Subjects in Constructions – Canonical and Non-Canonical

Subjects in Constructions – Canonical and Non-Canonical

Author: Marja-Liisa Helasvuo

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing Company

Published: 2015-01-14

Total Pages: 334

ISBN-13: 9027269181

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This volume analyzes constructions with non-canonical subjects in individual languages and cross-linguistically, drawing on insights from cognitive and discourse-functional linguistics. Prototypical subjects have often been characterized in terms of their semantic, syntactic and discourse features, such as animacy, agentivity, topicality, referentiality, definiteness and autonomy of existence of the subject referent. A non-canonical subject is one that lacks some of these features. This may be reflected in its meaning, grammatical coding, and/or discourse function. In discussing non-canonical subjects in individual languages and cross-linguistically, the chapters in the volume address the following more general topics: What kinds of grammatical, semantic and discourse criteria can be used to distinguish subjects from non-subjects? To what extent are subject criteria construction-specific? What kinds of constructions have non-canonical subjects? What are the semantic and discourse functions of constructions with non-canonical subjects? Are subjects which are grammatically non-canonical also atypical in terms of their discourse features?


Book Synopsis Subjects in Constructions – Canonical and Non-Canonical by : Marja-Liisa Helasvuo

Download or read book Subjects in Constructions – Canonical and Non-Canonical written by Marja-Liisa Helasvuo and published by John Benjamins Publishing Company. This book was released on 2015-01-14 with total page 334 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume analyzes constructions with non-canonical subjects in individual languages and cross-linguistically, drawing on insights from cognitive and discourse-functional linguistics. Prototypical subjects have often been characterized in terms of their semantic, syntactic and discourse features, such as animacy, agentivity, topicality, referentiality, definiteness and autonomy of existence of the subject referent. A non-canonical subject is one that lacks some of these features. This may be reflected in its meaning, grammatical coding, and/or discourse function. In discussing non-canonical subjects in individual languages and cross-linguistically, the chapters in the volume address the following more general topics: What kinds of grammatical, semantic and discourse criteria can be used to distinguish subjects from non-subjects? To what extent are subject criteria construction-specific? What kinds of constructions have non-canonical subjects? What are the semantic and discourse functions of constructions with non-canonical subjects? Are subjects which are grammatically non-canonical also atypical in terms of their discourse features?

Non-canonical Marking of Subjects and Objects

Non-canonical Marking of Subjects and Objects

Author: Alexandra Y. Aikhenvald

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing

Published: 2001-01-01

Total Pages: 380

ISBN-13: 9789027229502

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In some languages every subject is marked in the same way, and also every object. But there are languages in which a small set of verbs mark their subjects or their objects in an unusual way. For example, most verbs may mark their subject with nominative case, but one small set of verbs may have dative subjects, and another small set may have locative subjects. Verbs with noncanonically marked subjects and objects typically refer to physiological states or events, inner feelings, perception and cognition. The Introduction sets out the theoretical parameters and defines the properties in terms of which subjects and objects can be analysed. Following chapters discuss Icelandic, Bengali, Quechua, Finnish, Japanese, Amele (a Papuan language), and Tariana (an Amazonian language); there is also a general discussion of European languages. This is a pioneering study providing new and fascinating data, and dealing with a topic of prime theoretical importance to linguists of many persuasions.


Book Synopsis Non-canonical Marking of Subjects and Objects by : Alexandra Y. Aikhenvald

Download or read book Non-canonical Marking of Subjects and Objects written by Alexandra Y. Aikhenvald and published by John Benjamins Publishing. This book was released on 2001-01-01 with total page 380 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In some languages every subject is marked in the same way, and also every object. But there are languages in which a small set of verbs mark their subjects or their objects in an unusual way. For example, most verbs may mark their subject with nominative case, but one small set of verbs may have dative subjects, and another small set may have locative subjects. Verbs with noncanonically marked subjects and objects typically refer to physiological states or events, inner feelings, perception and cognition. The Introduction sets out the theoretical parameters and defines the properties in terms of which subjects and objects can be analysed. Following chapters discuss Icelandic, Bengali, Quechua, Finnish, Japanese, Amele (a Papuan language), and Tariana (an Amazonian language); there is also a general discussion of European languages. This is a pioneering study providing new and fascinating data, and dealing with a topic of prime theoretical importance to linguists of many persuasions.

