particles ◽  
Information Status

This paper examines the syntactic, intonational and information structural properties of discontinuous nominal constructions in Cantonese. Four different syntactic constructions are identified which are used to indicate different information status of elements in a noun phrase, all involving two full NPs with either overt or covert heads. Discourse particles play a crucial role, not only for the interpretation of information structure, but also as anchoring points for boundary tones. Otherwise, intonation and prosody are not affected by word order changes, with the exception of optional pauses after or before dislocated constituents.
Cet article examine la structure de l’information des syntagmes nominaux discontinus en Cantonais, ainsi que leurs propriétés syntaxiques et intonatives. Quatre constructions syntaxiques distinctes ont été identifiées qui servent à exprimer des rôles spécifiques de structure de l’information sur des parties de syntagmes nominaux. Ces rôles impliquent deux syntagmes nominaux complets et indépendants l’un de l’autre, avec des têtes prononcées ou non. Les particules discursives jouent un rôle essentiel, non seulement pour l’interprétation de la structure de l’information, mais aussi pour l’ancrage des tons de frontière. L’intonation et la prosodie ne jouent aucun rôle en dehors des pauses facultatives avant ou après les syntagmes discontinus. L’intonation n’est pas affectée par les changements d’ordre des mots.


Information Structure and Production Planning

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Production Process ◽  
Production Planning ◽  
Word Order ◽  
Information Structure ◽  
Argument Structure ◽  
Phonological Information ◽  
Structural Effects ◽  
Grammatical Encoding ◽  
Form Part

Utterances are planned and realized incrementally. Which information is salient or attended to prior to initiating an utterance has influences on choices in argument structure and word order, and affects the prosodic prominence of the constituents involved. Many phenomena that the linguistic literature usually treats as reflexes of the grammatical encoding of information structure, such as the early ordering of topics, or the prosodic reduction of old information, are treated in the production literature as a consequence of how contextual salience interacts with production planning. This article reviews information structural effects that arise as a consequence of how syntactic and phonological information is incrementally encoded in the production process, and how we can tell these effects apart from grammatically encoded aspects of information structure that form part of the message.

The relative verb forms of Cuwabo (Bantu P34) as contextually oriented participles

Linguistics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 463-491
Author(s):  
Rozenn Guérois ◽  
Denis Creissels
Keyword(s):  
Noun Phrase ◽  
Relative Clauses ◽  
Head Noun ◽  
Bantu Languages ◽  
Verb Forms ◽  
The Subject ◽  
North Western

AbstractCuwabo (Bantu P34, Mozambique) illustrates a relativization strategy, also attested in some North-Western and Central Bantu languages, whose most salient characteristics are that: (a) the initial agreement slot of the verb form does not express agreement with the subject (as in independent clauses), but agreement with the head noun; (b) the initial agreement slot of the verb form does not express agreement in person and number-gender (or class), but only in number-gender; (c) when a noun phrase other than the subject is relativized, the noun phrase encoded as the subject in the corresponding independent clause occurs in post-verbal position and does not control any agreement mechanism. In this article, we show that, in spite of the similarity between the relative verb forms of Cuwabo and the corresponding independent verb forms, and the impossibility of isolating a morphological element analyzable as a participial formative, the relative verb forms of Cuwabo are participles, with the following two particularities: they exhibit full contextual orientation, and they assign a specific grammatical role to the initial subject, whose encoding in relative clauses coincides neither with that of subjects of independent verb forms, nor with that of adnominal possessors.

scholarly journals Code-switching within the noun phrase: Evidence from three corpora

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 695-714 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Carmen Parafita Couto ◽  
Marianne Gullberg
Keyword(s):  
Linear Regression ◽  
Noun Phrase ◽  
Word Order ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Code Switching ◽  
Word Class ◽  
Statistical Software ◽  
Switching Patterns ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Research Questions

Aims and objectives/purpose/research questions: This study aims to improve our understanding of common switching patterns by examining determiner–noun–adjective complexes in code-switching (CS) in three language pairs (Welsh–English, Spanish–English and Papiamento–Dutch). The languages differ in gender and noun–adjective word order in the noun phrase (NP): (a) Spanish, Welsh, and Dutch have gender; English and Papiamento do not; (b) Spanish, Welsh, and Papiamento prefer post-nominal adjectives; Dutch and English, prenominal ones. We test predictions on determiner language and adjective order derived from generativist accounts and the Matrix Language Frame (MLF) approach. Design/methodology/approach: We draw on three publicly available spoken corpora. For the purposes of these analyses, we re-coded all three datasets identically. From the three re-coded corpora we extracted all monolingual and mixed simplex NPs (DetN) and complex NPs with determiners (determiner–adjective–noun (DetAN/NA)). We then examined the surrounding clause for each to determine the matrix language based on the finite verb. Data and analysis: We analysed the data using a linear regression model in R statistical software to examine the distribution of languages across word class and word order in the corpora. Findings/conclusions: Overall, the generativist predictions are borne out regarding adjective positions but not determiners and the MLF accounts for more of the data. We explore extra-linguistic explanations for the patterns observed. Originality: The current study has provided new empirical data on nominal CS from language pairs not previously considered. Significance/implications: This study has revealed robust patterns across three corpora and taken a step towards disentangling two theoretical accounts. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of comparing multiple language pairs using similar coding.

Rheme before theme in the noun phrase

2008 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 894-915
Author(s):  
Carlotta Viti
Keyword(s):  
Noun Phrase ◽  
Information Structure ◽  
Ancient Greek ◽  
New Information ◽  
Prague School

Information structure in the noun phrase remains unexplored or limited to the study of the s-form and the of-form in English, which are interpreted from the perspective of the Prague School. Accordingly, the prenominal s-form is chosen if the possessor expresses old information; conversely, if the possessor expresses new information, the postnominal of-form is preferred. Ancient Greek, however, indicates that this is not the sole pattern attested. In our data, drawn from Herodotus, a postposed genitive refers to the topic of the immediately preceding clauses, and has no semantically compatible referent around it. Preposed genitives denote new or discontinuous participants, and are used in contrastive and emphatic contexts. In this case, the principle “rheme before theme” can be identified.

Bare nominals, information structure and word order

Lingua ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 120 (6) ◽  
pp. 1476-1501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Murad Salem
Keyword(s):  
Word Order ◽  
Information Structure ◽  
Bare Nominals

Word Order in Old and Middle English

Diachronica ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marit Westergaard
Keyword(s):  
Language Development ◽  
Middle English ◽  
Word Order ◽  
Information Structure ◽  
Extended Version ◽  
Major Parameter ◽  
Language Data ◽  
Gradual Development ◽  
History Of ◽  
Mixed Systems

In the history of English one finds a mixture of V2 and non-V2 word order in declaratives for several hundred years, with frequencies suggesting a relatively gradual development in the direction of non-V2. Within an extended version of a cue-based approach to acquisition and change, this paper argues that there are many possible V2 grammars, differing from each other with respect to clause types, information structure, and the behavior of specific lexical elements. This variation may be formulated in terms of micro-cues. Child language data from present-day mixed systems show that such grammars are acquired early. The apparent optionality of V2 in the history of English may thus be considered to represent several different V2 grammars in succession, and it is not necessary to refer to competition between two major parameter settings. Diachronic language development can thus be argued to occur in small steps, reflecting the loss of micro-cues, and giving the impression that change is gradual.

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