scholarly journals Unifying Prepositions and Prefixes in Russian: Conceptual structure versus syntax

Nordlyd ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Inna Tolskaya
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Structure ◽  
Motion Verbs ◽  
Object A ◽  
Verbal Prefixes ◽  
Verbs Of Motion ◽  
Syntactic Representation ◽  
Directional Motion ◽  
Motion Verb ◽  
Syntactic Properties ◽  
Structure Versus

This paper is an attempt to unify the polysemous verbal prefixes and prepositions in Russian. At first glance, the variety of possible denotations of a given prefix might appear a chaotic set of idiomatic meanings, e.g., the prefix <em>za-</em> may refer to beginning of an action, movement to a position behind an object, a brief deviation from a path, completion of an action, while the corresponding preposition <em>za</em> can mean ‘behind,’ ‘after,’ ‘for,’ ‘in’ (like in ‘in an hour’), ‘at’ (like in ‘at the table’). I will propose a unified analysis, where the differences in meaning are claimed to arise from different syntactic positions, while the lexical entry of a prefix remains the same. The main focus is on the verbs of motion due to the consistent duality displayed by the prefix meanings when added to directional and non-directional motion verbs. It will turn out that many prefixes appear to modify path when added onto a directional motion verb and to refer to movement in time with non-directional motion verbs. This semantic distinction corresponds to distinct sets of syntactic properties, specific for each set of prefixes. These two classes of prefixes correspond to the lexical versus superlexical distinction. However, a tripartite division will emerge in each set, corresponding to source, path, and goal of motion (FROM, VIA and TO) for lexical prefixes and to initiation, process and result for superlexical prefixes. This leads to the suggestion that the syntactic representation of a VP contains at least six distinct nodes for the Russian verbal prefixes, each characterized by predictable semantic and syntactic properties. The same prefix with a consistent meaning, shared with the corresponding preposition, will receive part of its denotation from the syntactic head it attaches to, thus allowing the polysemy to arise from position, rather than from arbitrary homophony. Thus, conceptual structure will be unified with syntax.

scholarly journals Verbal prefixes in Russian: Conceptual structure versus syntax

2014 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 213-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
INNA K. TOLSKAYA
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Structure ◽  
Motion Verbs ◽  
Object A ◽  
Verbal Prefixes ◽  
Verbs Of Motion ◽  
Directional Motion ◽  
Motion Verb ◽  
Syntactic Properties ◽  
Structure Versus ◽  
Conceptual Meaning

At first glance, the variety of possible denotations of a given prefix in Russian might appear a chaotic set of idiomatic meanings, e.g. the prefix za- may refer to the beginning of an action, movement to a position behind an object, a brief deviation from a path, or completion of an action. I propose a unified analysis of Russian prefixes, where the differences in meaning are claimed to arise from different syntactic positions, while the lexical entry of a prefix remains the same. The main focus is on the verbs of motion due to the consistent duality displayed by the prefix meanings when added to directional and non-directional motion verbs. It turns out that prefixes modify path when added onto a directional motion verb and refer to movement in time with non-directional motion verbs. This semantic distinction corresponds to distinct sets of syntactic properties, characteristic of the lexical and superlexical prefixes. Furthermore, a tripartite division emerges in each set of prefixes, corresponding to goal, source and route of motion (TO, FROM, VIA, respectively) for lexical prefixes and to beginning, completion and duration for superlexical prefixes. This leads to the suggestion that the same prefix with a consistent conceptual meaning, shared with the corresponding preposition receives part of its denotation from its position in the syntactic representation. The separation of conceptual meaning from the structural meaning allows the polysemy to arise from position, rather than from arbitrary homophony. Thus, conceptual structure is unified with syntax.

Onnellisemmat ajat näyttää siellä olevan tulossa

Virittäjä ◽  
1970 ◽  
Vol 125 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi Niva
Keyword(s):  
Early Modern ◽  
Motion Verbs ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Future Time ◽  
Local Case ◽  
The Future ◽  
Motion Verb ◽  
The Impact ◽  
General Motion ◽  
Central Factors

