scholarly journals Comparative Ergative and Accusative Structures in Three Philippine Languages

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Rodney Jubilado
Keyword(s):  
The Philippines ◽  
Minimalist Program ◽  
Lexical Information ◽  
Austronesian Languages ◽  
Verb Phrase ◽  
Structural Relations ◽  
Structural Configurations ◽  
Syntactic Relations ◽  
Local Assignment

Cebuano, Filipino, and Isamal are classified as Austronesian languages that are spoken in the Philippines. This paper deals with the comparative ergative and accusative structures of the aforementioned languages with focus on the syntactic relations and processes. The varieties of these languages are the ones used in Samal Island, Davao, Philippines. Aimed at the structural configurations, the verb phrase (VP) and the tense phrase (TP) are analytically scrutinized as the cartographic projections of the lexical information encoded in the argument structures and the thematic structures of the verbs. With the employment of the Minimalist Program in the analysis, the computation includes the movement, checking of features, and assignment of theta roles within the structures of the three languages. Findings include the (1) similarity of structural relations and processes in the VP and the TP of the three languages, (2) movement of the verb from the VP to the TP, and (3) merger of the verb complements occur in the VP that ensures the local assignment of theta roles and the checking of cases.

Patient Primacy in Balinese

1997 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 483-508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ketut Artawa ◽  
Barry J. Blake
Keyword(s):  
The Philippines ◽  
Austronesian Languages ◽  
Transitive Verb ◽  
The Subject

In Balinese, as in many Austronesian languages of Indonesia, the Philippines and Taiwan, a transitive verb may appear either in a morphologically unmarked construction in which the Patient is identified with the sole argument of a one-place predicate and is therefore arguably the subject or with a nasal-prefixed verb in a construction where the Agent is the subject. This raises the question of whether the language is ergative, accusative or neither. We argue that it could be considered ergative on the grounds that the Patient is identified with the sole argument of a one-place predicate in the unmarked transitive construction, and that certainly the Patient-subject construction is basic.

scholarly journals Austronesians in the Northern Waters?

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 272-300
Author(s):  
Alexander Vovin
Keyword(s):  
Historical Linguistics ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Reasonable Doubt ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Major Focus ◽  
Austronesian Languages ◽  
Old Japanese ◽  
Celestial Bodies ◽  
Seminal Article ◽  
First Time

Abstract The following lines are inspired by John Kupchik’s seminal article ‘Austronesian Lights the Way’ that appears in this volume of JEAL. It demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt for the first time that there are reliable Austronesian loanwords in Japonic that reveal quite ancient and profound contacts, because without these profound contacts the borrowing of the names of the most basic celestial bodies, such as the sun and the moon, would not be possible. In my opinion, his article opened a new and an exciting direction in the Japonic historical linguistics. There are, however, two important differences between Kupchik’s article and the present one. First, while Kupchik mostly concentrated on the Amis language from Taiwan, and to a less extent on the languages of Philippines and other Western Malayo- Polynesian, my major focus is on the Philippines languages as potential donors, and much less on other Austronesian languages of the region. Second, while Kupchik looked mostly on mysterious words in the Omoro Sōshi, a collection of Old Okinawan and Amami sacred and folk poems (1531–1623 AD), this article focuses more on Old Japanese in particular and Japonic in general.

scholarly journals To See a World in a Grain of Sand: Review of Legate (2014)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yen-Hsin Chen
Keyword(s):  
Minimalist Program ◽  
Thematic Role ◽  
Austronesian Language ◽  
Verb Phrase ◽  
Causative Constructions ◽  
Linguistic Understanding ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Verb Phrases ◽  
Case Licensing ◽  
Seminal Article

