Frame-Constructional Verb Classes

Frame-Constructional Verb Classes

Author: Ryan Dux

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing Company

Published: 2020-11-15

Total Pages: 332

ISBN-13: 9027261016

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While verb classes are a mainstay of linguistic research, the field lacks consensus on precisely what constitutes a verb class. This book presents a novel approach to verb classes, employing a bottom-up, corpus-based methodology and combining key insights from Frame Semantics, Construction Grammar, and Valency Grammar. On this approach, verb classes are formulated at varying granularity levels to adequately capture both the shared semantic and syntactic properties unifying verbs of a class and the idiosyncratic properties unique to individual verbs. In-depth analyses based on this approach shed light on the interrelations between verbs, frame-semantics, and constructions, and on the semantic richness and network organization of grammatical constructions. This approach is extended to a comparison of Change and Theft verbs, revealing unexpected lexical and syntactic differences across semantically distinct classes. Finally, a range of contrastive (German–English) analyses demonstrate how verb classes can inform the cross-linguistic comparison of verbs and constructions.


Book Synopsis Frame-Constructional Verb Classes by : Ryan Dux

Download or read book Frame-Constructional Verb Classes written by Ryan Dux and published by John Benjamins Publishing Company. This book was released on 2020-11-15 with total page 332 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While verb classes are a mainstay of linguistic research, the field lacks consensus on precisely what constitutes a verb class. This book presents a novel approach to verb classes, employing a bottom-up, corpus-based methodology and combining key insights from Frame Semantics, Construction Grammar, and Valency Grammar. On this approach, verb classes are formulated at varying granularity levels to adequately capture both the shared semantic and syntactic properties unifying verbs of a class and the idiosyncratic properties unique to individual verbs. In-depth analyses based on this approach shed light on the interrelations between verbs, frame-semantics, and constructions, and on the semantic richness and network organization of grammatical constructions. This approach is extended to a comparison of Change and Theft verbs, revealing unexpected lexical and syntactic differences across semantically distinct classes. Finally, a range of contrastive (German–English) analyses demonstrate how verb classes can inform the cross-linguistic comparison of verbs and constructions.


Locative Alternation

Locative Alternation

Author: Seizi Iwata

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 264

ISBN-13: 9789027218285

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The aim of the present volume is two-fold: to give a coherent account of the locative alternation in English, and to develop a constructional theory that overcomes a number of problems in earlier constructional accounts. The lexical-constructional account proposed here is characterized by two main features. On the one hand, it emphasizes the need for a detailed examination of verb meanings. On the other, it introduces lower-level constructions such as verb-class-specific constructions and verb-specific constructions, and makes full use of these lower-level constructions in accounting for alternation phenomena. Rather than being a completely new version of construction grammar, the proposed lexical-constructional account is an automatic consequence of the basic tenet of constructional approaches as being usage-based.


Book Synopsis Locative Alternation by : Seizi Iwata

Download or read book Locative Alternation written by Seizi Iwata and published by John Benjamins Publishing. This book was released on 2008 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The aim of the present volume is two-fold: to give a coherent account of the locative alternation in English, and to develop a constructional theory that overcomes a number of problems in earlier constructional accounts. The lexical-constructional account proposed here is characterized by two main features. On the one hand, it emphasizes the need for a detailed examination of verb meanings. On the other, it introduces lower-level constructions such as verb-class-specific constructions and verb-specific constructions, and makes full use of these lower-level constructions in accounting for alternation phenomena. Rather than being a completely new version of construction grammar, the proposed lexical-constructional account is an automatic consequence of the basic tenet of constructional approaches as being usage-based.