Artikkelissa tarkastellaan olla menossa-, olla tulossa- ja olla lähdössä-rakenteiden sekä niiden infinitiivillisten varianttien olla menemässä, olla tulemassa ja olla lähtemässä (yhteisesti olla V-ssA) käyttöä vanhassa kirjasuomessa ja varhaisnykysuomessa. Erityisenä huomion kohteena on rakenteiden käyttö ilmaisuissa, jotka saavat futuurisia piirteitä. Artikkelissa osoitetaan, että intentioiden ja ennakoinnin ilmaisufunktiosta on nähtävissä viitteitä jo vanhassa kirjasuomessa (noin vuosina 1540–1810) ja varhaisnykysuomessa (noin vuosina 1810–1880). Keskeisiä tekijöitä intentioiden ja ennakoinnin merkityksen rakentumisessa ovat liike- ja aspektisemantiikka, progressiivisuus sekä tulla-verbin osalta myös näkökulmaisuus ja toisen käden tieto. Odotuksenmukaisesti kontekstilla on merkityksen muodostumisessa tärkeä rooli. Olla V-ssA -rakennetta ja sen käytön kehitystä tarkastellaan artikkelissa konstruktiokieliopin näkökulmasta. Mennä-, tulla- ja lähteä-verbillisillä rakenteilla on sekä niitä yhdistäviä että erottavia piirteitä. Lisäksi verbikohtaiset rakenteet voidaan käyttönsä puolesta jaotella vielä eri tyyppeihin. Tällainen alatyyppi on esimerkiksi tulla-verbillisen olla V-ssA -rakenteen käyttö luonto- ja abstraktisubjektillisissa ilmaisuissa (Talvi on ­tulossa; Onnellisemmat ajat näyttää siellä olevan tulossa). Tärkeä tekijä futuurisuuden merkityksen kehityksessä onkin myös konstruktioiden keskinäinen vuorovaikutus eli ne yhteydet, jotka kielenkäyttäjät hahmottavat rakenteiden välille ja jotka vaikuttavat rakenteiden käyttöön ja tulkintaan.   ‘It seems that happier times are coming’: The progressive construction of motion verbs and its meanings in Old Literary Finnish and Early Modern Finnish The article deals with the usage of the olla V-ssA construction in Old Literary Finnish and Early Modern Finnish. Olla V-ssA consists of olla ‘be’ and either a deverbal noun or an infinitive based on a general motion verb in the inessive case (a local case) -ssA. The general motion verbs in question are mennä ‘go’, tulla ‘come’ and lähteä ‘leave’; the precise forms in question are olla menossa ~ menemässä ‘be going’, olla tulossa ~ tulemassa ‘be coming’ and olla lähdössä ~ lähtemässä ‘be leaving’. The focus is on usage whereby the construction implies a future-time reference. The article shows that the function of the olla V-ssA construction of expressing intention and prediction can be traced back to Old Literary Finnish (ca. 1540–1810) and Early Modern Finnish (ca. 1810–1880). The semantics of motion, aspectual features and progressivity are central factors in implying the future. In the case of the verb tulla ‘come’, the viewpoint and second-hand information also contribute to the construction of this implication. In addition, context plays an important role in constructing the meaning, as is to be expected. The olla V-ssA construction and the development of its usage are examined within the Construction Grammar framework. The constructions olla menossa ~ menemässä, olla tulossa ~ tulemassa and olla lähdössä ~ lähtemässä contain both common and individual features. In addition to this, these constructions can be divided into more specific types of usage, one being olla tulossa ~ tulemassa ‘be coming’, which occurs with a subject bearing an abstract or nature-related reference (e.g. Talvi on tulossa ‘Winter is coming’; Onnellisemmat ajat näyttää siellä olevan tulossa ‘It seems that happier times are coming’). The interaction of these constructions, i.e., the connections that language users perceive between the constructions, and the impact this has on the usage and interpretation of the constructions, seem to be key factors in the development of the future-time reference of the olla V-ssA construction.    

EXPLORING ENGLISH VERBS OF MOTION AT THE SYNTAXSEMANTICS INTERFACE (AN ANALYTICAL OVERVIEW)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nataliya Gontarenko ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Construction Grammar ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
Verb Semantics ◽  
Verbs Of Motion ◽  
Motion Verb

This article provides an overview of research papers which explore English verbs of motion at the syntax-semantics interface. Among the issues addressed are controversial aspects of motion verb semantics. It is argued that the theoretical principles of construction grammar help to determine whether the meaning of motion is attributed to the verb or the syntactic construction.