Voice and v is an investigation of the syntax of an understudied Western Austronesian language, Acehnese, with a particular interest in its implications for the theory of verb phrase structure under the framework of the Minimalist Program. Since Pylkkänen's seminal article, the idea that the functional projection of verb phrases involves two distinct layers—a higher one (that is, Voice) that is responsible for introducing the external thematic role and Case-licensing the internal argument, and a lower one (that is, v) that is responsible for introducing causative semantics and verbalizing the root—has been advanced in a series of works under the Minimalist Program. This book presents novel evidence for this hypothesis based on an in-depth analysis of Acehnese passive, object voice, and causative constructions. Building on the empirical observations from Acehnese, the book makes further explorations of the syntactic typology of passives and causatives, on which the Acehnese data shed light. It contributes not only to the description and analysis of an understudied language, but also to the cross-linguistic understanding of the different flavors of Voice and the architecture of verb phrase structures.

scholarly journals Dependency Parsing of Turkish

2008 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 357-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gülşen Eryiğit ◽  
Joakim Nivre ◽  
Kemal Oflazer
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Structure ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
Syntactic Parsing ◽  
Dependency Parsing ◽  
Beam Search ◽  
Lexical Information ◽  
Order Language ◽  
Word Forms ◽  
Syntactic Relations ◽  
The Impact

The suitability of different parsing methods for different languages is an important topic in syntactic parsing. Especially lesser-studied languages, typologically different from the languages for which methods have originally been developed, pose interesting challenges in this respect. This article presents an investigation of data-driven dependency parsing of Turkish, an agglutinative, free constituent order language that can be seen as the representative of a wider class of languages of similar type. Our investigations show that morphological structure plays an essential role in finding syntactic relations in such a language. In particular, we show that employing sublexical units called inflectional groups, rather than word forms, as the basic parsing units improves parsing accuracy. We test our claim on two different parsing methods, one based on a probabilistic model with beam search and the other based on discriminative classifiers and a deterministic parsing strategy, and show that the usefulness of sublexical units holds regardless of the parsing method. We examine the impact of morphological and lexical information in detail and show that, properly used, this kind of information can improve parsing accuracy substantially. Applying the techniques presented in this article, we achieve the highest reported accuracy for parsing the Turkish Treebank.

A minimalist approach to the emergence of ergativity in Austronesian languages

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Edith Aldridge
Keyword(s):  
Minimalist Program ◽  
Morphological Comparison ◽  
Austronesian Languages ◽  
Functional Head ◽  
Light Verb ◽  
Syntactic Change ◽  
Minimalist Approach

AbstractThis paper proposes a novel reconstruction of Proto-Austronesian as a language with accusative alignment, in contrast to previous analyses, which have reconstructed PAn with some type of ergative system. The methodology employed in this paper also departs from previous work in basing the proposal on syntactic change rather than on phonological or morphological comparison. In the account of argument licensing in the Minimalist Program, nominative subjects are licensed by a higher functional head T than accusative objects, which value their case with the light verb

scholarly journals Indefinite expressions and accessibility hierarchy to core argument functionsin a sample of Austronesian languages(and beyond)

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 407-460
Author(s):  
Isabelle Bril
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Noun Phrase ◽  
Austronesian Languages ◽  
Restricted Access ◽  
Verb Phrase ◽  
Differential Encoding ◽  
Subject And Object ◽  
Intermediate Situation

Abstract In many languages, indefinite expressions are known to have restricted access to core argument functions. This article focuses on the accessibility hierarchy of indefinite expressions to subject and object functions in a sample of Austronesian languages. Aiming at some comparative analysis, some cross-linguistic perspectives on the differential encoding of ± definite core arguments and other types of restrictions are discussed. The questions addressed are: (i) What type of indefinite nouns have core argument function? (ii) If barred from core argument function, how are indefinite arguments circumvented? (iii) Does existence or lack of indefinite articles correlate with access to core argument function, and in what way? In Austronesian languages, one finding is that languages with indefinite articles display fewer restrictions on the access of indefinite NPs to core argument function. Another finding is that differences of definiteness, individuation and specificity of arguments tend to be expressed by distinct domains: the noun phrase in languages with indefinite articles, the verb phrase in languages without indefinite articles (via valency, voice alternations, alignment changes), with an intermediate situation in some Micronesian languages.

