The syntax, information structure, and prosody of German ‘VP’-fronting

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 231-283
Author(s):  
Vera Lee-Schoenfeld ◽  
Anya Lunden
Keyword(s):  
Information Structure ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
High Tone ◽  
New Information ◽  
Verb Phrases ◽  
Vp Fronting ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Right ◽  
Definiteness Effect

Abstract This paper explores fronted verb phrases in German, drawing attention to the difference between passive/unaccusative VPs and fronted agentive vPs. While both kinds of verb phrases have been discussed in the literature as being frontable, it has been largely overlooked that fronted vPs typically come with a certain kind of post-fronting context and a rise-fall or bridge-contour intonation, which is characteristic of I-topicalization. We observe that, unlike VPs, agentive vPs essentially need to be I-topics, with a high tone at the right edge of the fronted domain, in order to be frontable. Given the special context required for fronted vPs, the situation described by the vP does not contain new information but must already have been under discussion and is now being commented on. We present the results of two experimental studies and appeal to the thetic/categorical distinction to offer a new angle on the definiteness effect that has been associated with fronted verb phrases. We propose that a subject-containing fronted vP is associated with a thetic rather than the default categorical judgment, which means that the fronted subject and predicate form only one information-structural unit (a topic) rather than two (topic and comment). Contributing to the literature on theticity, we observe that, unlike in non-fronting thetic statements, the subject in fronted vPs cannot be a true definite. We attribute this to clashing intonation restrictions on theticity in non-fronting constructions versus theticity in just the fronted portion of a sentence.

Clause structure, case and agreement in Polish existential, possessive and locative sentences: A phase-based account

2018 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 637-696
Author(s):  
Joanna Błaszczak
Keyword(s):  
Information Structure ◽  
Clause Structure ◽  
External Argument ◽  
Case Alternation ◽  
Crucial Question ◽  
Existential Sentences ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Event Variable

Abstract In this paper it will be argued that the difference between existential and locative sentences is primarily structurally encoded at the vP/VP level (at the first phase of a derivation). The crucial question is which argument of the verb BE (the Location or the nominal argument (“Theme”)) is projected as the “external argument”, i.e., which argument is the subject of inner predication. In the case of existential sentences it is the Location argument which is the subject of inner predication, and in the case of locative sentences it is the nominal argument. The subject of inner predication becomes by default also the subject of outer predication, i.e., the topic of the sentence. Hence, in the case of locative sentences the nominal argument is the subject of outer predication, i.e., the topic of the sentence, and in the case of existential sentences it is the Location which becomes the topic. (Or, alternatively, the actual topic (the subject of outer predication) might be the situational/ event variable, and the Location functions as a restriction on it.) However, the actual arrangement of constituents in the sentences under discussion, as in any other Polish sentence, is determined by the pragmatic/communicative principles. Given this, it is reasonable to think that the NOM/GEN case alternation in negated existential/locative sentences is primarily a matter of syntax, and not one of information structure or scope of negation. The analysis will be modeled in accordance with the phasal model of Chomsky (2000 et seq.).

Лексическая неоднозначность в экспериментальных исследованиях: метаанализ

2020 ◽  
pp. 43-51
Author(s):  
Анжелика Дубасова
Keyword(s):  
Language Processing ◽  
Ambiguity Resolution ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Lexical Ambiguity ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Lexical Ambiguity Resolution ◽  
Ambiguous Words ◽  
Main Factors ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Right

The article analyses experimental studies of lexical ambiguity (polysemy and homonymy). In total, 42 papers published between 1981 and 2017 were selected for analysis. Selected works were analyzed from the point of view of a) interaction of the main factors of lexical ambiguity resolution (meaning dominance and context), b) modularity/interactivity of language systems. The choice of these issues was caused by the fact that, despite a significant number of papers addressing them, a common theoretical model of lexical ambiguity resolution is still missing. The analysis concluded that none of the existing models could be chosen as the only true one. I believe that it is more promising to combine all models into one; in this case, we should not talk about “models” but about “algorithms” or “strategies”. This merge is compatible with the results of studies of hemispheric asymmetry, which showed that the right and left hemispheres differently process ambiguous words. This difference is projected on the difference between the two main points of view on language processing, interactive and modular. Also, as a result of the analysis, the properties of meaning dominance and context as the main factors influencing the perception of ambiguity are summarized, and the ways and possibilities of their interaction are determined. These factors can participate in the process of resolving ambiguity autonomously or together, with different functions, speed, and levels of perception.

scholarly journals Locative Inversion as an Alternation Phenomenon in Setswana: The Case of Lexical Functional Grammar Theory