Non-Canonically Case-Marked Subjects

Non-Canonically Case-Marked Subjects

Author: Jóhanna Barðdal

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing Company

Published: 2018-10-15

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 9027263515

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Interest in non-canonically case-marked subjects has been unceasing since the groundbreaking work of Andrews and Masica in the late 70’s who were the first to document the existence of syntactic subjects in another morphological case than the nominative. Their research was focused on Icelandic and South-Asian languages, respectively, and since then, oblique subjects have been reported for language after language throughout the world. This newfangled recognition of the concept of oblique subjects at the time was followed by discussions of the role and validity of subject tests, discussions of the verbal semantics involved, as well as discussions of the theoretical implications of this case marking strategy of syntactic subjects. This volume contributes to all these debates, making available research articles on different languages and language families, additionally highlighting issues like language contact, differential subject marking and the origin of oblique subjects.


Book Synopsis Non-Canonically Case-Marked Subjects by : Jóhanna Barðdal

Download or read book Non-Canonically Case-Marked Subjects written by Jóhanna Barðdal and published by John Benjamins Publishing Company. This book was released on 2018-10-15 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Interest in non-canonically case-marked subjects has been unceasing since the groundbreaking work of Andrews and Masica in the late 70’s who were the first to document the existence of syntactic subjects in another morphological case than the nominative. Their research was focused on Icelandic and South-Asian languages, respectively, and since then, oblique subjects have been reported for language after language throughout the world. This newfangled recognition of the concept of oblique subjects at the time was followed by discussions of the role and validity of subject tests, discussions of the verbal semantics involved, as well as discussions of the theoretical implications of this case marking strategy of syntactic subjects. This volume contributes to all these debates, making available research articles on different languages and language families, additionally highlighting issues like language contact, differential subject marking and the origin of oblique subjects.

The Diachronic Typology of Non-Canonical Subjects

The Diachronic Typology of Non-Canonical Subjects

Author: Ilja A. Serzant

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing

Published: 2013-11-15

Total Pages: 392

ISBN-13: 9027271305

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This volume is an important contribution to the diachrony of non-canonical subjects in a typological perspective. The questions addressed concern the internal mechanisms and triggers for various changes that non-canonical subjects undergo, ranging from semantic motivations to purely structural explanations. The discussion encompasses the whole life-cycle of non-canonical subjects: from their emergence out of non-subject arguments to their expansion, demise or canonicization, focusing primarily on syntactic changes and changes in case-marking. The volume offers a number of different case studies comprising such languages as Italian, Spanish, Old Norse and Russian as well as languages less studied in this context, such as Latin, Classical Armenian, Baltic languages and some East Caucasian languages. Typological generalizations in the form of recurrent developmental paths are offered on the basis of data presented in this volume and in the literature.


Book Synopsis The Diachronic Typology of Non-Canonical Subjects by : Ilja A. Serzant

Download or read book The Diachronic Typology of Non-Canonical Subjects written by Ilja A. Serzant and published by John Benjamins Publishing. This book was released on 2013-11-15 with total page 392 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume is an important contribution to the diachrony of non-canonical subjects in a typological perspective. The questions addressed concern the internal mechanisms and triggers for various changes that non-canonical subjects undergo, ranging from semantic motivations to purely structural explanations. The discussion encompasses the whole life-cycle of non-canonical subjects: from their emergence out of non-subject arguments to their expansion, demise or canonicization, focusing primarily on syntactic changes and changes in case-marking. The volume offers a number of different case studies comprising such languages as Italian, Spanish, Old Norse and Russian as well as languages less studied in this context, such as Latin, Classical Armenian, Baltic languages and some East Caucasian languages. Typological generalizations in the form of recurrent developmental paths are offered on the basis of data presented in this volume and in the literature.