scholarly journals Book Reviews

1996 ◽  
Vol 152 (1) ◽  
pp. 152-182
Author(s):  
Timothy P. Barnard ◽  
Raja Ali Haji ◽  
Robert Blust ◽  
L. Smits ◽  
Peter Boomgaard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
North Coast ◽  
Asian Studies ◽  
Austronesian Languages ◽  
Irian Jaya ◽  
The North ◽  
Southeast Asian Studies ◽  
West Sumatra

- Timothy P. Barnard, Raja Ali Haji, Di dalam berkekalan persahabatan: ‘In everlasting friendship’; Letters from Raja Ali Haji, edited by Jan van der Putten and Al Azhar. Semaian 13. Leiden: Department of Languages and Cultures of Southeast Asia and Oceania, 1995, 292 + x pp., maps. - Robert Blust, L. Smits, Irian Jaya source materials, no. 5, series B-no. 2. The J.C. Anceaux collection of wordlists of Irian Jaya Languages. A: Austronesian languages (part II). Leiden/Jakarta, 1992, 288 pp., C.L. Voorhoeve (eds.) - Peter Boomgaard, Mason C. Hoadley, Towards a feudal mode of production; West Java, 1680-1800. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies [ in cooperation with the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies, Copenhagen], 1994, x + 241 pp. - Freek Colombijn, Muriel Charras, Spontaneous settlements in Indonesia; Agricultural pioneers in southern Sumatra. Migrations spontanées en Indonésie; La colonisation agricole de sud de Sumatra. Jakarta: Departemen Transmigrasi; Paris: ORSTOM-CNRS, 1993, 405 pp., Marc Pain (eds.) - Dick Douwes, Hussin Mutalib, Islam, Muslims and the modern state; Case-studies of Muslims in thirteen countries. London: MacMillan; New York: St. Martin Press, 1994, 374 pp., Taj ul-Islam Hashimi (eds.) - J. van Goor, H.W. van den Doel, De stille macht; Het Europse binnenlands bestuur op Java en Madoera, 1808-1942. Amsterdam: Bert Bakker, 1994, 578 pp. - Stuart Kirsch, J.W. Schoorl, Culture and change among the Muyu. Translated by G.J. van Exel. Translation Series 23. Leiden: KITLV Press, 1993, xiv + 322 pp. - Bernd Nothofer, Ger P. Resink, Topics in descriptive Papuan linguistics. Leiden: Vakgroep Talen en Culturen van Zuidoost-Azië en Oceanië, Rijksuniversiteit te Leiden, 1994, viii + 154 pp. - Gerard Persoon, Robin Broad, Plundering paradise; The struggle for the environment in the Philippines. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1993, xvi + 197 pp., John Cavanagh (eds.) - Gerard Persoon, Thomas N. Headland, The Tasaday controversy; Assessing the evidence. AAA 28 Special Publication. Washington: American Anthropological Association, 1992, xi + 255 pp. - Remco Raben, Peter Harmen van der Brug, Malaria en malaise; De VOC in Batavia in de achttiende eeuw. Amsterdam: De Bataafsche Leeuw, 1994, 256 pp. - Nico G. Schulte Nordholt, Marcel Bonneff, ‘L’Indonésie contemporaine; vue par ses intellectuels’. Un choix d’articles de la revue PRISMA (1971-1991). Cahier d’Archipel 21. L’Harmattan, 1994, 287 pp. - A. Teeuw, Henri Chambert-Loir, Littérature indonésienne, une introduction. Éditeur Henri Chambert-Loir. Cahier d’Archipel 22. Paris: Association Archipel, 1994, 237 pp. - A. Teeuw, Martina Heinschke, Angkatan 45. Literaturkonzeptionen im gesellschaftspolitischen Kontext; Zur Funktionsbestimmung von Literatur im postkolonialen Indonesien. Veröffentlichungen des Seminars für Indonesische und Südseesprachen der Universität Hamburg, Band 18. Berlin/Hamburg: Dietrich Reimer Verlag, 1993, viii + 365 pp., - Wim van Zanten, Philip Yampolsky, Music of Indonesia, Volumes 1-6. Series of CDs/cassette tapes with documentation. Washington: Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings. Vol. 1: ‘Songs before dawn: Gandrung Banyuwangi’ (1991; SF40055); Vol. 2: ‘Indonesian popular music: Kroncong, Dangdut, and Langgam Jawa’ (1991; SF40056); Vol. 3: ‘Music from the outskirts of Jakarta: Gambang Kromong’ (1991; SF40057); Vol. 4: ‘Music of Nias and North Sumatra: Hoho, Gendang Karo, Gondang Toba’ (1992; SF40420); Vol. 5: ‘Betawi and Sundanese music of the north coast of Java: Topeng Betawi, Tanjidor, Ajeng’ (1994; SF40421); Vol. 6: ‘Night music of West Sumatra: Saluang, Rabab Pariaman, Dendang Pauah’(1994; SF 40422).

