Differential object marking in Catalan

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Alexandrina Irimia ◽  
Anna Pineda
Keyword(s):  
Information Structure ◽  
Differential Object Marking ◽  
Theoretical Contribution ◽  
The Core ◽  
Nominal Structure ◽  
Comprehensive Picture ◽  
Widespread Phenomenon ◽  
Left And Right ◽  
Object Marking ◽  
Case Feature

Abstract In this paper we provide a comprehensive picture of differential object marking in Catalan, focusing on both the empirical facts and their theoretical contribution. We support some important conclusions. First, Catalan differential object marking is quite a robust and widespread phenomenon, contrary to what prescriptive grammars assume. Second, we show that, from a formal perspective, Catalan differential object marking cannot be completely subsumed under hierarchical generalizations known as scales. The contribution of narrow syntax mechanisms and nominal structure is fundamental, supporting recent views by López (2012) or Ormazabal and Romero (2007, 2010, 2013a, b), a.o. Building on these works as well as on observations initially made by Cornilescu (2000) and Rodríguez-Mondoñedo (2007), a.o., we adopt an analysis under which canonical, animacy-based differential marking results from the presence of an additional (PERSON) feature, beyond Case. This structural make-up is not only at the core of differences marked objects exhibit from unmarked objects with a Case feature, but also derives the prominence of differential marking on (animates) under information-structure processes, in the high left (and right) periphery, in contexts of the type discussed by Escandell-Vidal (2007a, b, 2009).

On Middle applicatives

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Current Paper ◽  
Exact Nature ◽  
Differential Object Marking ◽  
Accusative Case ◽  
The Core ◽  
Light Verb ◽  
Object Marking ◽  
Syntactic Derivation ◽  
Semantic Properties ◽  
Special Strategy

Abstract The Mandarin bǎ-construction has been one of the most well studied subjects in Chinese grammar. Although the previous studies have achieved some exciting results, the exact nature of bǎ and the syntactic derivation of the bǎ-construction remain largely controversial. The current paper constitutes an attempt to clarify the two issues under the minimalist framework. In particular, while keeping in line with the little v analysis of bǎ proposed by Sybesma 1999; Lin 2001 among others, I argue that there is a Middle applicative projection (an affected applicative) between V and v; the bǎ-NP is formed by a movement of VP-internal arguments to Spec.ApplPmid, which can optionally be occupied by gěi, and it gets an accusative Case from bǎ in v. With this analysis, we can better account for the core syntactic and semantic properties of bǎ-constructions. Furthermore, I will show that the proposed applicative approach has some interesting consequences for Taiwanese ka-constructions, a near counterpart of Mandarin bǎ-constructions. Finally, I will compare bǎ-constructions to languages with differential object marking in arguing that Mandarin uses a special strategy – light verb marking to mark the specific/affected objects.

Differential object marking and topicality

2009 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 832-884 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Escandell-Vidal
Keyword(s):  
Noun Phrases ◽  
Differential Object Marking ◽  
Left And Right ◽  
Discourse Functions ◽  
Object Marking ◽  
Formal Properties

The aim of this paper is to examine Differential Object Marking (DOM) in Balearic Catalan. While definiteness and animacy can explain the distribution of DOM in other varieties of Catalan, in Balearic, the split between marked and non-marked objects is not dependent on inherent or referential properties of the object noun phrases, but determined by topicality. A preposition is consistently used to mark a subset of topical objects, namely those occurring in clitic left- and right-dislocation structures, which correspond to two kinds of hearer-known topics: shifting topics and continuing topics. The preposition does not occur, however, with hanging topics, which introduce discourse-new topical entities. In this way, a correlation can be found between formal properties and well-motivated discourse functions that explains the distribution of DOM in Balearic. Similar patterns can be found in other Romance varieties as well, thus suggesting that topicality is relevant to account for both intra- and interlinguistic variation in DOM.

