The Function of Function Words and Functional Categories

The Function of Function Words and Functional Categories PDF

Author: Marcel den Dikken

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing

Published: 2005-08-25

Total Pages: 304

ISBN-13: 902729433X

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This volume brings together papers which address a range of issues regarding the syntax of function words and functional categories in the Germanic languages. The works offered in this volume derive specifically from comparative studies of Germanic; at the same time they all bear directly on long-standing problems in syntactic theory and universal grammar. The contributions include novel theoretical and empirical approaches to infinitives, the syntax and acquisition of Verb Second, the structure and interpretation of present tense, the syntax and semantics of reflexives, the relationship between expletive syntax and the EPP, the syntax of possession, and the DP-internal syntax of pronouns. Some contributions present the results of experimental research which provide an entirely fresh perspective on previously unchallenged claims.

Semi-lexical Categories

Semi-lexical Categories PDF

Author: Norbert Corver

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter

Published: 2013-05-22

Total Pages: 564

ISBN-13: 3110874008

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The distinction between functional categories and lexical categories is at the heart of present-day grammatical theory, in theories on language acquisition, code-switching and aphasia. At the same time, it has become clear, however, that there are many lexical items for which it is less easy to decide whether they side with the lexical categories or the functional ones. This book deals with the grammatical behavior of such in- between-categories, which are referred to here as "semi-lexical categories".

Language Acquisition and the Functional Category System

Language Acquisition and the Functional Category System PDF

Author: Peter Jordens

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 292

ISBN-13: 3110216213

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Research on spontaneous language acquisition both in children learning their mother tongue and in adults learning a second language has shown that language development proceeds in a stagewise manner. Learner utterances are accounted for in terms of so-called 'learner languages'. Learner languages of both children and adults are language systems that are initially rather simple. The present monograph shows how these learner languages develop both in child L1 and in adult L2 Dutch. At the initial stage of both L1 and L2 Dutch, learner systems are lexical systems. This means that utterance structure is determined by the lexical projection of a predicate-argument structure, while the functional properties of the target language are absent. At some point in acquisition, this lexical-semantic system develops into a target-like system. With this target-like system, learners have reached a stage at which their language system has the morpho-syntactic features to express the functional properties of finiteness and topicality. Evidence of this is word order variation and the use of linguistic elements such as auxiliaries, tense, and agreement markers and determiners. Looking at this process of language acquisition from a functional point of view, the author focuses on questions such as the following. What is the driving force behind the process that causes learners to give up a simple lexical-semantic system in favour of a functional-pragmatic one? What is the added value of linguistic features such as the morpho-syntactic properties of inflection, word order variation, and definiteness?

Basic Concepts for the Analysis of English Sentences

Basic Concepts for the Analysis of English Sentences PDF

Author: Mireia Llinàs i Grau

Publisher: Univ. Autònoma de Barcelona

Published: 2008-10-24

Total Pages: 62

ISBN-13: 8449025613

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El propòsit d’aquest llibre és introduir els alumnes a conceptes fonamentals per l’anàlisi de l’oració anglesa. El llibre comença amb una introducció al marc teòric que s’utilitza, i segueix amb una descripció de l’estructura argumental, les relacions sintàctiques entre constituents, les categories gramaticals (lèxiques i funcionals), l’estructura sintàctica interna dels constituents, les projeccions sintàctiques funcionals, les funcions gramaticals i el cas. El llibre està escrit en un to pedagògic i utilitza arguments concrets per donar evidència a favor de les estructures que es proposen. Es tracta d’una eina essencial per a les assignatures de sintaxi bàsica de la titulació de Filologia Anglesa i pot servir també com a manual introductori a qualsevol assignatura de gramàtica generativa. Tots els autors han impartit classes o han participat en les assignatures de sintaxi anglesa del Departament de Filologia Anglesa i de Germanística de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona durant els últims deu anys. La formació acadèmica de cadascun d’ells inclou períodes de formació de postgrau en algunes de les universitats més destacades de la Gran Bretanya, d’Holanda i dels Estats Units. Mireia Llinàs (MA University College London, PhD Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), coordinadora d’aquest volum, es dedica juntament amb Montserrat Capdevila (MA University College London, PhD Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) a l’adquisició de primeres i segones llengües. Joaquín Domínguez (MA Georgetwon University, PhD Universidad Complutense de Madrid) s’interessa per la comparació de la sintaxi de l’anglès amb el català i el castellà, Melissa Moyer (MA Stanford University, PhD Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) és especialista en bilingüisme i multlingüisme des d’un enfocament sintàctic i d’alternança de llengües. Elisabet Pladevall (MA University College London, PhD Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) va presentar la seva tesi doctoral l’any 2007 amb al títol Child and Adult Non-native Subject Development: A Bi-directional study of English and Spanish as L2s i Susagna Tubau (MA University College London, PhD Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Universitat d’Amsterdam) és doctora des del juny de 2008 amb la tesi Negative Concord in English and Romance: Syntax-Morphology Interface Conditions on the Expression of Negation.