A Usage-based Approach to Verb Classes in English and German

A Usage-based Approach to Verb Classes in English and German

Author: Ruan Joseph Dux

Publisher:

Published: 2016

Total Pages: 1030

ISBN-13:

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Drawing on data from verbs of Change (alter, transform) and Theft (steal, shoplift), my dissertation investigates and compares verb classes along a variety of dimensions. A common assumption in research on verbal syntax and semantics states that verbs with similar meanings exhibit similar syntactic behavior (Fillmore 1967, Levin 1993). For example, many Change verbs can occur in transitive constructions with into PPs (The witch {changed/turned/transformed} the prince into a frog). This systematicity has led scholars to propose verb classes, such as Change verbs, which are predictive of a verb’s syntactic behavior. However, recent research (Boas 2008, Faulhaber 2011) has challenged this assumption on the basis of data in which semantically similar verbs differ in their grammatical behavior (The prince {turned/??changed/*transformed} red). The introductory chapters review research on verb classification and argument realization, revealing that cognitive and usage-based theories such as Frame Semantics, Construction Grammar, and Valency Grammar are most useful for addressing the three major goals of the dissertation. The first goal is to account for both regularity and differences in verb classes. After assessing the precise meanings and valency behavior of individual Change verbs, I develop a method for formulating verb classes and lexical entries at various levels of granularity to account for both shared and unpredictable behavior of individual verbs. The next major goal is to determine whether verb classes exhibit similar meanings and constructional behavior across languages, which I address by comparing the semantics and valency constructions found for English Change verbs with those of German Change verbs. Finally, I compare the Change verb analysis to a similar analysis of Theft verbs in order to determine whether the semantic domain and relative semantic richness of verb classes influences the degree of language-specific and cross-linguistic uniformity of verb classes.


Book Synopsis A Usage-based Approach to Verb Classes in English and German by : Ruan Joseph Dux

Download or read book A Usage-based Approach to Verb Classes in English and German written by Ruan Joseph Dux and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 1030 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawing on data from verbs of Change (alter, transform) and Theft (steal, shoplift), my dissertation investigates and compares verb classes along a variety of dimensions. A common assumption in research on verbal syntax and semantics states that verbs with similar meanings exhibit similar syntactic behavior (Fillmore 1967, Levin 1993). For example, many Change verbs can occur in transitive constructions with into PPs (The witch {changed/turned/transformed} the prince into a frog). This systematicity has led scholars to propose verb classes, such as Change verbs, which are predictive of a verb’s syntactic behavior. However, recent research (Boas 2008, Faulhaber 2011) has challenged this assumption on the basis of data in which semantically similar verbs differ in their grammatical behavior (The prince {turned/??changed/*transformed} red). The introductory chapters review research on verb classification and argument realization, revealing that cognitive and usage-based theories such as Frame Semantics, Construction Grammar, and Valency Grammar are most useful for addressing the three major goals of the dissertation. The first goal is to account for both regularity and differences in verb classes. After assessing the precise meanings and valency behavior of individual Change verbs, I develop a method for formulating verb classes and lexical entries at various levels of granularity to account for both shared and unpredictable behavior of individual verbs. The next major goal is to determine whether verb classes exhibit similar meanings and constructional behavior across languages, which I address by comparing the semantics and valency constructions found for English Change verbs with those of German Change verbs. Finally, I compare the Change verb analysis to a similar analysis of Theft verbs in order to determine whether the semantic domain and relative semantic richness of verb classes influences the degree of language-specific and cross-linguistic uniformity of verb classes.


From Minimal Contrast to Meaning Construct

From Minimal Contrast to Meaning Construct

Author: Qi Su

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2019-09-25

Total Pages: 324

ISBN-13: 9813292407

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This book offers new perspectives on the study of Chinese lexical semantics, as well as discourse analysis and cognitive pragmatics based on lexical semantics. The first part focuses on fundamental issues in lexical semantic research, while the second features articles highlighting various aspects of the lexical category systems in Chinese. The third part discusses application-oriented research on lexical semantics. Presenting the latest research in the field, the book is a valuable resource for specialists in Chinese lexical semantics, as well as for researchers and students interested in grammar, theory of lexical semantics, and word/meaning processing.


