scholarly journals The ‘nouniness’ of attributive adjectives and ‘verbiness’ of predicative adjectives: evidence from phonology

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
WILLEM B. HOLLMANN
Keyword(s):  
American English ◽  
Psycholinguistic Research ◽  
Substantial Body ◽  
Phonological Structure ◽  
Word Classes ◽  
Entire Word ◽  
Radical Construction ◽  
Overlapping Classes ◽  
Theoretical Issues ◽  
Attributive Adjectives

This article investigates prototypically attributive versus predicative adjectives in English in terms of the phonological properties that have been associated especially with nouns versus verbs in a substantial body of psycholinguistic research (e.g. Kelly 1992) – often ignored in theoretical linguistic work on word classes. Inspired by Berg's (2000, 2009) ‘cross-level harmony constraint’, the hypothesis I test is that prototypically attributive adjectives not only align more with nouns than with verbs syntactically, semantically and pragmatically, but also phonologically – and likewise for prototypically predicative adjectives and verbs. I analyse the phonological structure of frequent adjectives from the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA), and show that the data do indeed support the hypothesis. Berg's ‘cross-level harmony constraint’ may thus apply not only to the entire word classes noun, verb and adjective, but also to these two adjectival subclasses. I discuss several theoretical issues that emerge. The facts are most readily accommodated in a usage-based model, such as Radical Construction Grammar (Croft 2001), where these adjectives are seen as forming two distinct but overlapping classes. Drawing also on recent research by Boyd & Goldberg (2011) and Hao (2015), I explore the possible nature and emergence of these classes in some detail.

Second language acquisition: Theoretical and experimental issues in contemporary research

1996 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 677-714 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel David Epstein ◽  
Suzanne Flynn ◽  
Gita Martohardjono
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Universal Grammar ◽  
Functional Categories ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Psycholinguistic Research ◽  
Explanatory Theory ◽  
Parameter Values ◽  
Theoretical Issues

AbstractTo what extent, if any, does Universal Grammar (UG) constrain second language (L2) acquisition? This is not only an empirical question, but one which is currently investigable. In this context, L2 acquisition is emerging as an important new domain of psycholinguistic research. Three logical possibilities have been articulated regarding the role of UG in L2 acquisition: The first is the “no access” hypothesis that claims that no aspect of UG is available to the L2 learner. The second is the “partial access” hypothesis that claims that only LI instantiated principles and LI instantiated parameter-values of UG are available to the learner. The third, called the “full access” hypothesis, asserts that UG in its entirety constrains L2 acquisition.In this paper we argue that there is no compelling evidence to support either of the first two hypotheses. Moreover, we provide evidence concerning functional categories in L2 acquisition consistent with the claim that UG is fully available to the L2 learner (see also Flynn 1987; Li 1993; Martohardjono 1992; Schwartz & Sprouse 1991; Thomas 1991; White 1989). In addition, we will attempt to clarify some of currently unclear theoretical issues that arise with respect to positing UG as an explanatory theory of L2 acquisition. We will also investigate in some detail certain crucial methodological questions involved in experimentally testing the role of UG in L2 acquisition and finally, we will present a set of experimental results of our own supporting the “Full Access” hypothesis.

scholarly journals Achievements of the academic grammar school

2021 ◽  
pp. 3-29
Author(s):  
Kateryna Horodensʹka ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Word Formation ◽  
Functional Grammar ◽  
Parts Of Speech ◽  
Syntactic Theory ◽  
Word Classes ◽  
Functional Syntax ◽  
Theoretical Issues ◽  
Ukrainian Society ◽  
Formation System

This study aims at investigating the development of grammatical theory at the Institute of the Ukrainian Language for the last 30 years. The paper summarizes achievements in grammar theory from applying the functional, i.e., semantic and grammatical, approach developed by I.R. Vykhovanetsʹ to differentiating units into word and nonword classes and distinguishing morphological categories of major word classes. This facilitated the establishment of the theoretical basis of functional and categorical morphology. The author analyses studies in formal grammatical, semantic, functional, categorical, deri vational, and anthropocentric syntax that attest to the multidimensional growth of a syntactic theory and main aspects of the Ukrainian word formation on the basis of semantic and categorical syntax and a formant- and stem-based derivatology. Some of the latest multi-pronged processes in word formation reflect dynamics of word formation rules, the replenishment of word formation resources, and the development of the word-formation system of Standard Ukrainian. The solving of a complex set of theoretical issues in the modern Ukrainian word-formation introduced the methodological foundations for the recent normative description of the word formation system of Standard Ukrainian. The article addresses issues in studies on applied grammar determined by the process of glo balization and democratization of the Ukrainian society and the needs of Modern Ukrainian language practice to be met. Particular importance is attached to the grammatical prescriptive norms in the professional use, the actualization of case forms appearing in the passive vocabulary, and the dynamics of morphological and syntactic norms in various functional and stylistic dimensions of Standard Ukrainian. Keywords: functional grammar, functional morphology, functional syntax, categorical grammar, categorical syntax, categorical word formation, classification of parts of speech, morphological categories.