scholarly journals Topicality and differential object marking

2010 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giorgio Iemmolo
Keyword(s):  
Information Structure ◽  
Comparative Data ◽  
Romance Languages ◽  
Semantic Features ◽  
Personal Pronouns ◽  
Differential Object Marking ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Left Dislocation ◽  
Object Marking ◽  
The Relationship

The present paper investigates the relationship between dislocation and differential object marking in some Romance languages. As in many languages that have a DOM system, it is usually also assumed that in Romance languages the phenomenon is regulated by the semantic features of the referents, such as animacy, definiteness, and specificity. In the languages under investigation, though, these features cannot explain the distribution and the emergence of DOM. After discussing the main theoretical approaches to the phenomenon, I will analyse DOM in four Romance languages. I will argue that DOM emerges in pragmatically and semantically marked contexts, namely with personal pronouns in dislocations. I will then show that in these languages the use of the DOM system is mainly motivated by the need to signal the markedness of these direct objects as a consequence of being used in (mainly left) dislocation as topics (cf. English “As for him, we didn’t see him”). Finally, the examination of comparative data from Persian and Amazonian languages lends further support to the advocated approach in terms of information structure

scholarly journals Nominal licensing is driven by valued (phi-)features

Nordlyd ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Kalin
Keyword(s):  
Short Paper ◽  
Differential Object Marking ◽  
New Model ◽  
Person Case Constraint ◽  
Abstract Case ◽  
Direct Objects ◽  
Object Marking ◽  
Case Feature

This short paper lays out the components of a new model of nominal licensing, motivated by novel observations about parallels between the Person Case Constraint and Differential Object Marking. The model revolves around the idea that valued features on nominals---namely, phi-features and features related to definiteness and animacy---are the sorts of features that need abstract licensing, rather than an abstract Case feature. This model helps us understand where differential marking and featural restrictions occur, and in particular, why it is that subjects and indirect objects, in contrast to direct objects, tend not to be differentially marked or featurally restricted. 

scholarly journals A Study of DOM in Asturian (‘Dialectu Vaqueiru’)

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-140
Author(s):  
Avelino Corral Esteban
Keyword(s):  
Information Structure ◽  
Differential Object Marking ◽  
Ancestral Form ◽  
Northwestern Spain ◽  
Direct Objects ◽  
Object Marking ◽  
And Function

The present paper explores Differential Object Marking in a variety of Asturian (Western Iberian Romance) spoken in western Asturias (northwestern Spain). This ancestral form of speech stands out from Central Asturian and especially from Standard Spanish. For a number of reasons, ranging from profound changes in pronunciation, vocabulary, morphology and information structure to slight but very relevant effects on syntax. The main goal of this study is to examine the special marking of direct objects in order to find out what triggers the distribution of Differential Object Marking in this variety. To this aim, this paper will examine, from a variationist perspective, the influence of a number of semantic and discourse-pragmatic parameters on the marking of direct objects in this Western Asturian language as well as in Standard Spanish 1 and Central Asturian (which is generally considered the normative variety of Asturian). The results obtained from this comparison will allow us to outline the differences between these three varieties in terms of object marking, shedding more light on the origin and function of Differential Object Marking in Spanish.

scholarly journals The impact of information structure on the emergence of differential object marking: an experimental study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shira Tal ◽  
Kenny Smith ◽  
Jennifer Culbertson ◽  
Eitan Grossman ◽  
Inbal Arnon
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Word Order ◽  
Information Structure ◽  
Alternative Hypothesis ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Language Typology ◽  
Differential Object Marking ◽  
New Information ◽  
Object Marking ◽  
The Impact

