Idioms and Phraseology

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Teresa Espinal ◽  
Jaume Mateu
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Roles ◽  
External Structure ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
Syntactic Properties ◽  
Linguistic Units ◽  
Semantic Properties ◽  
Interesting Behavior

Idioms, conceived as fixed multi-word expressions that conceptually encode non-compositional meaning, are linguistic units that raise a number of questions relevant in the study of language and mind (e.g., whether they are stored in the lexicon or in memory, whether they have internal or external syntax similar to other expressions of the language, whether their conventional use is parallel to their non-compositional meaning, whether they are processed in similar ways to regular compositional expressions of the language, etc.). Idioms show some similarities and differences with other sorts of formulaic expressions, the main types of idioms that have been characterized in the linguistic literature, and the dimensions on which idiomaticity lies. Syntactically, idioms manifest a set of syntactic properties, as well as a number of constraints that account for their internal and external structure. Semantically, idioms present an interesting behavior with respect to a set of semantic properties that account for their meaning (i.e., conventionality, compositionality, and transparency, as well as aspectuality, referentiality, thematic roles, etc.). The study of idioms has been approached from lexicographic and computational, as well as from psycholinguistic and neurolinguistic perspectives.

scholarly journals Construction or Constructing? Some Observations on English Deverbal and Gerundial Nouns

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-164
Author(s):  
Gašper Ilc
Keyword(s):  
The Other ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Nominal Phrase ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Gradual Process ◽  
Corpus Data ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
Syntactic Properties ◽  
Semantic Properties

English deverbal and gerundial nouns are traditionally analysed as instances of verbal nominalisations with a hybrid syntactic and semantic nature: while predominantly having nominal properties, they display some of the verbal characteristics as well. Using relevant examples from English corpora (BNC, ukWaC, enTenTen13), the paper examines the similarities and differences between the two types of nominalisations with special focus on their syntactic and semantic properties. The paper discusses deverbal/gerundial nouns in relation to the s.c. gerundial cline, which refers to the gradual process of nominalisation as observed in English. The analysis of examples shows that gerundial nouns are typically associated with the eventive interpretation, and that the structure of the nominal phrase headed by a gerundial noun directly reflects the syntactic properties of the verbal root. Deverbal nouns, on the other hand, are typically associated with the result-object interpretation, and the structure of the nominal phrase headed by a deverbal noun is less dependent on the syntactic properties of the verbal root. Despite these apparent differences, corpus data also reveal that the converse is also true: deverbal nouns can be used as gerundial nouns and vice versa.

scholarly journals SPEAKING VERBS AND THEIR DIFFERENT STUDY APPROACHES IN MODERN ENGLISH

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aigul Sultangubiyeva
Keyword(s):  
Point Of View ◽  
Semantic Meaning ◽  
Functional Level ◽  
Concept Study ◽  
Linguistic Level ◽  
Syntactic Properties ◽  
Linguistic Units ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Semantic Properties

In linguistics, the study of speaking verbs, such as verbs of speech, communicative verbs is researched in different directions, both domestic and foreign scientists set themselves different tasks. They were studied from the point of view of their lexical and grammatical semantics, from the point of view of the syntactic properties of these verbs, at the functional level, in the aspect of the relationship between thinking and speech, the logical and semantic properties of speech verbs. However, there are still no works in linguistics that consider the functional categorization of speaking verbs with a mechanism description for varying their categorical status from the standpoint of functional, semiological and prototypical approaches to the formation of the categorical meaning of predicative units. The verbs say, tell, speak and talk carry one integral symptom “speaking”, while the linguistic units have differential signs in their semantic meaning. In this regard, the verbs say, tell, speak and talk are attributed to the nuclear zone, and their synonyms are in the peripheral zones. The concept of “speaking” in modern English can be objectified at the linguistic level in the most generalized form, stylistically neutralized by the verbs say, tell, speak and talk, which we define as prototypes of the concept study.