Non-canonical Control in a Cross-linguistic Perspective

Non-canonical Control in a Cross-linguistic Perspective

Author: Anne Mucha

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing Company

Published: 2021-09-17

Total Pages: 298

ISBN-13: 9027259585

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Control, typically defined as a specific referential dependency between the null-subject of a non-finite embedded clause and a co-dependent of the matrix predicate, has been subject to extensive research in the last 50 years. While there is a broad consensus that a distinction between Obligatory Control (OC), Non-Obligatory Control (NOC) and No Control (NC) is useful and necessary to cover the range of relevant empirical phenomena, there is still less agreement regarding their proper analyses. In light of this ongoing discussion, the articles collected in this volume provide a cross-linguistic perspective on central questions in the study of control, with a focus on non-canonical control phenomena. This includes cases which show NOC or NC in complement clauses or OC in adjunct clauses, cases in which the controlled subject is not in an infinitival clause, or in which there is no unique controller in OC (i.e. partial control, split control, or other types of controllers). Based on empirical generalizations from a wide range of languages, this volume provides insights into cross-linguistic variation in the interplay of different components of control such as the properties of the constituent hosting the controlled subject, the syntactic and lexical properties of the matrix predicate as well as restrictions on the controller, thereby furthering our empirical and theoretical understanding of control in grammar.


Book Synopsis Non-canonical Control in a Cross-linguistic Perspective by : Anne Mucha

Download or read book Non-canonical Control in a Cross-linguistic Perspective written by Anne Mucha and published by John Benjamins Publishing Company. This book was released on 2021-09-17 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Control, typically defined as a specific referential dependency between the null-subject of a non-finite embedded clause and a co-dependent of the matrix predicate, has been subject to extensive research in the last 50 years. While there is a broad consensus that a distinction between Obligatory Control (OC), Non-Obligatory Control (NOC) and No Control (NC) is useful and necessary to cover the range of relevant empirical phenomena, there is still less agreement regarding their proper analyses. In light of this ongoing discussion, the articles collected in this volume provide a cross-linguistic perspective on central questions in the study of control, with a focus on non-canonical control phenomena. This includes cases which show NOC or NC in complement clauses or OC in adjunct clauses, cases in which the controlled subject is not in an infinitival clause, or in which there is no unique controller in OC (i.e. partial control, split control, or other types of controllers). Based on empirical generalizations from a wide range of languages, this volume provides insights into cross-linguistic variation in the interplay of different components of control such as the properties of the constituent hosting the controlled subject, the syntactic and lexical properties of the matrix predicate as well as restrictions on the controller, thereby furthering our empirical and theoretical understanding of control in grammar.

The MIHI EST construction

The MIHI EST construction

Author: Mihaela Ilioaia

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG

Published: 2023-12-18

Total Pages: 413

ISBN-13: 3111055620

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This book examines the Romanian mihi est construction (Mi-e foame/frică, me.dat = is hunger/fear ‘I am hungry/ afraid’). While it disappeared from all other Romance languages to be replaced with a habeo structure, the mihi est pattern is in Romanian the most common way of expressing psychological or physiological states. By means of synchronic and diachronic corpus studies, the book investigates the status of the core arguments of the mihi est structure, i.e. the dative experiencer and the nominative state noun, as well as its evolution throughout the centuries. The data analysis reveals that the dative experiencer syntactically behaves like nominative subjects, whereas the state noun shows predicate behavior. As for the evolution of the mihi est structure, the analysis shows a certain tendency toward innovation, since in present-day Romanian it can coerce nouns coming from other semantic fields into the construction’s psychological or physiological interpretation. Could this be another unique trait of Romanian, which causes it to seemingly go against the tendency of most Romance languages toward canonical marking of core arguments?


Book Synopsis The MIHI EST construction by : Mihaela Ilioaia

Download or read book The MIHI EST construction written by Mihaela Ilioaia and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2023-12-18 with total page 413 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines the Romanian mihi est construction (Mi-e foame/frică, me.dat = is hunger/fear ‘I am hungry/ afraid’). While it disappeared from all other Romance languages to be replaced with a habeo structure, the mihi est pattern is in Romanian the most common way of expressing psychological or physiological states. By means of synchronic and diachronic corpus studies, the book investigates the status of the core arguments of the mihi est structure, i.e. the dative experiencer and the nominative state noun, as well as its evolution throughout the centuries. The data analysis reveals that the dative experiencer syntactically behaves like nominative subjects, whereas the state noun shows predicate behavior. As for the evolution of the mihi est structure, the analysis shows a certain tendency toward innovation, since in present-day Romanian it can coerce nouns coming from other semantic fields into the construction’s psychological or physiological interpretation. Could this be another unique trait of Romanian, which causes it to seemingly go against the tendency of most Romance languages toward canonical marking of core arguments?

