Person Features and Pronominal Anaphora

2011 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denis Delfitto ◽  
Gaetano Fiorin
Keyword(s):  
First Person ◽  
Left Periphery ◽  
Person Features ◽  
De Se ◽  
Asymmetric Relation ◽  
Third Person ◽  
Pronominal Anaphora

This article aims at clarifying the role of person at the interface between syntax and the interpretive systems. We argue that first person interpretations of third person pronouns (de se readings) stem from the option of leaving the referential index underspecified on the pronoun, thus accounting for the interplay of this phenomenon with the anaphoric usage of first person indexicals (pronoun shifting) and logophoric pronouns. The results include proposals on the connection between the semantics of first person and the syntax of the left periphery, a neo-Davidsonian treatment of the semantics of first person indexicals, and a novel view of pronominal anaphora according to which Higginbotham's (1983) asymmetric relation of linking involves a mechanism of θ-role inheritance tied to the semantics of first person.

Multiple constraints and the resolution of Korean null subject anaphor

2013 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sook Whan Cho ◽  
Hyun Jin Hwangbo
Keyword(s):  
First Person ◽  
Null Subjects ◽  
Processing Load ◽  
Null Subject ◽  
Person Features ◽  
Third Person ◽  
The Mind ◽  
Syntactic Cues ◽  
Discourse Topic ◽  
Better Than

This study investigates how Korean adults interpret and identify the referent of a null subject in a narrative text, given different types of topic continuity and person features. We have found that the first-person feature was most accessible in the weak topicality condition in resolving the null subjects, and that the target sentences ending with the first-person modal suffix ‘-lay’ were read and responded to faster, and interpreted more correctly than other types of stimuli involving a third-person modal (‘-tay’) and a person-neutral modal (‘-e’). Furthermore, of the two first-person-specific featured types, the null subjects in the topically weak contexts were processed significantly better than those in the topically strong conditions. It was argued that anaphoric dependency would be formed more discursively than morpho-syntactically in the strong discourse continuity contexts involving no extra processing load due to the shift among multiple eligible candidates. It was also argued that, in the absence of discourse topic assigned strongly to more than one eligible referent in advance, morpho-syntactic cues involved in verb modality are likely to become prominent in the mind of the processor. It is concluded that these main findings support a constraint-based approach, but not the Centering-inspired work.

scholarly journals Logophoricity and shifts of perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-99
Author(s):  
Tatiana Nikitina
Keyword(s):  
Narrative Structure ◽  
Lexical Representation ◽  
Intermediate Position ◽  
First Person ◽  
Specific Data ◽  
Linguistic Differences ◽  
Attitude Reports ◽  
Third Person ◽  
And Shifts

Abstract This study presents a typology of existing approaches to logophoricity and discusses problems the different approaches face. It addresses, in particular, perspective-based accounts describing constructions with logophoric pronouns in terms of their intermediate position on the direct-indirect continuum (Evans 2013), and lexical accounts incorporating the idea of coreference with the reported speaker into the pronoun’s meaning, either through role-to-value mapping mechanisms (Nikitina 2012a, b), or through feature specification (Schlenker 2003a, b). The perspective-based approach is shown to be unsatisfactory when it comes to treating language-specific data in precise and cross-linguistically comparable terms. It fails to account, for example, for cross-linguistic differences in the behavior of logophoric pronouns, for their optionality, and for their close diachronic relationship to third person elements. Lexical accounts are better equipped to handle a variety of outstanding issues, but they, too, need to be revised to accommodate a variety of discourse phenomena associated with logophoricity, including alternation with first person pronouns. The proposed solution follows the lines of lexical approaches but aims at enriching the pronouns’ lexical representation with notions pertaining to narrative structure, such as the role of Narrator. A separate solution is proposed for treating conventionalized uses occurring outside speech and attitude reports.

scholarly journals Morphosyntactic features and paradigmatic uniformity in two dialectal varieties of the island of Lesvos