Promoting learning and unlearning through textual enhancement in a closely related L1-L2 relationship

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-30
Author(s):  
Paolo Della Putta
Keyword(s):  
Judgment Task ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
Instructional Treatment ◽  
Group A ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
Textual Enhancement ◽  
Group B ◽  
Syntactic Properties ◽  
Grammatical Judgment

AbstractThis study investigates the differential effects of Textual Enhancement (TE) on the learning and unlearning of two syntactic properties of Spanish – the absence of the Pre-possessive Determiner Article (PPDA) and the presence of the Prepositional Accusative (PA) – which each pose specific acquisitional difficulties for Italian-speaking learners of Spanish (ISS) due to their asymmetrical relationships with corresponding L1 structures. 77 ISS were divided in two experimental groups: group A read 5 texts with TE on PA – the feature to be learned – and group B read the same 5 texts with TE on PPDA – the feature to be unlearned. The participants took a timed grammatical judgment task three times (before, five days after, and two months after the instructional treatment). The results are compared with those of Della Putta (2016), a symmetrical study to this, in which the same teaching intervention and experimental conditions were adopted with Spanish-speaking learners of Italian, whose task was to unlearn PA and to learn PPDA. The bidirectional comparison shows a similar, weak effect of TE, although in the present study, unlike in Della Putta (2016), unlearning did not seem to be more difficult than learning. These similarities and differences are discussed and theoretically motivated.

The Tense, Mood, and Aspect System of Haitian Creole and the Problem of Transmission of Grammar in Creole Genesis

1996 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 231-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Lefebvre
Keyword(s):  
Phonological Representations ◽  
Haitian Creole ◽  
Phonological Form ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Syntactic Properties ◽  
Semantic Properties

It is often assumed that creolization involves a break in the transmission of grammar. On the basis of data drawn from the TMA system of Haitian creole, as compared with those of its source languages — French, the superstratum language, and Fongbe, one of the substratum languages — this paper argues that creolization does not involve a break in transmission of grammar. The properties of the Haitian creole TMA system are shown to reflect in a systematic way those of its contributing languages. While the syntactic and the semantic properties of the TMA markers of the creole parallel those of Fongbe, the markers' phonological form appears to be derived from phonetic strings found in the superstratum language. This systematic division of properties is predicted by the hypothesis that relexification has played a major role in the formation of the creole. The fact that the lexical entries of the creole have phonological representations which are derived from phonetic strings found in the superstratum language is the visible signal that creolization involves the creation of a new language. The fact that the lexical entries of the creole show semantic and syntactic properties that parallel those of the languages of the substratum argues that there has been no break in the transmission of grammar in the formation of the creole.

Il Y A ... Qui et C'est ... Qui

1986 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Marcel Léard
Keyword(s):  
Semantic Features ◽  
Semantic Grammar ◽  
Grammatical Morphemes ◽  
Il Y A ◽  
Syntactic Properties ◽  
Semantic Compatibility ◽  
Semantic Properties

Il y a ... qui and c'est... qui: Syntax and compatibility between semantic operations In this paper, we show that il y a ... qui and c'est... qui have three meanings or values, that are suitable with only some operations of determination, modalization (like questions, negations) and with a number of syntactic categories and functions. Therefore, we use syntactic properties to point out semantic features, but we show, in return, that syntactic acceptability of sentences can be often explained by semantic compatibility between operations. That involves a basically semantic grammar. So we link syntactic and semantic properties, mainly the meaning of grammatical morphemes. In such a case, we consider that transformational hypotheses, which don't take into account these links, are not appropriate, and we propose a more realistic way (although theoretical) of doing syntax: syntax is also the compatibility between the meaning of morphemes.

Structure and Semantics of Tactile Verbs in a Comparative Aspect (On the Material of the English, German and Russian Languages)

2021 ◽  
pp. 58-63
Author(s):  
Yu. A. Sakhno
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Study ◽  
Semantic Features ◽  
Semantic Classification ◽  
Comparative Aspect ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
The Comparative Study ◽  
Linguistic Units

This article deals with the study of the structural and semantic features of tactile verbs (hereinafter TVs) in English, German and Russian. Particular attention is paid to the comparative study of TVs, which allows us to identify structural and semantic similarities and differences of linguistic units studied. The structural and semantic classification of TVs in the compared languages is also provided.