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Setumile Morapedi
Keyword(s):  
Noun Phrase ◽  
Information Structure ◽  
Initial Position ◽  
Functional Grammar ◽  
Structure Approach ◽  
Syntactic Structures ◽  
Lexical Functional Grammar ◽  
New Information ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Locative Inversion

The paper has examined locative inversion constructions in Setswana, showing that the pre-posed locative phrase in these constructions is not the subject as it is viewed by other linguists in the literature. It has been argued, in this paper, that locative phrase occurs in the sentence initial position to perform the topic function which sets the scene for the focused noun phrase that alternates with it (locative phrase). The analysis has been achieved through information structure approach, showing the locative phrase that occurs in sentence initial position is a discourse phenomenon showing given information, and that the focused post-verbal noun phrase is new information that is emphasised on. Also, an appeal is made to Lexical Functional Grammar Approach to explain different ways of representing syntactic structures such as constituent structure and the functional structure.

scholarly journals The secret life of focus exponents, and what it tells us about fronted verbal projections

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kordula De Kuthy ◽  
W. Detmar Meurers
Keyword(s):  
Word Order ◽  
Information Structure ◽  
Noun Phrases ◽  
Natural Explanation ◽  
Complex Word ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Definiteness Effect ◽  
Focus Projection

The paper investigates a complex word order phenomenon in German and the interaction of syntax and information structure it exemplifies: the occurrence of subjects as part of a fronted non-finite constituent and particularly the so-called definiteness effect excluding (many) definite subjects from this position. We explore the connection between focus projection and the partial fronting cases and show that it is the subject of those verbs which allow their subject to be the focus exponent that can be included as part of a fronted verbal constituent. In combination with the observation by Webelhuth (1990) that fronted verbal constituents need to be focused, this provides a natural explanation of the definiteness effect in terms of the information structure requirements in these sentences. Interestingly, the generally ignored exceptions to the definiteness effect are predicted by our analysis; we show that they involve definite noun phrases which can bear focus, which allows them to be part of a fronted verbal constituent. Finally, building on the integrated grammatical architecture provided in De Kuthy (2002), we formulate an HPSG theory which captures the interaction of constraints from syntax, information structure and intonation.

scholarly journals Word Order in Complex Verb Phrases in Heritage Polish Spoken in Germany

Languages ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 70
Author(s):  
Bernhard Brehmer ◽  
Aldona Sopata
Keyword(s):  
Word Order ◽  
Information Structure ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
Early Adulthood ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Internal Factors ◽  
Oral Production ◽  
Verb Phrases ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Acceptability Judgments

This paper deals with word order in complex verb phrases consisting of auxiliaries and infinitive complements in heritage Polish. In Polish, infinitive complements normally follow auxiliaries, but discontinuous structures occur if required by the information structure. We investigate the occurrence and evaluation of adjacent and discontinuous word order patterns in relation to (a) the chronological age at testing and (b) the age of onset of the acquisition of the majority language, German. Therefore, we distinguish between simultaneous bilinguals (2L1, n = 61), early sequential bilinguals (cL2, n = 41) and an age-matched monolingual control group (ML, n = 50). The data consist of elicited oral narratives as well as acceptability judgments. We found that both 2L1 and cL2 bilinguals differ from the ML, but the difference depends on the age at testing and the type of data (oral production or evaluation). While 2L1 bilinguals show a u-curve development, which is shaped by the interplay of delayed acquisition in childhood and attrition in early adulthood, cL2 bilinguals started to prefer discontinuous structures rather early. Only in adulthood do both groups converge and exhibit an overuse and over-acceptance of discontinuous structures compared to the ML, which is due to cross-linguistic influence from German. However, language-internal factors (such as clause structure) also turned out to impact the distribution of adjacent and discontinuous structures in heritage (and monolingual) Polish.

scholarly journals THE LAW AS VALUE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (88) ◽  
pp. 208
Author(s):  
Aleksandrs Baikovs
Keyword(s):  
Legal Aspect ◽  
Semantic Content ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Apparent Lack ◽  
A Value ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The One ◽  
The Right ◽  
Fundamental Values

The paper deals with the category of “values”, the right as a value, and fundamental values of law; including freedom, justice, and equality are analyzed.The relevance of the research is determined not only by the apparent lack of exploration of the problem but also by the fact that the value of right and legal values determine direction and meaning, as well as the content of the rules of law, which is their normative expression, and, ultimately, appearing as a kind of basis for the legal culture, the source of the legal consciousness’s formation and establishing a legal order, ensuring the efficiency of legal regulations due to the using the embodiment in reality of freedom, justice, equality.Legal norms themselves acquire the importance of values and become the subject of evaluation. Among values themselves, which act as an ideal justification of the rules of law, the rules of law themselves and assessments, on the one hand, there are not only close ties but also mutual transitions. Therefore, both their interrelated explanations and differentiation are necessary.In this regard, the role and importance of rights and of the abovestated legal values, including the historically-legal aspect, their historical conditionality are disclosed, the semantic content and the importance in the establishment of the legitimacy regime are analyzed, the points of view expressed in the  research literature on the nature of legal values, signs, hierarchy,  the role in social and normative regulation are considered, the difference between value and the object of value or good is emphasized.