2002 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adamantios I. Gafos ◽  
Angela Ralli
Keyword(s):  
Optimality Theory ◽  
First Person ◽  
Person Plural ◽  
Clitic Clusters ◽  
Third Person ◽  
First Person Plural ◽  
Independent Work ◽  
The Third Person ◽  
Considerable Support

This paper discusses data from the nominal paradigms of two dialectal varieties of East Lesvos, those of Thermi and Pamfila. It is shown that there is abundant evidence for the key role of the paradigm in the phonological realization of the [noun-clitic] clusters. We argue that the grammars of these dialectal varieties must crucially include constraints that require identity between related surface forms in the [noun-clitic] paradigm. This proposal has received considerable support by independent work, carried out mainly within Optimality Theory, in various languages. The Lesvian dialectal varieties, however, allow us to probe deeper into the precise statement of such intra-paradigmatic identity constraints. We show, first, that the identity constraints holding among various surface forms must have a limited domain of application, circumscribed by the forms of the paradigm and only those. Second, we show that intra-paradigmatic identity constraints do not require identity uniformly among all surface forms of the paradigm. Rather, distinct identity constraints hold between distinct forms. For instance, the identity constraint between the {+first person, +singular} and the {+third person, +singular} is different from that holding between the {+first person, +singular} and the {+first person, +plural}. We argue, specifically, that the network of such intra-paradigmatic identity constraints is projected on the basis of shared morphosyntactic features along the dimensions of Person and Number that enter into the construction of the paradigm.

scholarly journals Reference in the first, second, and third person

KÜLÖNBSÉG ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Éva Kocsis
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Unified Model ◽  
Direct Access ◽  
First Person ◽  
Personal Quality ◽  
Person Reference ◽  
Third Person

We have direct access to our thoughts, therefore we think we can attribute beliefs and actions to ourselves differently than to others. However, linguistic concepts enable us to think about ourselves the same way as we think of others. The research question of the paper is how it is possible to find a unified model of first, second, and third person reference in language use that can allow for the personal quality of first person reference. The paper shows why the ’I’ in first person statements should be seen as a ineliminable item that is not reducible to non-indexic expressions semantically. Also, the paper claims that first, second, and third person references formulated by the same speaker have similar qualities (spontaneity, lack of identification, directness). Finally, the paper discusses the role of perception in these references.

Phenomenon of the narrative from a limited third person in fiction

2021 ◽  
pp. 136-145
Author(s):  
I. V. Ushchapovska ◽  
Ye. V. Nehaienko
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Distinctive Feature ◽  
English Literature ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
First Person ◽  
Inner Experiences ◽  
Outer World ◽  
Third Person ◽  
Points Of View

During the last centuries, modern English literature’s methodology developed many techniques. Due to the work of numerous translators, we can evaluate the effectiveness of this toolkit. However, despite the prevalence and availability of research materials, some aspects remain unexplored. There is a completely underestimated branch, which is narratology. Despite several similar features, studies prove that narrators can be different. The main characteristic to distinguish them is the point of view. It is worth noting that every narrative contains a combination of three points of view: narrator’s, character’s, and author’s. Considering the role of the parameter in fiction, it possible to compare it with the conductor because it determines the rules according to which the work will be organized. The purpose of the proposed research is to consider the phenomenon of narrative from a limited third person in English literature, in particular, to analyze the sources of its origin, a description of its characteristics, delineation of conceptual boundaries, and the analysis of its application. A narrative from a third person is recognizable in the text. Its distinctive feature is represented with third-person pronouns. An advantage of this point of view is the ability to give more information to the reader about the outer world. It lies far beyond the perspective of the first person. In the twentieth century, the narrative from a limited third person gained popularity. Its application implies that the narrator tells the story from the perspective of one character, unlike a narrative from an omniscient third person. This approach causes the effect of closeness, while not limited to the inner experiences

Unbelievable Preambles: Natural Knowledge and Social Cooperation in Accepting Some Revelation