Subjects in English

Subjects in English

Author: Peter Uhrig

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG

Published: 2018-06-11

Total Pages: 369

ISBN-13: 3110587289

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The purpose of the book is twofold. First it tries to give a descriptive account of subjects in English. The second aim is to elucidate the status of the subject both as a concept in grammatical theory and with regard to the question whether the subject is determined by item-specific arbitrary formal restrictions in the same way as postverbal complements of the verb have been shown to be.


Book Synopsis Subjects in English by : Peter Uhrig

Download or read book Subjects in English written by Peter Uhrig and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2018-06-11 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of the book is twofold. First it tries to give a descriptive account of subjects in English. The second aim is to elucidate the status of the subject both as a concept in grammatical theory and with regard to the question whether the subject is determined by item-specific arbitrary formal restrictions in the same way as postverbal complements of the verb have been shown to be.

Alignment Change in Iranian Languages

Alignment Change in Iranian Languages

Author: Geoffrey Haig

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 388

ISBN-13: 9783110195866

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The series is a platform for contributions of all kinds to this rapidly developing field. General problems are studied from the perspective of individual languages, language families, language groups, or language samples. Conclusions are the result of a deepened study of empirical data. Special emphasis is given to little-known languages, whose analysis may shed new light on long-standing problems in general linguistics.


Book Synopsis Alignment Change in Iranian Languages by : Geoffrey Haig

Download or read book Alignment Change in Iranian Languages written by Geoffrey Haig and published by Walter de Gruyter. This book was released on 2008 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The series is a platform for contributions of all kinds to this rapidly developing field. General problems are studied from the perspective of individual languages, language families, language groups, or language samples. Conclusions are the result of a deepened study of empirical data. Special emphasis is given to little-known languages, whose analysis may shed new light on long-standing problems in general linguistics.

Partitive Cases and Related Categories

Partitive Cases and Related Categories

Author: Silvia Luraghi

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG

Published: 2014-08-29

Total Pages: 519

ISBN-13: 311039457X

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Argument-marking, morphological partitives have been the topic of language specific studies, while no cross-linguistic or typological analyses have been conducted. Since individual partitives of different languages have been studied, there exists a basis for a more cross-linguistic approach. The purpose of this book is to fill the gap and to bring together research on partitives in different languages.


Book Synopsis Partitive Cases and Related Categories by : Silvia Luraghi

Download or read book Partitive Cases and Related Categories written by Silvia Luraghi and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2014-08-29 with total page 519 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Argument-marking, morphological partitives have been the topic of language specific studies, while no cross-linguistic or typological analyses have been conducted. Since individual partitives of different languages have been studied, there exists a basis for a more cross-linguistic approach. The purpose of this book is to fill the gap and to bring together research on partitives in different languages.

Non-Canonical Passives

Non-Canonical Passives

Author: Artemis Alexiadou

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing

Published: 2013-03-28

Total Pages: 369

ISBN-13: 9027272271

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This volume contains a selection of papers dealing with constructions that have a passive-like interpretation but do not seem to share all the properties with canonical passives. The fifteen chapters of this volume raise important questions concerning the proper characterization of the universal properties of passivization and reflect the current discussion in this area, covering syntactic, semantic, psycho-linguistic and typological aspects of the phenomenon, from different theoretical perspectives and in different language families and backed up in most cases by extensive corpora and experimental studies.


Book Synopsis Non-Canonical Passives by : Artemis Alexiadou

Download or read book Non-Canonical Passives written by Artemis Alexiadou and published by John Benjamins Publishing. This book was released on 2013-03-28 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume contains a selection of papers dealing with constructions that have a passive-like interpretation but do not seem to share all the properties with canonical passives. The fifteen chapters of this volume raise important questions concerning the proper characterization of the universal properties of passivization and reflect the current discussion in this area, covering syntactic, semantic, psycho-linguistic and typological aspects of the phenomenon, from different theoretical perspectives and in different language families and backed up in most cases by extensive corpora and experimental studies.