scholarly journals Formell og semantisk adjektivkongruens i norsk

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 527-540
Author(s):  
Tor A. Åfarli ◽  
Øystein A. Vangsnes
Keyword(s):  
Head Noun ◽  
Attributive Adjective ◽  
Predicative Adjective ◽  
Semantic Agreement

This article provides an empirically based overview and discussion of types of adjectival agreement in attributive and predicative posisitions in Norwegian. In particular, we focus on two empirical facts that are quite striking: 1) With semantic agreement in predicative position, there are apparently no formal agreement features in the predication subject that trigger agreement on the predicative adjective; 2) Even though there is not alway formal agreement betwen the predication subject and a predicative adjective, there is always strict formal agreement between the head noun and an attributive adjective.

scholarly journals The semantics of Scandinavian pancake constructions

Linguistics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 531-575
Author(s):  
Tor Arne Haugen ◽  
Hans-Olav Enger
Keyword(s):  
Current Paper ◽  
Semantic Relationship ◽  
Virtual Reference ◽  
Different Types ◽  
The Subject ◽  
New Feature ◽  
Predicative Adjective ◽  
Spatial Boundedness ◽  
Semantic Agreement

Abstract A classical topic in the syntax of the mainland Scandinavian languages is so-called pancake clauses where there seemingly is disagreement between the subject and the predicative adjective, as in Pannekaker er godt ‘Pancakes(f):indf:pl be:prs good:n:sg’; the subject is in the plural, whereas the predicative adjective is in the neuter singular. According to one of the several approaches, these clauses display a type of semantic agreement. Recently, it has also been argued that there are at least four different types of pancake constructions. In this article, the semantic relationship between the different constructions is investigated further. It is argued that, diachronically, pancake agreement started with subjects interpreted as virtual, ungrounded processes, and that the absence of grounding has been reinterpreted as absence of spatial boundedness in the latest kind of pancake construction. The analysis is supported by a diachronic corpus investigation. The emphasis on virtual reference is a new feature with the current paper, and it enables us to set aside an objection against the semantic agreement analysis. The diachronic corpus investigation enables us to revise, empirically, earlier suggestions as to when the pancake constructions originated: They are well attested from the mid-1800s, in both Swedish and Norwegian Nynorsk.

Young children's difficulty with adjectives modifying nouns

2004 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANAT NINIO
Keyword(s):  
Basic Problem ◽  
Semantic Integration ◽  
Head Noun ◽  
Choice Condition ◽  
Integration Process ◽  
Noun Pair ◽  
Considerable Difficulty ◽  
Attributive Adjective ◽  
Correct Object ◽  
Logical Semantic

In two experiments we tested the hypothesis that children have a basic problem in mastering the attributive relation because it involves a two-step logical–semantic integration process of the head-noun and the attributive adjective. Hebrew-speaking children were asked to interpret highly familiar adjective–noun combinations by selecting a photo that depicted the correct referent. In Experiment 1 there were four choices for each adjective–noun pair: correct object/correct property, correct object/wrong property, wrong object/correct property, wrong object/wrong property. 170 children (1;6–4;4) participated. Analyses of errors and spontaneous self-corrections indicated that children initially ignored the adjective and based their responses only on the noun. In Experiment 2, in addition to the 4-choice condition, there were two simpler conditions with only two choices: the correct object/correct property, and either the correct object/wrong property, or the wrong object/correct property. 30 children (1;9–4;11) were tested. The children, and in particular the lowest-scoring third of the sample, did significantly better in the 2-pictures conditions. The results suggest that young children do possess a basic adjective vocabulary and can use it in simple discriminations, but have a considerable difficulty in integrating the information furnished by the adjective with information furnished by the noun.

Peas and pancakes: On apparent disagreement and (null) light verbs in Swedish

2009 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunlög Josefsson
Keyword(s):  
Close Relation ◽  
List Type ◽  
Type Number ◽  
Light Verbs ◽  
Light Verb ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Apparent Disagreement ◽  
Predicative Adjective ◽  
Semantic Agreement

Two variants of what looks like disagreement between a subject and a predicative adjective are explored: (i)(ii) Having shown how Construction NOM and Construction PROP differ, I demonstrate that the subject of Construction PROP is clausal. I argue that the topmost XP of the subject phrase of both constructions contains a null neuter element. This accounts for the neuter predicative agreement; hence the idea of default agreement or semantic agreement can be dismissed. I also argue that the subject in (ii) contains a vP, the head of which is a null light verb. Other instances of null light verbs in Swedish are identified too. Finally, I propose an analysis that accounts for the close relation between Construction PROP and the corresponding construction with a med-phrase ‘with-phrase’.

Three-year-olds can predict a noun based on an attributive adjective: evidence from eye-tracking

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 425-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
ELENA TRIBUSHININA ◽  
WILLEM M. MAK
Keyword(s):  
Eye Tracking ◽  
Noun Phrases ◽  
Head Noun ◽  
Visual World ◽  
Visual World Paradigm ◽  
Attributive Adjective ◽  
Attributive Adjectives

ABSTRACTThis paper investigates whether three-year-olds are able to process attributive adjectives (e.g., softpillow) as they hear them and to predict the noun (pillow) on the basis of the adjective meaning (soft). This was investigated in an experiment by means of the Visual World Paradigm. The participants saw two pictures (e.g., a pillow and a book) and heard adjective–noun combinations, where the adjective was either informative (e.g., soft) or uninformative (e.g., new) about the head-noun. The properties described by the target adjectives were not visually apparent. When the adjective was uninformative, the looks at the target increased only upon hearing the noun. When the adjective was informative, however, the looks at the target increased upon hearing the adjective. Three-year-olds were as fast as adult controls in predicting the upcoming noun. We conclude that toddlers process adjective–noun phrases incrementally and can predict the noun based on the prenominal adjective.