scholarly journals A Case of Constructional Polysemy in Latin

1994 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura A. Michaelis
Keyword(s):  
Syntactic Properties ◽  
Semantic Properties

In this paper, I will examine the syntactic and semantic properties of a Latin correlative construction, the so-called comparative conditional. I will investigate the extent to which this construction inherits its formal and interpretive features from constructions needed independently in the grammar. While the syntactic properties of the comparative conditional are highly motivated, the semantics of the construction is idiosyncratic: there is evidence to indicate that the construction is polysemous, having two related scalar interpretations.

scholarly journals THE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES OF PHONOSTYLISTIC MEANS OF THE RUSSIAN AND UZBEK LANGUAGES

2020 ◽  
pp. 52-59
Author(s):  
Kunduz SAPAROVA
Keyword(s):  
Sound Level ◽  
Sound System ◽  
Single Level ◽  
Methods Of Analysis ◽  
Linguistic Unit ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
Linguistic Units

This article is devoted to the study of similar and peculiar features of phonostylistic means of the Russian and Uzbek languages. In particular, it places a special emphasis on the stylistic properties of the phonetic system of the languages in comparison. The phonostylistic system of one or another language is a combination of stylistic properties of sound (phonetic) units of a language. Sound (phonetic) language units serve as stylistic markers of pronunciation styles, or phonetic styles. The stylistic properties of the sound systems of two or more languages involve the identification of interlanguage corresponding means of expressing the stylistic coloring of a linguistic unit at a sound level. The uniqueness of segment and super-segment phonostylistic units in different-system languages is the key factor of differences in the phonostylistic units of the sound system of the compared languages. An inventory of phonetic means of expressing the stylistic coloring of linguistic units is manifested when pronouncing variants of words, phrases and expressions. Interlanguage phonostylistic correspondence is single-level, and its identification is possible if there is developed material for the structure of phonostylistic systems of each individual language being compared. Key tasks of phonostylistics are determined by identifying both stylistically unmarked and stylistically marked units of the expression plan at the phonostylistic level of languages and establishing correspondences between them; identifying the causes of the isomorphism and allomorphism of the stylistic resources of their sound system. According to the methodology of the research, it is based on using the basic methods of analysis and general principles of comparison for analysis of phonostylistic units in compared languages.

Animacy and long distance binding in Norwegian

2009 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helge Lødrup
Keyword(s):  
Binding Theory ◽  
Thematic Roles ◽  
Thematic Role ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Binding Properties ◽  
Subordinate Clauses ◽  
Semantic Properties ◽  
Local Binding

Norwegian allows binding into finite subordinate clauses when the subordinate subject is inanimate and has a thematic role that is low on the hierarchy of thematic roles (e.g.Hun trodde hun gjorde det som var best forseg selv‘she thought she did that which was best forrefl self’). This kind of long distance binding is productive, and generally acceptable, but it has never been mentioned in the literature. This article discusses its syntactic and semantic properties. It is shown that the reflexives in question are not necessarily logophoric, and that they prefer a distributive interpretation. The general binding properties of inanimate subjects are discussed, and it is proposed that binding theory must have the option to disregard them. Binding across inanimate subjects can then be treated as local binding.

On some endangered Sinitic languages spoken in Northwestern China

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 130-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alain Peyraube
Keyword(s):  
Northwestern China ◽  
Thematic Roles ◽  
Case System ◽  
Semantic Notion ◽  
Syntactic Properties ◽  
Sinitic Languages ◽  
Mixed Languages

This paper will examine one of the most characteristic syntactic properties of languages, namely the case system for the following three Sinitic languages spoken in Northwestern China: Línxià (or Hézhōu), Tāngwāng, Gāngōu, which have been sometimes viewed as ‘mixed languages’. An answer to the following main questions will be tentatively suggested in the conclusion: do we really have case suffixes in these languages (cases are a morphological notion) or simply thematic roles expressed by postpositions (thematic roles are a semantic notion)? Do we really have a Qinghai-Gansu linguistic area (Sprachbund), as has been suggested? Can these Sinitic languages be characterized as being mixed languages?

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