scholarly journals Un aspect crucial mais délicat des libertés de conscience et de religion des articles 2 et 3 des Chartes canadienne et québécoise: l'objection de conscience

2005 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 185-205
Author(s):  
Henri Brun
Keyword(s):  
Supreme Court ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Supreme Court Of Canada ◽  
Freedom Of Conscience ◽  
Current Case ◽  
The Supreme Court ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Right

The Supreme Court of Canada, obiter, in the Big M Drug Mart Case, has spoken of the "Constitutional Exemption". It is the possibility not to be bound to obey the neutral laws that conflict with one's conscience or religion. It is what we call in French l'objection de conscience. The institution exists in Canadian and Québec Law as a part of the right to freedom of conscience or religion expressed in 2a) and 3 of the Canadian and Québec Charters of Rights. And it goes well beyond the right not to fight within the armed forces. The Supreme Court of Canada has actually delivered six judgments touching on the subject in 1985 and 1986. The conditions under which l'objection de conscience come into play are not so well known however. Does it cover matters of worship or only rules of morals ? Secular or only religious principles ? Personal or only group beliefs ? Do the existence of the rule, the sincerity of the objector and the reasonableness of the exemption have to be proved? Above all, what is the difference between a creed and an opinion ? The following article tries to formulate answers to these questions, with the help of current case-law.

Sequence of Preparatory Set for Response Movement

1988 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 515-520 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takashi Kinugasa ◽  
Keisuke Fukuda ◽  
Ryuichi Nakamura ◽  
Toru Hosokawa
Keyword(s):  
Biceps Brachii ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Movement Patterns ◽  
Warning Signal ◽  
Elbow Flexion ◽  
Preparatory Set ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Right ◽  
Simple Rt

Electromyographic reaction times (EMG-RTs) of the right biceps brachii muscle were examined for two movement patterns, elbow flexion and forearm supination, in 8 healthy male subjects under simple and complex RT conditions with varied preparatory intervals (PIs): 0, 200, 400, 600, and 800 msec. In the simple RT condition, the subject was informed of the movement patterns to be performed prior to beginning the trials. In the complex RT condition the subject had to choose one of the two movement patterns at the time of the presentation of a warning signal. The results indicated that: (1) compared with the simple RT condition a delay of about 100 msec. in over-all mean EMG-RT was observed at PI = 0 msec. in the complex RT condition; (2) the difference of over-all mean EMG-RT between the two RT conditions disappeared when PI = 400 msec.; and (3) the difference in EMG-RTs between flexion and supination in the complex RT condition became the same as that in the simple RT condition when PI = 700 msec. It is assumed that the preparatory set for response movements is organized in an order, resulting in the differentiation of RT.

scholarly journals The intonation of Italian verbless exclamatives

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrizia Sorianello
Keyword(s):  
Information Structure ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Prosodic Structure ◽  
Speech Corpus ◽  
Grammatical Subject ◽  
New Information ◽  
The Subject

The present study aims to explore the prosodic properties of Italian verbless exclamatives (VEs), particular sentence structures without wh-quantifier and copula. A speech corpus formed by 250 VEs uttered by five subjects of a Southern variety of Italian was analyzed. The experimental results proved that VEs have a marked prosodic structure typically made up by two opposed constituents. The preposed predicative phrase is characterized by a salient intonation contour, while the grammatical subject is marginalized and shows a monotonous f0 pattern. The information structure is fixed too: the predicative constituent carries the new information, thus contrasting with the subject that expresses a given content.

scholarly journals Postposing and Information Structure in English and Farsi/Persian

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-55
Author(s):  
Soheila Shafiei
Keyword(s):  
Information Structure ◽  
Initial Position ◽  
New Information ◽  
The Right ◽  
Canonical Position

Abstract The term postposing denotes any construction in which a phrasal constituent appears to the right of its canonical position, leaving its initial position either empty or occupied by an expletive. Ward and Birner (2004) argue that postposed constructions preserve the old-before-new information structure paradigm in English. The present paper investigates postposed constituents in Persian to find out the information structure paradigm of such constructions. The data have been taken from 34 interviews. The findings show that various constituents might undergo postposing in spoken Farsi (known as Tehrani dialect), and, in contrast to English, NPs were found to be triggered in postposed position when the referent was hearer-old.

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