scholarly journals Clause Structure and Word Order in Ákè

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-131
Author(s):  
Waheed Ayisa Jayeola
Keyword(s):  
Word Order ◽  
Minimalist Program ◽  
Determiner Phrase ◽  
Clause Structure ◽  
Verb Phrase ◽  
Variable Position ◽  
Feature Checking ◽  
Independent Existence

Ákè is by historical and linguistic facts a dialect of Edo which has not received significant linguistic attention. This neglect informs an inquiry into the in ternal structure and organization of its basic clause. This paper studies data of everyday usage of competent speakers of Ákè and argues that it displays a subject-verb-object order. The study provides a not too elaborate description of the nominal and verbal constructions in Ákè and reduces the description to analysis using the X-bar theory as conceived within the Minimalist Program. It therefore states that nominal phrases can be analysed as a projection of Determiner Phrase (DP) because independent existence is not a requirement for considering an element as the head of a projection. The variable position which the head D occupies in the superficial syntax of Ákè is analysed as the effect of movement for feature checking. In the spirit of the Minimalist Program, this study recognizes the head of the clause as Tense (T), which could be overt or null and predicts that it dominates Negative Phrase (NegP) as Neg is assumed to c-select the Verb Phrase (VP).  

Language Policy and Language-in-Education Policy in the Philippines

1981 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 48-59
Author(s):  
Andrew Gonzalez Fsc
Keyword(s):  
Education Policy ◽  
Language Policy ◽  
First Language ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Austronesian Languages ◽  
Major Language

The major local (Austronesian) languages of the Philippines are Cebuano, Tagalog (the basis of pilipino), Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Bicol, Waray (Samber-Leyte), Kapampangan, and Pangasinan (rank ordered according to the number of first-language speakers). Earlier, any language which had at least 500,000 first-language speakers was considered a major language; with the growth in population, this number has been pushed to 1,000,000. All but Pangasinan, which has about 950,000 first-language speakers, have over a million first-language speakers based on the 1975 census. (A census was taken in 1980 and preliminary reports have been released; however, a breakdown according to language speakers is not yet available.)

Ergativity and Austronesian-Type Voice Systems

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Yoshitaka Erlewine ◽  
Theodore Levin ◽  
Coppe van Urk
Keyword(s):  
Crucial Role ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
System Behavior ◽  
Verbal Morphology ◽  
Austronesian Languages ◽  
Interacting Systems ◽  
Familiar Voice ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Genitive Case ◽  
Voice Systems

In an Austronesian-type voice system, one argument is designated the "pivot" in each clause, with verbal morphology indicating the choice of pivot and corresponding changes in case marking and extraction possibilities. It has been suggested that ergativity plays a crucial role in these systems. This paper argues that voice and case reflect separate but interacting systems, which can be dissociated from each other, based on the behavior of voice in Dinka (Nilotic; South Sudan) and Balinese (Austronesian; Indonesia). These languages exhibit familiar voice morphology, but are shown to not involve any ergativity. Instead, we propose that what unifies "voice" system behavior is a lack of structural licensing for subjects in Non-Subject Voices. Different voice systems solve this problem in different ways: Balinese licenses the subject under adjacency with the verb, whereas Dinka allows for a last resort genitive case like in many Austronesian languages of the Philippines and of Taiwan.

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