The Routledge Encyclopedia of Second Language Acquisition

The Routledge Encyclopedia of Second Language Acquisition PDF

Author: Peter Robinson

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2012-08-21

Total Pages: 782

ISBN-13: 1136485570

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The Routledge Encyclopedia of Second Language Acquisition offers a user-friendly, authoritative survey of terms and constructs that are important to understanding research in second language acquisition (SLA) and its applications. The Encyclopedia is designed for use as a reference tool by students, researchers, teachers and professionals with an interest in SLA. The Encyclopedia has the following features: • 252 alphabetized entries written in an accessible style, including cross references to other related entries in the Encyclopedia and suggestions for further reading • Among these, 9 survey entries that cover the foundational areas of SLA in detail: Development in SLA, Discourse and Pragmatics in SLA, Individual Differences in SLA, Instructed SLA, Language and the Lexicon in SLA, Measuring and Researching SLA, Psycholingustics of SLA, Social and Sociocultural Approaches to SLA, Theoretical Constructs in SLA. • The rest of the entries cover all the major subdisciplines, methodologies and concepts of SLA, from “Accommodation” to the “ZISA project.” Written by an international team of specialists, the Routledge Encyclopedia of Second Language Acquisition is an invaluable resource for students and researchers with an academic interest in SLA.

The Nature and Function of Syntactic Categories

The Nature and Function of Syntactic Categories PDF

Author: Robert Borsley

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 1999-10-15

Total Pages: 378

ISBN-13: 1849500096

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To paraphrase, of the making of syntactic categories there is no end. For any theory of syntax, questions arise about its classificatory scheme: what are the categories? What properties do they have? How do they relate to each other? Eleven essays address these questions by inquiring whether there is a clear distinction between lexical and functional categories, how syntactic categories relate to semantic categories, the relation between syntactic and morphological information, as well as other inquiries. Above all the essays highlight the centrality of questions about syntactic categories for a number of different theoretical frameworks. It discusses a broad range of questions about syntactic categories and presents a number of theoretical frameworks.

The Universal Structure of Categories

The Universal Structure of Categories PDF

Author: Martina Wiltschko

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2014-07-24

Total Pages: 377

ISBN-13: 1139992627

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Using data from a variety of languages such as Blackfoot, Halkomelem, and Upper Austrian German, this book explores a range of grammatical categories and constructions, including tense, aspect, subjunctive, case and demonstratives. It presents a new theory of grammatical categories - the Universal Spine Hypothesis - and reinforces generative notions of Universal Grammar while accommodating insights from linguistic typology. In essence, this new theory shows that language-specific categories are built from a small set of universal categories and language-specific units of language. Throughout the book the Universal Spine Hypothesis is compared to two alternative theories - the Universal Base Hypothesis and the No Base Hypothesis. This valuable addition to the field will be welcomed by graduate students and researchers in linguistics.

Language Functions Revisited

Language Functions Revisited PDF

Author: Anthony Green

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2012-05-03

Total Pages: 305

ISBN-13: 0521184991

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The English Profile Programme is an elaboration of the performance level descriptions of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) that is concerned specifically with the English language. The CEFR has become influential in building a shared understanding of performance levels for foreign language learners. However, there is a considerable gap between the broad descriptions of levels provided, which covers a range of languages and learning contexts, and the level of detail required for applications such as syllabus or test design, which this volume addresses. With its combination of theoretical insights and practical advice, this is a useful work for academics, policy-makers, curriculum designers, textbook writers, postgraduate students and examination board staff.

Functional Categories in Igbo

Functional Categories in Igbo PDF

Author: Obiamalu, Greg Orji

Publisher: M & J Grand Orbit Communications

Published: 2016-02-22

Total Pages: 167

ISBN-13: 9783352717

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This study discusses functional categories in Igbo within Noam Chomsky’s Minimalist Program (MP). Chapter 1 includes the introduction of the concept of functional categories and why they take central place in the study of syntax, as well as an overview of the Minimalist Program (MP). Chapter 2 discusses some historical antecedents to MP. It further discusses the economy principles of the MP as well as the place of functional categories within the overall conceptions of the MP model. Chapter 3 discusses five functional categories: Agreement, Tense, Aspect, Negation and Determiner. In chapter 4, the Igbo functional categories within the verbal domain: Tense, Aspect and Negation are discussed. Chapter 5 is an application of the theoretical issues raised in Chapter 2 to the analysis of the functional categories discussed in Chapter 3. One interesting issue discussed in Chapter 5 is the role of tone in realising some of the functional categories in Igbo. Chapter 6 discusses the functional categories within the nominal domain with much emphasis on the determiner. A revised version of the author’s doctoral thesis, some of the conclusions are revolutionary, relevant to debates in the linguistic theory and in Igbo studies in particular, as well as serving as an introduction to MP.