Word Classes in Vietnamese

1956 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 534-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. Honey
Keyword(s):  
Phonological Structure ◽  
Word Classes ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Level Of Analysis

The phonological structure of the Vietnamese word as used in the system of Vietnamese word classes established in this paper may be stated in terms of syllables. The syllable is denned as the element of Vietnamese having the prosody of one, but not more than one, of the system of six tones set up for the analysis of the Vietnamese language at the phonological level. The syllabic unit is used to refer to an element of text at the grammatical level of analysis corresponding to the syllable at the phonological level. A study of Vietnamese texts enables the following statements to be made:

BOOK REVIEW: ALPATOV, V.M. (2018), SLOVO I CHASTI RECHI (WORD AND PARTS OF SPEECH), YASK, MOSCOW, RUSSIA

2021 ◽  
pp. 117-128
Author(s):  
Yakov G. Testelets ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Psycholinguistic Research ◽  
Parts Of Speech ◽  
The Third ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Morphological Theory ◽  
Theoretical Issues ◽  
Grammatical Theories

Vladimir M. Alpatov’s new monograph addresses typological and theoretical issues related to the basic morphological units – word and parts of speech. It elaborates on his previous work on morphological theory, typology, and historiography of linguistic traditions. The monograph consists of an introduction and three chapters. The first two chapters, “The Problem of Word” and “The Problem of Parts of Speech” address the differences in theoretical approaches, evidence from independent linguistic traditions with particular reference to the Japanese indigenous linguistics, and data from psycholinguistic research. In the third chapter, “Anthropocentric and systemocentric approaches to language”, the author claims that the morphological logocentric and non-logocentric approaches are instances of the two more general approaches to language, respectively. In spite of some criticism, the reviewer concludes that the monograph makes much progress in understanding the structure and typology of the morphological elements, and similarities and difference among national linguistic traditions and grammatical theories.

Is it a chief, main, major, primary, or principal concern?

2010 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dilin Liu
Keyword(s):  
American English ◽  
Semantic Structure ◽  
Behavioral Profile ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Source Data ◽  
Distributional Patterns ◽  
Usage Patterns ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Near Synonyms ◽  
Attributive Adjectives

Using the Corpus of Contemporary American English as the source data and employing a corpus-based behavioral profile (BP) approach, this study examines the internal semantic structure of a set of five near-synonyms (chief, main, major, primary, and principal).1 By focusing on their distributional patterns, especially the typical types of nouns that they each modify, the study has identified several important fine-grained semantic and usage differences among the five near-synonyms and produced a meaningful delineation of their internal semantic structure. Some of the findings of the study challenge several existing understandings of these adjectives’ meanings and usage patterns. Furthermore, the results of the study have affirmed (i) the theory and applicability of the BP approach for studying the semantic and usage patterns of synonyms in a set, and (ii) previous research findings about the co-occurrents of adjectives that best capture the essence of the semantics of adjectives, especially attributive adjectives.

Relationships between lexical and phonological development: a look at bilingual children – a commentary on Stoel-Gammon's ‘Relationships between lexical and phonological development in young children’*

2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARGARET KEHOE
Keyword(s):  
American English ◽  
Bilingual Children ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Symbiotic Association ◽  
Phonological Development ◽  
Psycholinguistic Research ◽  
Linguistic Development ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Linguistic Dimension ◽  
Two Bodies

Stoel-Gammon (this issue) highlights the close and symbiotic association that exists between the lexical and phonological domains in early linguistic development. Her comprehensive review considers two bodies of literature: (1) child-centred studies; and (2) studies based on adult psycholinguistic research. Within the child-centred studies, both prelinguistic and early meaningful speech is examined. Stoel-Gammon organizes her review of child-centred studies around a series of postulates that capture the associations between lexical and phonological development and here she focuses primarily on normally developing children acquiring American English. My intention is not to question these postulates, which are based on established research findings, but to extend them beyond the limits of her review. In my commentary, I would like to explore the application of some of the stated postulates of the early meaningful speech period in children acquiring two or more languages. In so doing, I add a cross-linguistic dimension to the discussion; a dimension that Stoel-Gammon would like to see pursued in future research on this topic. I also expand our understanding of lexical–phonological relationships by considering the potential for interaction in multiple lexical–phonological relationships.