scholarly journals The two concurrent gender systems of Mba

2021 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 303-325
Author(s):  
Ines Fiedler ◽  
Tom Güldemann ◽  
Benedikt Winkhart
Keyword(s):  
Noun Phrase ◽  
Head Noun ◽  
Classification Systems ◽  
Gender System ◽  
Semantic Agreement

Abstract This paper describes the gender system of the Ubangi language Mba, which can be characterized by the co-existence of two different classification systems. The ‘formal agreement’ system is tightly bound with the nominal deriflection system, while the ‘semantic agreement’ system, by contrast, emanates from a tripartite distinction in the language made between masculine humans, other animates, and inanimates. Whereas formal agreement is manifested on different elements that modify the head noun, the semantic agreement system operates in the pronominal domain, mostly outside the noun phrase.

Scandinavian pancake sentences as semantic agreement

2004 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans-Olav Enger
Keyword(s):  
Predicative Adjective ◽  
Semantic Agreement

This paper deals with Scandinavian sentences where the predicative adjective apparently disagrees with its subject, such as pannekaker er godt ‘pancakes-pl. is good-neut.sg.’, vodka er sunt ‘vodka-masc. is healthy-neut.sg.’. In this paper, the use of neuter in such sentences is seen as a case of semantic agreement. Thereby, pancake sentences comply with Corbett's (1979) agreement hierarchy. The controllers in pancake sentences are low on the individuation scale. This is the reason why they are neuters. The controllers in pancake sentences are mirror-images of the controllers in more well-known examples of semantic agreement. Not only morphosyntax but also semantics, pragmatics and discourse play a role in agreement.

scholarly journals PROCESSABILITY IN SCANDINAVIAN SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

2001 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 389-416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther Glahn ◽  
Gisela Håkansson ◽  
Björn Hammarberg ◽  
Anne Holmen ◽  
Anne Hvenekilde ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Semantic Analysis ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Subordinate Clause ◽  
Fixed Sequence ◽  
The Third ◽  
Attributive Adjective ◽  
Predicative Adjective

This paper reports on a test of the validity of Pienemann's (1998) Processability Theory (PT). This theory predicts that certain morphological and syntactic phenomena are acquired in a fixed sequence. Three phenomena were chosen for this study: attributive adjective morphology, predicative adjective morphology, and subordinate clause syntax (placement of negation). These phenomena are located at successive developmental stages in the hierarchy predicted by PT. We test whether they actually do appear in this predicted hierarchical order in the L2 of Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish learners. The three languages mentioned are very closely related and have the same adjective morphology and subordinate clause syntax. We can, therefore, treat them as one language for the purposes of this study. Three analyses have been carried out: The first follows Pienemann's theory and is concerned only with syntactic levels; the second is a semantic analysis of the acquisition of number versus that of gender; the third analysis studies the various kinds of mismatches between the inflection of the noun, the controller, and the adjective. The results are the following: The first test supports PT as it has been described by Pienemann. The second analysis shows that there is an acquisitional hierarchy such that number is acquired before gender (in adjectives), and the mismatch analysis raises questions about the fundamental assumptions of the theory.

Konzeptionierungen des Prädikativums in der Indogermania

2002 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosemarie Lühr
Keyword(s):  
Word Order ◽  
Special Kind ◽  
Word Formation ◽  
European Languages ◽  
Attributive Adjective ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Predicative Adjective

AbstractCopular complements of Indo-European languages can be expressed either through a more static, nominal concept or through a more transient, verbal one. This is a twofold paradigm, which is realized in a different manner for each of the individual Indo-European languages, for instance by the presence or lack of a copular verb or word order. In Vedic for example the predicative adjective occurs before the noun and therefore stands for a nominal concept, comparable with the position of the attributive adjective. But Vedic has also a special kind of word formation which differentiates between the two concepts, i.e. the two distinct accent patterns for the nomen agentis formed with

scholarly journals ’n Korpusondersoek na huidiglik

Literator ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerhard B. Van Huyssteen
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
The Past ◽  
Comprehensive Literature Review ◽  
Inflected Form ◽  
Current Usage ◽  
Attributive Adjective ◽  
Predicative Adjective

A corpus exploration of huidiglik. In tandem with Van Huyssteen (2018a), this article examines the current usage of the word huidiglik (‘currently’) (an alleged Anglicism), together with other associated words (e.g. its base, huidig ‘current’). Based on a comprehensive literature review, Van Huyssteen (2018a) concludes that apart from stylistic preferences, none of the linguistic arguments against huidiglik holds water. In this article, a corpus exploration of some of the issues pertaining to huidiglik is undertaken. Based on evidence from a large variety of corpora, we conclude that huidiglik has become well-established in Afrikaans over the past four decades, both in formal texts and informal chat language. Since it does not displace any of its often-prescribed synonyms (like tans, deesdae, or teenswoordig), it confirms that arguments for its status as an Anglicism is rather thin. Although the inflected form huidige is mostly used as prenominal adjective, its uninflected form is also used with noticeable frequency as adverb and predicative adjective. Huidiglik, however, is used almost exclusively as adverb, rarely as inflected attributive adjective, but never as predicative adjective. Lastly, it is shown that adverbialising ⋅lik occurs with high frequency in Afrikaans, but it is not very productive. In addition, it is illustrated that ⋅ig⋅lik is an entrenched suffix pairing.

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