Semantic Effects of Word Order in Complex Sentences

We explored production and comprehension of complex sentences constructed using a limited vocabulary on a graphic symbol display with voice output by 25 adults who use augmentative and alternative communication. When asked to construct subject (SS) and object (OS) relative clause sentences, only a minority of participants encoded SS and OS relative clause sentences using different word orders. When asked to interpret graphic symbol utterances, most participants chose an SS interpretation. Thus, the word order used most frequently in production appeared to have a single preferred interpretation. The relationship between the word orders produced in graphic symbol utterances and the way the same word orders are interpreted is not necessarily straightforward.

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Clause Intertwining and Word Order in Ancient Greek

Journal of Greek Linguistics ◽

10.1163/156658412x649733 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 5-28 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Rutger J. Allan

Keyword(s):

Word Order ◽

Main Clause ◽

Ancient Greek ◽

Complex Sentences ◽

Narrow Focus ◽

Contrastive Topic ◽

Pragmatic Function ◽

Left Dislocation ◽

Complement Clause

AbstractIn Ancient Greek complex sentences consisting of a main and complement clause, constituents which semantically and syntactically belong to the complement clause can be placed in a position preceding or interrupting the main clause. This phenomenon is referred to as clause or sentence intertwining. This paper examines the pragmatic factors involved in the preposing of contituents in sentences containing an in initival complement clause. It will be argued that the specific pragmatic function of the preposed constituents is Theme (left dislocation), new/contrastive topic or narrow focus. Preposing can be analyzed as a device to pragmatically highlight the involved constituents. The paper also addresses the position of new, contrastive and given topics and of adverbs and clauses with Setting function.

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Skolt Saami: A typological profile

Suomalais-Ugrilaisen Seuran Aikakauskirja ◽

10.33340/susa.82233 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2011 (93) ◽

Author(s):

Matti Miestamo

Keyword(s):

Word Order ◽

Complex Sentences ◽

A Value ◽

The World ◽

Nominal Categories

This article presents a typological overview of Skolt Saami based on the examination of the features in the World Atlas of Language Structures (WALS) database. The relevant properties of Skolt Saami are discussed and the language is assigned a value for each feature. The features cover phonology, different domains of grammar – morphology, nominal categories, nominal syntax, verbal categories, word order, simple clauses and complex sentences - as well as some aspects of the lexicon. The typological profile Skolt Saami that emerges from the examination of the features is then compared with the languages in the database to see what the typological distance is between Skolt Saami and these other languages.

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THE MEDICAL LITERATURE: EQUIVALENCE OF TRANSLATION

Foreign Languages in Uzbekistan ◽

10.36078/1639118119 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 103-113

Author(s):

Feruza SHARIPOVA

Keyword(s):

Word Order ◽

Medical Literature ◽

Explanatory Power ◽

Source Text ◽

Scientific Text ◽

Complex Sentences ◽

Translational Equivalence ◽

Medical Interpreter ◽

Grammatical Structures

The purpose of this article is to analyze the translational equivalence of medical dialogues from the textbook "Medicine in Dialogues" by K.B. Shodmonov, M. Baratova, D. Razhabova, Z. Nematova, taking into account the scientific and methodological base of the categories. The article provides an overview of the glossary and texts to determine the semantic similarity of the source text and its translation. The distribution of frequencies of using equivalent categories is due to linguistic reasons, differences in grammatical structures, a variety of word combinations, differences in word order, etc. As a result of the analysis, the most frequently used equivalence approaches in the scientific medical style of translation are defined in this article. In many dialogues, examples of translations of sentences at the level of medical words (terminological units) are given due to the fact that in a scientific style a literal translation of the text is much preferable, since a scientific text requires clarity in its presentation with the most complete correspondence of the translation to the original. This is due to the fact that in the second part of the textbook, where dialogues with a difficult level are given, detailed complex sentences are often used, in addition, the original translation contains a large number of terms that have completely different formulations in English. Low level of comprehension of the problem of translation equivalence leads to simplification of the perception of the essence of translation reduces the explanatory power of analysis, its concrete phenomena and possibilities of the linguo- translation studies in general, prevents the single scientific picture of translation as an object studied, in consequence of which the perspective of its research is partly lost. In practical terms, the chosen problem requires application of the results of research in the training and works of translators, teachers and editors in assessing the quality of translations.Achieving the equivalence of translation is the goal of the medical interpreter.

