scholarly journals Defying chronology: Crosslinguistic variation in reverse order reports

Linguistics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 569-603
Author(s):  
Norbert Vanek ◽  
Barbara Mertins
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Reverse Order ◽  
Natural Occurrence ◽  
Grammatical Aspect ◽  
Language Structure ◽  
Temporal Sequencing ◽  
Crosslinguistic Variation ◽  
Event Chains ◽  
Frequency Counts ◽  
Dynamic Interplay

AbstractMuch of how we sequence events in speech mirrors the order of their natural occurrence. While event chains that conform to chronology may be easier to process, languages offer substantial freedom to manipulate temporal order. This article explores to what extent digressions from chronology are attributable to differences in grammatical aspect systems. We compared reverse order reports (RORs) in event descriptions elicited from native speakers of four languages, two with (Spanish, Modern Standard Arabic [MSA]) and two without grammatical aspect (German, Hungarian). In the Arabic group, all participants were highly competent MSA speakers from Palestine and Jordan. Standardized frequency counts showed significantly more RORs expressed by non-aspect groups than by aspect groups. Adherence to chronology changing as a function of contrast in grammatical aspect signal that languages without obligatory marking of ongoingness may provide more flexibility for event reordering. These findings bring novel insights about the dynamic interplay between language structure and temporal sequencing in the discourse stream.

Word frequency counts

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 224-239
Author(s):  
Bartosz Brzoza
Keyword(s):  
Word Frequency ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Applied Research ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Present Contribution ◽  
Subjective Frequency ◽  
Corpus Linguistic ◽  
Comprehensive Picture ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Frequency Counts

Abstract Lexical frequency is one of the major variables involved in language processing. It constitutes a cornerstone of psycholinguistic, corpus linguistic as well as applied research. Linguists take frequency counts from corpora and they started to take them for granted. However, voices emerge that corpora may not always provide a comprehensive picture of how frequently lexical items appear in a language. In the present contribution I compare corpus frequency counts for English and Polish words to native speakers’ perception of frequency. The analysis shows that, while generally objective and subjective values are related, there is a disparity between measures for frequent Polish words. The direction of the relationship, though positive, is also not as strong as in previous studies. I suggest linking objective with subjective frequency measures in research.

scholarly journals VERBALIZATION OF NON-VERBALS IN THE UKRAINIAN SPEECH: LEXICAL AND GRAMMATICAL ASPECT

2019 ◽  
pp. 82-89
Author(s):  
Tetiana Fedorivna Osipova
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Practical Implication ◽  
Word Formation ◽  
Forming Mechanism ◽  
Grammatical Aspect ◽  
Component Object ◽  
Oral Speech ◽  
Verbal Component ◽  
Verbal Discourse ◽  
Linguistic Units

Objective of the research is to determine wide contextual potential of linguistic units containing a verbalized non-verbal component. Object of the research is a non-verbal discourse of the modern Ukrainian oral speech; subject of the research is represented by lexical, word-forming, and semantic innovations representing live speech of the modern Ukrainians. Materials of the study include occasional and individual-author’s nominative units recorded in academic dictionaries and dictionaries of lexical as well as lexical and word-forming innovations of the 21st century. Methods of the research are the following: functional (a method of discourse and cognitive-onomasiological analysis), structural (in terms of transformational and component analysis), methods of associative analysis and statistic observation. The results are as follows: the paper has demonstrated that 1) application of morphological and syntactic word-forming mechanism is motivated by the system of communicative-pragmatic intentions of an addresser aimed at the increase in expressiveness or considerable modification of the communicative senses; and 2) increase in total volume of semantic structure of nominative patterns as a result of a) generalization of the initial meaning or widening in semantics; b) concretization or narrowing of the meaning of the initial unit; c) shifts in the meanings, in cases when semantically conventional forming basis is replaced by the basis being a non-verbal motivator, take place to determine communicative situation or modeling of communicative behaviour of an addresser. A methodology to design field structure (LSF) is proposed to study non-morphological methods of word formation; the methodology makes it possible to trace the processes of the formation of interpretational meanings of a lexeme – non-verbal motivator. Practical implication of the results and use of the proposed methods are possible in the process of further analysis of the mechanisms to verbalize non-verbals both at lexical and grammatical linguistic levels. Conclusions are drawn to emphasize the productivity of the process to verbalize non-verbals illustrated by the units of different linguistic levels; in this context, we can observe functional complexity of both word-forming and syntactic processes as well as efficiency of the inter-disciplinary approach which widens the boundaries of linguistic practice and may favour improvement of the linguistic and communicative competence of the native speakers.