Book Synopsis From Minimal Contrast to Meaning Construct by : Qi Su

Download or read book From Minimal Contrast to Meaning Construct written by Qi Su and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2019-09-25 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book offers new perspectives on the study of Chinese lexical semantics, as well as discourse analysis and cognitive pragmatics based on lexical semantics. The first part focuses on fundamental issues in lexical semantic research, while the second features articles highlighting various aspects of the lexical category systems in Chinese. The third part discusses application-oriented research on lexical semantics. Presenting the latest research in the field, the book is a valuable resource for specialists in Chinese lexical semantics, as well as for researchers and students interested in grammar, theory of lexical semantics, and word/meaning processing.


A Constructional Approach to Interpersonal Metaphor of Modality

A Constructional Approach to Interpersonal Metaphor of Modality

Author: Jian Hu

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published:

Total Pages: 177

ISBN-13: 9819927641

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Book Synopsis A Constructional Approach to Interpersonal Metaphor of Modality by : Jian Hu

Download or read book A Constructional Approach to Interpersonal Metaphor of Modality written by Jian Hu and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:


Chinese Language Resources

Chinese Language Resources

Author: Chu-Ren Huang

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2024-01-19

Total Pages: 662

ISBN-13: 3031389131

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Based on the accumulation of research experience and knowledge over the past 30 years, this volume lays out the research issues posed by the construction of various types of Chinese language resources, how they were resolved, and the implication of the solutions for future Chinese language processing research. This volume covers 30 years of development in Chinese language processing, focusing on the impact of conscientious decisions by some leading research groups. It focuses on constructing language resources, which led to thriving research and development of expertise in Chinese language technology today. Contributions from more than 40 leading scholars from various countries explore how Chinese language resources are used in current pioneering NLP research, the future challenges and their implications for computational and theoretical linguistics.


Book Synopsis Chinese Language Resources by : Chu-Ren Huang

Download or read book Chinese Language Resources written by Chu-Ren Huang and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2024-01-19 with total page 662 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Based on the accumulation of research experience and knowledge over the past 30 years, this volume lays out the research issues posed by the construction of various types of Chinese language resources, how they were resolved, and the implication of the solutions for future Chinese language processing research. This volume covers 30 years of development in Chinese language processing, focusing on the impact of conscientious decisions by some leading research groups. It focuses on constructing language resources, which led to thriving research and development of expertise in Chinese language technology today. Contributions from more than 40 leading scholars from various countries explore how Chinese language resources are used in current pioneering NLP research, the future challenges and their implications for computational and theoretical linguistics.


Constructional Approaches to Syntactic Structures in German

Constructional Approaches to Syntactic Structures in German

Author: Hans C. Boas

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG

Published: 2018-07-09

Total Pages: 461

ISBN-13: 3110457156

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This book provides a state of the art collection of constructional research on syntactic structures in German. The volume is unique in that it offers an easily accessible, yet comprehensive and sophisticated variety of papers. Moreover, various of the papers make explicit connections between grammatical constructions and the concept of valency which has figured quite prominently in Germanic Linguistics over the past half century.


Book Synopsis Constructional Approaches to Syntactic Structures in German by : Hans C. Boas

Download or read book Constructional Approaches to Syntactic Structures in German written by Hans C. Boas and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2018-07-09 with total page 461 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a state of the art collection of constructional research on syntactic structures in German. The volume is unique in that it offers an easily accessible, yet comprehensive and sophisticated variety of papers. Moreover, various of the papers make explicit connections between grammatical constructions and the concept of valency which has figured quite prominently in Germanic Linguistics over the past half century.