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 67-83
Author(s):  
Paul Clavier
Keyword(s):  
First Person ◽  
Social Cooperation ◽  
Social Division ◽  
Natural Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge Of God ◽  
The Third ◽  
Third Person ◽  
Articles Of Faith ◽  
The Third Person

There is a claim that the natural capacity for knowledge of God (but not its completeexercise) is presupposed by the acceptance of any revelation. We inquire into whether this restriction is satisfactory. There is a stronger claim that natural knowledge has to be exercised for someone to welcome revelation. There is an additional claim that natural knowledge of the preambles to the articles of faith may not obtain. We try to make sense of this doctrine of impeached preambles to faith, by considering its phrasing not only in the first person singular (where it generates a Moore’s paradox), nor in the third person (where the role of the preambles still remains problematic), but in the first plural person, where it may suggest a kind of social division of tasks among believers.

Mediation through personal pronoun shifts in dialogue interpreting of political meetings

Interpreting ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 192-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheng Zhan
Keyword(s):  
Guangdong Province ◽  
Foreign Affairs ◽  
The Political ◽  
First Person ◽  
Personal Pronoun ◽  
Second Person ◽  
Role Of Government ◽  
Third Person ◽  
And Shifts

This paper examines the mediation role of government staff interpreters in China. Based on data collected from six political meetings involving senior officials of Guangdong Province, with interpreting performed by staff interpreters in the Protocol Department of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Guangdong, the paper analyzes cases of personal pronoun shifts in the rendition of the interpreters. Results show that personal pronoun shifts occur in all of the interpreted dialogues, and can be divided into: (1) personal pronoun shifts with the same footing, including shifts between first person and third person pronouns and shifts between second person and third person pronouns, (2) personal pronoun shifts with a different footing, for purposes of avoiding misunderstanding or impoliteness, coping with frequent changes of speaking subjects, and correcting an error in the rendition. The paper argues that government staff interpreters of dialogues, with all the constraints posed by the political settings, do not always conform with the norms and rules, but perform a mediation role in communication.

scholarly journals Sociolinguistic Influences on the Quality of Interpreting for Foreign African Immigrants in South African Courtrooms

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
Sam Erevbenagie Usadolo
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
African Immigrants ◽  
Code Switching ◽  
First Person ◽  
Third Person

<p>The study presents some sociolinguistic influences on the quality of interpreting for foreign African immigrants in South African courtrooms. Data was collected using observation of courtroom proceedings and unstructured interviews. The sociolinguistic influences identified can be linked to factors such as the notion of equivalence, misunderstandings about the role of the interpreter by principal actors, code-switching, and interpreting in the first person and third person by interpreters. These factors are discussed in terms of their negative influences on the quality of interpreting and how they can be mitigated. Finally, based on the identified limitation of the study, suggestions for further study are given.</p>

The Role of Frequency in First-Person Plural Variation in Brazilian Portuguese: Nós vs. a gente

2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine E. Travis ◽  
Agripino S. Silveira
Keyword(s):  
Brazilian Portuguese ◽  
First Person ◽  
Second Person ◽  
High Type ◽  
Person Plural ◽  
The People ◽  
Third Person ◽  
Verbal Agreement ◽  
First Person Plural

AbstractThis paper investigates the conditioning of the variation between two first-person plural forms in contemporary spoken Brazilian Portuguese, an older pronoun nós used with first-person plural agreement and a newer pronoun a gente, derived from an NP meaning ‘the people’, used with third-person singular agreement. This is part of a broader change in the language involving the breakdown of verbal agreement as third-person marking extends to the domains of first- and second-person. We consider the conditioning of use of these forms in spoken Brazilian Portuguese from Fortaleza and uncover a phenomenon that as yet has not been noted in relation to this variation, namely frequency. We find that the high type frequency of a gente contributes to the spreading use of this form, and the high token frequency of nós in specific constructions slows it down. We predict that these highly frequent constructions (such as nos temos ‘we have’, digamos ‘let’s say’ and vamos + V-INF ‘let’s V’) may remain a last vestige of nós in Brazilian Portuguese as a gente comes to take over the realm of first-person plural.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document