scholarly journals A Cross-cultural Study of The Speech Act of Compliments in American English and Yemeni Arabic

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Najeeb Taher Almansoob ◽  
Yasser Alrefaee ◽  
K.S Patil
Keyword(s):  
Speech Act ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
American English ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cultural Perspective ◽  
Two Cultures ◽  
Cross Cultural Study ◽  
The Two Cultures ◽  
Completion Test ◽  
Frequency Counts

Based on a cross-cultural perspective, the current study aims to compare the realization of the speech act of compliments among Yemeni Arabic native speakers (YANSs) and American English native speakers (AENSs). Samples of 30 participants of Americans and 30 other participants of Yemenis were involved in the study. The data were collected through a Discourse Completion Test (DCT) consisting of six hypothetical compliment scenarios. The corpus collected for analysis was 380 Arabic compliment semantic formulas and 338 English compliment semantic formulas. Data were analyzed in terms of frequency counts of 20 strategies and order of semantic formulas in the speakers' response utterances. The findings showed that there are some pragmatic similarities and differences between the two native groups. Some strategies seemed to be universal across the two cultures like Admiration whereas strategies of Exaggeration, Gratitude to God and Metaphor are culturally specific to Arabic. The findings also revealed that most of the speakers' utterances were in the two-fold order of semantic formulas. Moreover, the findings showed that American compliments were steady and formulaic in nature while Arabic Compliments were various in formulas and long.

scholarly journals Intensifiers in Bidayuh Bau-Jagoi

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-68
Author(s):  
Yvonne Michelle Campbell ◽  
Jill Beon ◽  
Su-Hie Ting
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Lexical Item ◽  
Language Structure ◽  
Lexical Items

This paper describes intensifiers in Bidayuh Bau-Jagoi, a variation of the Bidayuh language, spoken in Sarawak, Malaysia.  Data were gathered from 10 informants, aged 50-80, who are native speakers of the Bidayuh Bau-Jagoi. In this language, intensifiers are used to intensify the meaning of expressions, particularly adjectives. Results show that intensifiers are categorised into lexical items and reduplication.  Three general lexical items (sikia, manah and bonar) were identified from the data, and 86 specific lexical intensifiers were found to be paired with specific adjectives with the exception of posah and ngakag. There is only one full reduplication form where a lexical item is reduplicated (tok-tok) and it intensifies the meaning of the adjectives that precede it. As for lexical items, the intensifiers are placed after the adjective with the exception of sikia. This study has uncovered rules pertaining to the use of intensifiers in Bidayuh Bau-Jagoi that will lead to a proper and better understanding of the language structure.

scholarly journals Expressing volition, imposition and latency through causatives

2021 ◽  
pp. 195-207
Author(s):  
Mariam Orkodashvili ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Electronic Media ◽  
The Other ◽  
Media Discourse ◽  
Syntactic Structures ◽  
Interesting Issue ◽  
Lexical Semantic ◽  
News Reports ◽  
Temporal Sequencing ◽  
The One

The present study analyzes the different ways in which causative structures in these languages express the ideas of causation, volition vs imposition, and temporal sequencing of actions. The examples have been gathered from media discourse (written and spoken examples of news reports, articles or discussions from electronic media), and informal conversations with the native speakers of the languages during interviews and discussions. The forms of expressing the concepts of desire, wish, will on the one hand, and the forms of expressing imposition, request, incentive, order or involuntary action, on the other, differ across languages from purely syntactic structures to morphological, or lexical-semantic means. Latent causation is yet further interesting issue raised in the paper.

scholarly journals Learning aspect in Italian as additional language. The role of second languages

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Vallerossa ◽  
Anna Gudmundson ◽  
Anna Bergström ◽  
Camilla Bardel
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Romance Languages ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Romance Language ◽  
Second Languages ◽  
Lexical Aspect ◽  
Grammatical Aspect ◽  
Differential Learning

Abstract The study examines the role played by English and Romance languages (L2s) when learning grammatical aspect in Italian as additional language (Ln). Swedish university students of Italian (n = 34), divided according to knowledge of a Romance L2 and English aspectual knowledge, completed an interpretation task of aspectual contrast in Italian. Eight native speakers served as a control group. The findings showed that knowledge of a Romance language as L2 and high English aspectual knowledge exerted a differential influence on learning aspect in Italian. This outcome is discussed in the light of a consistent form-meaning relationship between the L2s and Italian. Yet, with a mismatch between grammatical and lexical aspect, the learners’ judgments differed from the native speakers’ judgments. Thus, our findings also support the idea of the existence of differential learning paths sustained by the L2s when learning complex aspectual configurations.