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A Topographical Study on the Event-related Potential Correlates of Scrambled Word Order in Japanese Complex Sentences

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience ◽

10.1162/jocn.2007.19.2.175 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 175-193 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Hiroko Hagiwara ◽

Takahiro Soshi ◽

Masami Ishihara ◽

Kuniyasu Imanaka

Keyword(s):

Word Order ◽

Sentence Comprehension ◽

Event Related Potentials ◽

Event Related Potential ◽

Thematic Role ◽

Complex Sentences ◽

Structural Integration ◽

Related Potentials ◽

Compositional Interpretation ◽

Anterior Negativity

One of the most fundamental and universal properties of human language is a phenomenon called displacement. In the present study, we used multichannel event-related potentials (ERPs) to identify the nature of this phenomenon with Japanese, a subject-object-verb (SOV) language of relatively free word order. The ERPs of sentences of canonical word order (CC) were compared with those of non-canonical word order in two types of Japanese complex sentences; namely, in those which can be described as being in a middle-scrambled condition (MSC) and in those in a long-scrambled condition (LSC). The sustained anterior negativity (SAN) and the P600 in the pregap position were observed in the LSC, compared to the CC, and they are consistent with previous findings. The SAN, exhibiting a tripartite nature in morphology and scalp distribution, mainly reflected a storage cost of scrambled elements in sentence comprehension. The subsequent P600 had a left fronto-temporal maximum, distinguished from a posterior P600, taken as a reflector of the thematic role assignment in previous related studies. It is argued that the P600 in the present study reflects a cost of structural integration intensively depending on the case marker information. A compositional interpretation of sentence meanings was also observed, reflected in an anterior negativity at the postgap verbal position, which cannot be differentiated at the pregap verbal position in the languages of subject-verb-object (SVO) word order.

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KALIMAT DALAM SISINDIRAN DAN WAWANGSALAN ANYAR KARYA DÉDY WINDYAGIRI (Kajian Struktur dan Semantik)

LOKABASA ◽

10.17509/jlb.v7i1.3405 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 35

Author(s):

HENA SUMARNI

Keyword(s):

Data Collection ◽

Data Processing ◽

Elemental Analysis ◽

Word Order ◽

Literature Study ◽

Analysis Techniques ◽

Complex Sentences ◽

Distributional Method ◽

Sentence Patterns ◽

Research Findings

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan kalimat dalam sisindiran dan wawangsalan anyar. Dalam penelitian ini digunakan metode deskriptif. Untuk mengumpulkan data digunakan teknik studi pustaka. Pengolahan data dilakukan dengan menggunakan metode distribusional dengan téknik analisis unsur langsung yang diikuti oleh teknik ekspansi, permutasi dan delisi. Temuan-temuan dalam penelitian ini adalah déskripsi tentang bentuk kalimat dalam sisindiran dan wawangsalan yang berupa kalimat majemuk dengan tipe dan pola kalimat yang variatif, hubungan makna antraklausa dalam kalimat majemuk serta kekhasan-kekhasan kalimat dalam sisindiran dan wawangsalan anyar, yakni (1) bentuk kalimat berupa kalimat majemuk, (2) memiliki kebebasan dalam konstruksi (struktur) kalimat, (3) kelonggaran gaya dalam menempatkan urutan kata, dan (4) subyek sering tidak dikatakan.AbtsractThis study aimed to describe the sentences in the text of sisindiran and wawangsalan anyar. The research used descriptive methods. The data collection of this study employed the techniques of literature study. The data processing was distributional method with direct elemental analysis techniques. This was followed by the techniques of expansion, permutation, and deletion. The research findings cover description of the sentence forms in sisindiran and wawangsalan. They are complex sentences containing various sentence patterns and types and meaning relations between clauses in compound sentences. It also contains peculiarities of sentence. The peculiarities are (1) the form of complex sentences, (2) the freedom in construction (structure) of sentences, (3) the flexibility of word order, and (4) the hidden subject.