Many languages exhibit differential object marking (DOM), where only certain types of grammatical objects are marked with morphological case. Traditionally, it has been claimed that DOM arises as a way to prevent ambiguity by marking objects that might otherwise be mistaken for subjects (e.g., animate objects). While some recent experimental work supports this account (Fedzechkina et al., 2012), research on language typology suggests at least one alternative hypothesis. In particular, DOM may instead arise as a way of marking objects that are atypical from the point of view of information structure. According to this account, rather than being marked to avoid ambiguity, objects are marked when they are given (already familiar in the discourse) rather than new. Here, we experimentally investigate this hypothesis using two artificial language learning experiments. We find that information structure impacts participants’ object-marking, but in an indirect way: atypical information structure leads to a change of word order, which then triggers increased object marking. Interestingly, this staged process of change is compatible with documented cases of DOM emergence (Iemmolo, 2013). We argue that this process is driven by two cognitive tendencies. First, a tendency to place discourse given information before new information, and second, a tendency to mark non-canonical word order. Taken together, our findings provide corroborating evidence for the role of information structure in the emergence of DOM systems.

scholarly journals Differential object marking and information structure: on the function of two different pronominal accusatives in Komi and Khanty dialects

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 343-372
Author(s):  
Gerson Klumpp
Keyword(s):  
Information Structure ◽  
Present Contribution ◽  
Interesting Phenomenon ◽  
Differential Object Marking ◽  
Language Varieties ◽  
Object Marking

The present contribution calls attention to a marginal but interesting phenomenon of variation in grammar, namely the employment of two different accusative markings for pronominal objects encountered (i) in dialect texts from the Komi varieties of Upper Vym’ and Luza, and (ii) in varieties of Kazym-Khanty, i.e. in two different branches of Uralic (Permic and Ugric). Based on contextual observations an explanation in terms of information structure is achieved: as will be argued, in both language varieties, additional accusative forms of pronominal object expressions signal their focality resp. non-focality. The study contributes to the theory of differential object marking by establishing focality as one of its parameters

Non-canonical case marking on subjects in Russian and Lithuanian

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-196
Author(s):  
Marco Magnani
Keyword(s):  
Information Structure ◽  
Semantic Features ◽  
Nominative Case ◽  
Differential Object Marking ◽  
Case Marking ◽  
The Subject ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
Object Marking ◽  
Role Of Information

Abstract In case-marking languages with nominative-accusative alignment the subject of a sentence is usually marked by nominative case. In some of these languages, however, the subject of a number of verbs is either consistently or alternately marked by another, non-nominative case. Such non-canonical case marking has often been approached in the linguistic literature as a phenomenon at the interface between syntax and semantics. Yet the predictions of this kind of approach seem more probabilistic than regular. This paper offers a new perspective to analyse the phenomenon, which encompasses the role of information structure in case marking. Drawing on Silverstein’s (1976) theory of differential subject marking and Dalrymple & Nikolaeva’s (2011) approach to differential object marking, it is argued that non-canonically case-marked subjects can be better analysed as instances of either non-topical subjects or subjects lacking one or more semantic features typical of topicality. The approach outlined in the paper is tested on a number of constructions in Russian and Lithuanian. It is shown how, in both languages, the analysed instances of non-canonically case-marked subjects exhibit a complex interplay among grammatical, semantic and discourse-pragmatic factors.

Information structure without topic and focus

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 386-423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavel Ozerov
Keyword(s):  
Information Structure ◽  
Content Management ◽  
Discourse Structure ◽  
Grammatical Structure ◽  
Differential Object Marking ◽  
Information Packaging ◽  
Context Dependent ◽  
Object Marking

Differential Object Marking (DOM) in Burmese is usually analysed as directly related to the expression of information structure. Yet, this corpus-based study of DOM and the associated prosody finds that DOM is not based on information structure alone, but is also additionally motivated by discourse structure and content management. The suggested analysis proposes that DOM in Burmese provides a grammatical structure of information packaging: a system of separating information into units (packages) and establishing relations between them. Different configurations of packaging are employed to create an array of context-dependent interpretive effects related to information structure, discourse structure, and other factors. Hence, it is argued that information structure is not directly expressed in the language. Instead, it stems from an interpretation of the interplay between information packaging and various pragmatic-semantic factors, and is but one of the possible effects created by packaging.