scholarly journals Arab-Origin Students’ Experiences of Learning Turkish: A Case Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (12) ◽  
pp. 208
Author(s):  
Esra Karakuş Tayşi
Keyword(s):  
Data Analysis ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
State University ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Aegean Region ◽  
Language Structure ◽  
Arab Origin

The purpose of this study is to consider the Turkish learning situations of the 16 Arab-origin students learning Turkish at TÖMER subordinate to a state university in the Aegean region from the perspectives of both students and the teachers who teach them Turkish and investigate their language learning experiences from many perspectives. In order to achieve this goal, a qualitative research method was used. Data were collected from the participating students and lecturers through semi-structured interviews. The method of content analysis was used in the data analysis. Based on the findings obtained in the data analysis, it was concluded that the students stated that; they learnt Turkish to study at a university and because they had to live in Turkey; they had the most difficulty in the writing skill; they found the Turkish lessons difficult due to the different language structure and alphabet. On the other hand, the participating lecturers stated that; the students had difficulties in writing; they used Turkish by having conversations with Turkish native speakers and at work; the mistakes they made the most were suffix and spelling mistakes, and in order to solve these problems, they got the students to play concept games, and had lessons in different places outside the classroom by getting the students to do a lot of practice.

scholarly journals Using the Reverse Order Technique with Non-Native Speakers or Through an Interpreter

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 242-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Ewens ◽  
Aldert Vrij ◽  
Samantha Mann ◽  
Sharon Leal
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Reverse Order

scholarly journals Language structure is influenced by the number of speakers but seemingly not by the proportion of non-native speakers

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 181274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Koplenig
Keyword(s):  
Adult Learners ◽  
Negative Selection ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Relative Proportion ◽  
Statistical Structure ◽  
Information Theoretic ◽  
Language Structure ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
The Impact

Large-scale empirical evidence indicates a fascinating statistical relationship between the estimated number of language users and its linguistic and statistical structure. In this context, the linguistic niche hypothesis argues that this relationship reflects a negative selection against morphological paradigms that are hard to learn for adults, because languages with a large number of speakers are assumed to be typically spoken and learned by greater proportions of adults. In this paper, this conjecture is tested empirically for more than 2000 languages. The results question the idea of the impact of non-native speakers on the grammatical and statistical structure of languages, as it is demonstrated that the relative proportion of non-native speakers does not significantly correlate with either morphological or information-theoretic complexity. While it thus seems that large numbers of adult learners/speakers do not affect the (grammatical or statistical) structure of a language, the results suggest that there is indeed a relationship between the number of speakers and (especially) information-theoretic complexity, i.e. entropy rates. A potential explanation for the observed relationship is discussed.

L2 effects on L1 event conceptualization

2010 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
EMANUEL BYLUND ◽  
SCOTT JARVIS
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Spanish Speakers ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Motion Events ◽  
Verbal Morphology ◽  
Gender Agreement ◽  
Grammatical Aspect ◽  
Grammaticality Judgment ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Relationship

The finding that speakers of aspect languages encode event endpoints to a lesser extent than do speakers of non-aspect languages has led to the hypothesis that there is a relationship between grammatical aspect and event conceptualization (e.g., von Stutterheim and Nüse, 2003). The present study concerns L1 event conceptualization in 40 L1 Spanish – L2 Swedish bilinguals (all near-native speakers of Swedish). Spanish and Swedish differ as regards grammatical aspect: whereas Swedish lacks this grammatical category, Spanish conveys aspect through verbal morphology and periphrasis. The principal aim of the study was to explore the relationship between productive event conceptualization patterns and receptive decoding proficiency related to aspectual contrasts. The participants were asked to provide oral L1 Spanish descriptions of video clips projecting motion events with different degrees of endpoint orientation (see von Stutterheim, 2003). In addition, they took a grammaticality judgment test concerning verb and gender agreement, verbal clitics and aspectual contrasts. Compared with baseline data from monolingual Spanish speakers, the results on endpoint encoding show that the bilinguals mention the endpoints of motion events to a higher degree than the Spanish control group does. Moreover, it was shown that the weaker the bilinguals' discrimination of aspectual errors on the grammaticality judgment test, the more prone they were to encoding endpoints. This result consequently furthers the hypothesis about the interconnectedness between grammatical aspect and event conceptualization. The results were further interpreted as indicating that the bilinguals are influenced by the Swedish-like tendency to attend to the boundedness rather than the ongoingness of events.

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