A Comparative Analysis of Locative and Directional Motion Events in English and Arabic

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 133
Author(s):  
Ikbal Zeddari
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Motion Verbs ◽  
Parametric Approach ◽  
Contrastive Analysis ◽  
Motion Events ◽  
Directional Motion ◽  
Motion Constructions ◽  
Crosslinguistic Variation

<p>This paper provides a contrastive analysis of locative and directional motion events in English and Arabic. Within a micro‑parametric approach to crosslinguistic variation, it argues that both languages encode the distinction between manner and direction in their inventory of motion verbs. In the prepositional domain, purely locative and directional prepositions are shown to exist in the two languages; they respectively derive locative and directional interpretations with manner of motion verbs. The class of ambiguous prepositions, which gives rise to both locative and directional interpretations, is shown to be distinctive of English. Implications of this contrastive analysis to the bidirectional acquisition of English and Arabic locative and directional motion constructions are discussed.</p>

A Constructional-Cognitive Analysis of Chinese Directionals

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald Fong
Keyword(s):  
Mandarin Chinese ◽  
Cognitive Model ◽  
Conceptual Structure ◽  
Cognitive Analysis ◽  
Language And Thought ◽  
Verbs Of Motion ◽  
Mental Spaces

This paper investigates the syntactic and semantic behaviour of directional items in Mandarin Chinese, proposing a constructional-cognitive model. Simultaneously, it argues against the traditional analysis of directionals as part of a compound. Instead, they are treated as proper larger constructions signaling subordination, based upon structural and functional evidence. Particularly, the verbs of motion are presented as catenative verbs (Aarts 2011, Huddleston and Pullum et al 2002) similar to those found in English, showing event complexity (eg Jackendoff 2002, Levin and Rappaport Hovav 2005). The two events then constitute mental spaces at the conceptual structure (Fauconnier 1994, 1997) and project into the entire motion-directional construction, which reflects the mappings of language and thought.

scholarly journals The influence of language-specific and universal factors on acquisition of motion verbs

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 927
Author(s):  
Rebecca Smyder ◽  
Kaitlyn Harrigan
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Motion Verbs ◽  
Motion Events ◽  
Universal Distribution ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
Motion Verb ◽  
Verb Acquisition ◽  
Manner Verbs

This study explores children’s encoding of novel verbs referring to motion events, and finds influence of both language-specific and universal constraints on meaning. Motion verbs fall into two categories—manner verbs encode how a movement happens (run, swim), and path verbs encode the starting and ending point of a motion (enter, fall). Some languages express path more frequently in the verb (Spanish, Hebrew), and others manner more frequently (English, German). Our study expands on this previous work demonstrating sensitivity to these language-specific distributions, as well as expanding to test environmental factors representing a predictable universal distribution. We find that children are sensitive to both the language-specific factors as well as the universal factors in motion verb acquisition.

Reflexivized motion verbs in Old Saxon: Semantics, syntax and semiotics

1992 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-148
Author(s):  
Laura Dale Clopton
Keyword(s):  
Word Order ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Strong Tendency ◽  
Motion Verbs ◽  
Old Saxon ◽  
Verbs Of Motion ◽  
Reflexive Verbs ◽  
Peircean Semiotics

ABSTRACTThis paper examines four dative reflexive verbs of motion in Old Saxon:faran, gangan, kuman and giuuitan. The linguistic universals of GB syntax and the universal phenomenological categories of Peircean semiotics provide the theoretical framework for this paper. Various syntactic and semantic aspects of the dative reflexive verbs are targeted in the analysis: binding of the reflexive, word order patterns and subject types. The article suggests that a link exists between subject types, V1 syntactic configurations and the appearance of the dative reflexive — only human, animate subjects can license a dative reflexive and the reflexivized verbs exhibit a strong tendency to appear in the narratively visible V1 structure.

From verb to New Event Marker

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 788-811
Author(s):  
Silvia Luraghi
Keyword(s):  
Motion Verbs ◽  
Lexical Meaning ◽  
Pragmatic Inference ◽  
Exact Function ◽  
Lack Of Control ◽  
Motion Verb ◽  
And Function

Abstract In Hittite, deictic motion verbs pai- ‘go’ and uwa- ‘come’ may co-occur in a monoclausal structure with a second verb that carries the lexical meaning. As yet, their exact function remains obscure. I argue that motion verbs involved in such construction underwent transcategorization and function as New Event Markers. I show that this development is best explained as an instance of constructionalization involving both the motion verbs and the second verb in the clause, which is based on a pragmatic inference arising when motion verbs were used without a spatial complement. Either motion verb contributes a different semantics to the construction based on the different perspective regarding the deictic center identified by the ego, whereby pai- ‘go’ (motion originating from the deictic center) marks an event as close in time and controlled, while uwa- ‘come’ (motion originating outside the deictic center) indicates distance in time and possible lack of control.

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