Directions for Pedagogical Construction Grammar

Directions for Pedagogical Construction Grammar

Author: Hans C. Boas

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG

Published: 2022-02-21

Total Pages: 375

ISBN-13: 3110746727

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How can insights from Construction Grammar (CxG) be applied to foreign language learning (FLL) and foreign language teaching (FLT)? This volume explores several aspects of Pedagogical Construction Grammar, with a specific look at issues relevant to second language acquisition, FLL, and FLT. The contributions in this volume discuss a wide range of constructions, as well as different resources, methodologies, and data used to learn constructions in the language classroom. More specifically, they seek to provide answers to the following questions: What do new constructional approaches to teaching and learning foreign language look like that take the insights of CxG seriously? What should electronic resources using constructions and semantic frames for foreign language instruction look like? How should constructions (pairings of form with meaning/function) in the foreign language classroom be introduced? What role does frequency play in learning constructions in the language classroom? What types of strategies does CxG offer to facilitate the acquisition of a second language? This volume is relevant for anyone interested in second language acquisition, foreign language pedagogy, Construction Grammar, and Cognitive Linguistics. Endorsements: If first language learning flows forth from language use, teaching language should be based on relevant usage-patterns, modified in accordance with the advanced cognitive and linguistic knowledge of older learners. The current volume shows how insights from first and second language learning and usage-based Construction Grammar can be turned into evidence-based teaching strategies. Heike Behrens, University of Basel Usage-based Construction Grammar has changed our view of language learning, but it is only recently that researchers have begun to apply the insights of the constructionist approach to language pedagogy. This volume brings together a collection of articles in which experts of Construction Grammar and Usage-based Linguistics make concrete proposals for teaching constructions by using corpora and other resources. A must read for everybody interested in grammar teaching. Holger Diessel, University of Jena With Directions for Pedagogical Construction Grammar, Boas has produced an impressive and much-needed volume which excels at illustrating the immense potential of constructionist approaches to improve language pedagogy. The contributions to this volume, all authored by leading cognitive and corpus linguists, convincingly describe what a successful future of language teaching could look like—one that is founded in usage-based linguistics and takes language patterns seriously. I consider this volume essential reading for any applied linguist. Ute Römer, Georgia State University


Book Synopsis Directions for Pedagogical Construction Grammar by : Hans C. Boas

Download or read book Directions for Pedagogical Construction Grammar written by Hans C. Boas and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2022-02-21 with total page 375 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How can insights from Construction Grammar (CxG) be applied to foreign language learning (FLL) and foreign language teaching (FLT)? This volume explores several aspects of Pedagogical Construction Grammar, with a specific look at issues relevant to second language acquisition, FLL, and FLT. The contributions in this volume discuss a wide range of constructions, as well as different resources, methodologies, and data used to learn constructions in the language classroom. More specifically, they seek to provide answers to the following questions: What do new constructional approaches to teaching and learning foreign language look like that take the insights of CxG seriously? What should electronic resources using constructions and semantic frames for foreign language instruction look like? How should constructions (pairings of form with meaning/function) in the foreign language classroom be introduced? What role does frequency play in learning constructions in the language classroom? What types of strategies does CxG offer to facilitate the acquisition of a second language? This volume is relevant for anyone interested in second language acquisition, foreign language pedagogy, Construction Grammar, and Cognitive Linguistics. Endorsements: If first language learning flows forth from language use, teaching language should be based on relevant usage-patterns, modified in accordance with the advanced cognitive and linguistic knowledge of older learners. The current volume shows how insights from first and second language learning and usage-based Construction Grammar can be turned into evidence-based teaching strategies. Heike Behrens, University of Basel Usage-based Construction Grammar has changed our view of language learning, but it is only recently that researchers have begun to apply the insights of the constructionist approach to language pedagogy. This volume brings together a collection of articles in which experts of Construction Grammar and Usage-based Linguistics make concrete proposals for teaching constructions by using corpora and other resources. A must read for everybody interested in grammar teaching. Holger Diessel, University of Jena With Directions for Pedagogical Construction Grammar, Boas has produced an impressive and much-needed volume which excels at illustrating the immense potential of constructionist approaches to improve language pedagogy. The contributions to this volume, all authored by leading cognitive and corpus linguists, convincingly describe what a successful future of language teaching could look like—one that is founded in usage-based linguistics and takes language patterns seriously. I consider this volume essential reading for any applied linguist. Ute Römer, Georgia State University