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Word order

The Oxford Latin Syntax ◽

10.1093/oso/9780199230563.003.0023 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 948-1137

Author(s):

Harm Pinkster

Keyword(s):

Noun Phrase ◽

Word Order ◽

Prepositional Phrase ◽

Relative Order ◽

Complex Sentences ◽

Number Of Factors ◽

Constituent Order ◽

A Minor

Chapter 23 deals with word order (also called constituent order). The actual order of constituents in Latin is determined by a large number of factors, among which the syntactic factor is only a minor one. These various factors are discussed. Some constituents at the clause level are limited in their position, others are mobile, with their position mainly determined by pragmatic factors as discussed in ch. 22. At the noun-phrase and prepositional-phrase levels the relative order is mainly determined by contrast and emphasis. The relative order of clauses in complex sentences is discussed as well.

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Morphology and Syntax in Arabic-Speaking Adolescents Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/2021_jslhr-21-00087 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 64 (10) ◽

pp. 3867-3882

Author(s):

Khaloob Kawar

Keyword(s):

Word Order ◽

Hard Of Hearing ◽

Native Speakers ◽

Oral Narrative ◽

Linguistic Features ◽

Language Abilities ◽

Complex Sentences ◽

Arabic Speakers ◽

Language Interventions ◽

Arabic Speaking

Purpose Diagnoses, assessments, and treatments, as well as social and language interventions, can be effective in identifying and interpreting specific linguistic features that present special challenges to the language abilities of individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHH). This article reports on a study analyzing complex sentences and morphosyntactic error production by Arabic-speaking adolescents who are hearing and DHH. Method A total of 124 adolescents participated, all native speakers of Arabic in Grades 6–10 (63 hearing and 61 DHH). The participants were asked to provide an oral narrative about a dangerous experience. Results Both groups produced a low mean percentage of complex sentences out of the total number of clauses. However, adolescents who are DHH produced significantly fewer complex sentences and more morphosyntactic errors when compared with their hearing peers. The most common errors produced by both groups were clause errors including omission of subject or predicate and errors in word order. Determiner errors were produced significantly more often by adolescents who are DHH. Conclusions To our knowledge, this study is one of the first to investigate morphosyntactic aspects of complex sentences and morphosyntactic errors produced by Arabic-speaking adolescents who are hearing and DHH. This study therefore has significance for further research on language development among Arabic speakers and on definitions of vulnerable linguistic aspects in DHH.

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'Acceptability' and Language-Specific Preference in the Distribution of Information

Target ◽

10.1075/target.9.1.02doh ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 1-24 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Monika Doherty

Keyword(s):

Word Order ◽

Final Position ◽

Optimal Distribution ◽

Processing Conditions ◽

German Translation ◽

English Novel ◽

Complex Sentences ◽

Optimal Relevance ◽

Specific Preference ◽

Pragmatic Principle

Abstract The paper generalizes upon some basic aspects of acceptability concerning language-specific preferences in the distribution of information in original texts and translations. It is assumed that the pragmatic principle of Optimal Relevance and major grammatical parameters jointly determine language-specific processing conditions for an optimal distribution of information. The claims are illustrated by the German translation of a passage from an English novel, where the preferred translational variants meet different processing conditions in 'right-peripheral' German, as opposed to 'left-peripheral' English. The differences concern word order, including initial and final position in simple and complex sentences, and may have an impact on the semantic readings of formally similar sentence structures, which can require redistribution of information beyond sentence boundaries.

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Head-initial/head-final parameter in adult Chinese L2 acquisition of English

Interlanguage studies bulletin (Utrecht) ◽

10.1177/026765838500100201 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 93-117 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

S. Flynn ◽

I. Espinal

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Word Order ◽

Empirical Support ◽

Parameter Setting ◽

Head Direction ◽

L2 Acquisition ◽

Complex Sentences ◽

Subordinate Clauses ◽

Japanese Speakers

In this study, we investigate the role of the head-initial/head-final parameter in adult second language (L2) acquisition of English. Sixty Chinese speaking adults were tested in their elicited production of complex sentences which involved pre-and postposed adverbial subordinate clauses both with and without pronoun anaphors. Results obtained in this study match those reported earlier for Japanese speakers learning English (Flynn, 1981; 1983a; 1983b; 1984; in press). Both Japanese and Chinese are head-final languages (Kuno, 1973; Huang, 1982). Findings are used to argue for the role of the head-initial/head-final parameter in adult L2 acquisition of pronoun anaphora. They are also used to argue for a model of grammar in which parameters associated with head-direction are differentiated from parameters associated with word order (Travis, 1983; 1984). Results also provide additional empirical support for the parameter setting model of L2 acquisition currently proposed by Flynn (1983a; 1983b, in press; forthcoming).

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