Word classes

2012 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 671-698 ◽  
Author(s):  
Willem B. Hollmann
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Models ◽  
Pragmatic Approach ◽  
Psycholinguistic Research ◽  
Production Experiment ◽  
Word Classes ◽  
Sequential Scanning

Structuralists and generativists define word classes distributionally (Palmer 1971, Baker 2003, Aarts 2007), while cognitive linguists take a semantic (Langacker 1987a) or semantic-pragmatic approach (Croft 1991, 2001). Psycholinguistic research, by contrast, has shown that phonological properties also play a role (Kelly 1992, Monaghan et al. 2005). This study reports on a production experiment involving English nonce nouns and verbs. The data confirm the importance of phonology, whilst also suggesting that distributional facts are involved in lexical categorisation. Together with the existing psycholinguistic evidence, the results show that both the generative and cognitive models of word classes are too restricted. However, the usage-based model can accommodate the facts straightforwardly. This was already anticipated by Taylor (2002) but is worked out in more detail here by elaborating on his notion of phonological “sub-schemas” and by bringing together insights from Croft (1991, 2001) related to discourse propositional act constructions and recent suggestions by Langacker (2008b) concerning “summary scanning” and “sequential scanning”.

Noun Modifier Inflection in German: A Morphological System in Flux

1990 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-52
Author(s):  
Edward G. Fichtner
Keyword(s):  
Noun Phrase ◽  
Noun Phrases ◽  
Word Classes ◽  
Morphological System ◽  
Attributive Adjectives

ABSTRACTTraditionally, noun modifiers in German fall into two classes, the so-called der- and ein-words, and descriptive or attributive adjectives. In the noun phrase, members of these word classes are inflected by the addition of one or another of two sets of endings, i.e., the primary, strong, or pronominal endings, or the secondary, weak, or nominal endings, in highly predictable combinations. In the data collected by Ljungerud (1955), however, sequences of endings in noun phrases containing nine modifiers occur with noticeable departures from the norm, i.e., folgend, sämtlich, ander-, einig-, viel-, manch-, welch-, irgendwelch-, and solch-. It is concluded that the anomalous sequences of endings in phrases containing these modifers are motivated by the growing association of certain sequences of endings with the feature +/-Generality as a component of the meaning of the noun phrase as a whole.

Word class effect in online processing of proverbs: A reaction-time study

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 173-196
Author(s):  
Lückert Claudia
Keyword(s):  
Language Processing ◽  
American English ◽  
Word Class ◽  
Distributional Analysis ◽  
Time Study ◽  
Class Effect ◽  
Online Processing ◽  
Word Level ◽  
Processing Demands ◽  
Word Classes

Abstract Proverbs (as Easy come, easy go) are a type of conventionalized multiword unit that can be used as separate, complete statements in speech or writing (Mieder 2007; Steyer 2015). The rationale of this study is to examine word class effects in online processing of proverbs. In Lückert and Boland (submitted), we reported facilitative effects associated with proverb keywords which suggests that word-level properties are active alongside properties of the level of the multiword unit. Previous research has shown that individual word classes have different effects in online language processing. Numerous studies revealed that verbs are processed more slowly (Cordier et al. 2013) and involve greater processing demands compared to nouns (Macoir et al. 2019). The results of the present study suggest that verbs rather than nouns facilitate proverb processing. A distributional analysis of word classes in proverb corpora implies a trend to prefer verbs over nouns in American English proverbs.

In defence of distributional analysis, pace Croft

2007 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 431-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bas Aarts
Keyword(s):  
Construction Grammar ◽  
Distributional Analysis ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Parts Of Speech ◽  
Grammatical Categories ◽  
Small Set ◽  
Word Classes ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
Grammar Analysis ◽  
Radical Construction

In a number of publications (e.g. Croft 2001, 2004, 2006) Bill Croft has argued that distributional analysis as a methodology for setting up grammatical categories poses problems which can be avoided if constructions, not word classes, are grammatically primitive, and if categories are derived from constructions. He writes: The Radical Construction Grammar analysis of parts of speech does not have Aristotelian grammatical categories of the sort envisioned by Aarts for particular language grammars. There are categories for each construction and each constructional role in a language. These construction-specific categories will have sharp boundaries to the extent that there are sharp acceptability judgements of what can and cannot occur in the relevant constructional role. In this sense, the categories are Aristotelian. But they do not lead to a small set of mutually exclusive word classes, which is what Aarts assumes we must posit. Instead, there are overlapping categories of formatives representing their diverse distributional behavior — which is what a speaker actually knows about her language. (Croft 2006: 10–11) In this paper I will not be discussing the merits of Radical Construction Grammar, except to say that it is an interesting, challenging and exciting new approach to language. My aim here is more modest: I hope to show that distributional analysis is not as flawed as Croft suggests, and I will defend the distributional analyses discussed in Aarts (2004).

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