Argument Structure in Usage-Based Construction Grammar

Argument Structure in Usage-Based Construction Grammar

Author: Florent Perek

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing Company

Published: 2015-04-15

Total Pages: 258

ISBN-13: 9027268754

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The argument structure of verbs, defined as the part of grammar that deals with how participants in verbal events are expressed in clauses, is a classical topic in linguistics that has received considerable attention in the literature. This book investigates argument structure in English from a usage-based perspective, taking the view that the cognitive representation of grammar is shaped by language use, and that crucial aspects of grammatical organization are tied to the frequency with which words and syntactic constructions are used. On the basis of several case studies combining quantitative corpus studies and psycholinguistic experiments, it is shown how a usage-based approach sheds new light on a number of issues in argument realization and offers frequency-based explanations for its organizing principles at three levels of generality: verbs, constructions, and argument structure alternations.


Book Synopsis Argument Structure in Usage-Based Construction Grammar by : Florent Perek

Download or read book Argument Structure in Usage-Based Construction Grammar written by Florent Perek and published by John Benjamins Publishing Company. This book was released on 2015-04-15 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The argument structure of verbs, defined as the part of grammar that deals with how participants in verbal events are expressed in clauses, is a classical topic in linguistics that has received considerable attention in the literature. This book investigates argument structure in English from a usage-based perspective, taking the view that the cognitive representation of grammar is shaped by language use, and that crucial aspects of grammatical organization are tied to the frequency with which words and syntactic constructions are used. On the basis of several case studies combining quantitative corpus studies and psycholinguistic experiments, it is shown how a usage-based approach sheds new light on a number of issues in argument realization and offers frequency-based explanations for its organizing principles at three levels of generality: verbs, constructions, and argument structure alternations.


Competition in Language Change

Competition in Language Change

Author: Eva Zehentner

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG

Published: 2019-06-17

Total Pages: 496

ISBN-13: 311063385X

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This book addresses one of the most pervasive questions in historical linguistics – why variation becomes stable rather than being eliminated – by revisiting the so far neglected history of the English dative alternation. The alternation between a nominal and a prepositional ditransitive pattern (John gave Mary a book vs. John gave a book to Mary) emerged in Middle English and is closely connected to broader changes at that time. Accordingly, the main quantitative investigation focuses on ditransitive patterns in the Penn-Helsinki Parsed Corpus of Middle English; in addition, the book employs an Evolutionary Game Theory model. The results are approached from an ‘evolutionary construction grammar’ perspective, combining evolutionary thinking with diachronic constructionist notions, and the alternation’s emergence is interpreted as a story of constructional innovation, competition, cooperation and co-evolution. The book not only provides a thorough and detailed analysis of the history of one of the most-discussed syntactic phenomena in English, but by fusing two frameworks and employing two different methodologies also presents a highly innovative approach to a problem of relevance to historical linguistics in general.


Book Synopsis Competition in Language Change by : Eva Zehentner

Download or read book Competition in Language Change written by Eva Zehentner and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2019-06-17 with total page 496 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book addresses one of the most pervasive questions in historical linguistics – why variation becomes stable rather than being eliminated – by revisiting the so far neglected history of the English dative alternation. The alternation between a nominal and a prepositional ditransitive pattern (John gave Mary a book vs. John gave a book to Mary) emerged in Middle English and is closely connected to broader changes at that time. Accordingly, the main quantitative investigation focuses on ditransitive patterns in the Penn-Helsinki Parsed Corpus of Middle English; in addition, the book employs an Evolutionary Game Theory model. The results are approached from an ‘evolutionary construction grammar’ perspective, combining evolutionary thinking with diachronic constructionist notions, and the alternation’s emergence is interpreted as a story of constructional innovation, competition, cooperation and co-evolution. The book not only provides a thorough and detailed analysis of the history of one of the most-discussed syntactic phenomena in English, but by fusing two frameworks and employing two different methodologies also presents a highly innovative approach to a problem of relevance to historical linguistics in general.