scholarly journals On differential object marking in Southern and Central Selkup

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 169-186
Author(s):  
Hannah Wegener
Keyword(s):  
Information Structure ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Differential Object Marking ◽  
Case Marking ◽  
Information Status ◽  
Direct Objects ◽  
Object Marking ◽  
Imperative Mood

The phenomenon of differential object marking has been investigated for a number of languages of the world. Studies have been carried out for individual languages as well as from a typological point of view. It is broadly described as an alternation in case marking of the direct objects. Triggers for the case alternation can be the referent’s animacy, information structure, modus, and definiteness among others. In the present study data from Central and Southern Selkup are investigated with respect to case marking of nominal and pronominal direct objects. Nominal direct objects exhibit instances of accusative and nominative marking while the latter show consistent accusative marking. Analyzing the contributing factors for the different kinds of case marking, imperative mood appeared to have an impact, the information status as well as structural properties of the object, i.e. whether it is part of a direct object phrase or coordination. Possessive direct objects behave similar in that they are mostly in accusative and only occasionally nominative marked. As opposed to the non-possessive direct objects, no variation in information status can be registered.Аннотация. Ханна Вегенер: О дифференцированном маркировании объекта в южном и центральном селькупском. Дифференциальное маркирование объекта было предметом исследования во многих языках мира. Такого рода исследования проводились как применительно к материалам отдельных языков, так и в типологическом аспекте. Дифференцированное маркирование объекта по сути является вариативностью в падежном оформлении объекта. Среди прочего на выбор падежа объекта влияют: одушевленность, коммуникативная структура предложения, модус и определенность. В настоящем исследовании данные центрального и южного селькупского исследуются с точки зрения падежного маркирования прямых объектов, выраженных именем существительным или местоимением. Объект, выраженный существительным, допускает аккузативное и номинативное оформление, в то время как объект, выраженный местоимением, последователен в использовании аккузатива. В процессе анализа возможных факторов было выявлено, что влияние оказывают повелительное наклонение, коммуникативный статус, а также структурные особенности объекта: является ли он частью большей группы или конструкции с однородными членами. Посессивные прямые объекты ведут себя похоже, поскольку предпочитают аккузативное оформление и лишь изредка номинативное. Однако в отличие от непосессивных объектов у них не наблюдалось вариативности в оформлении, обусловленной коммуникативной структурой.Ключевые слова: падежное оформление актантов, дифференциальное маркирование объекта, уральские языки, самодийские языки, селькупский язык, синтаксисKokkuvõte. Hannah Wegener: Eristavast objektimarkeeringust lõuna- ja kesksölkupi keeltes. Eristava objektimarkeeringu nähtust on uuritud hulgas maailma keeltes. Uurimusi on läbi viidud nii üksikute keelte tasandil kui ka tüpoloogilisest vaatenurgast. Üldiselt kirjeldatakse eristavat objektimarkeeringut kui osasihitise käände varieerumist. Faktorid, mis variatsiooni põhjustavad, on muuhulgas viidatava elusus, infostruktuur, kõneviis, ja definiitsus. Selles uurimuses vaadeldakse kesk- ja lõunasölkupi keelematerjali pidades silmas käänd- ja asesõnaliste täissihitiste käändeid. Käändsõnalised täissihitised esinevad akusatiivis ja nominatiivis, samas kui asesõnalised täissihitised on järjepidevalt akusatiivis. Uurides erinevat käändevalikut põhjustavaid faktoreid, näib käskival kõneviisil olevat mõju nii infostruktuurile kui ka sihitise struktuurilistele omadustele, st kas see on osa sihitis-fraasist või koordinatsioonist. Possessiivsed täissihitised käituvad sarnaselt ja esinevad peamiselt akusatiivis ning vaid üksikutel juhtudel ka nominatiivis. Vastupidiselt mittepossessiivsetele täissihitistele ei ilmne siin infostaatuse variatsioone.Märksõnad: argumendimarkeering, eristav objektimarkeering, uurali keeled, samojeedi keeled, sölkup, süntaks

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