From Debra.Ziegeler at ARTS.MONASH.EDU.AU Mon Apr 1 17:20:33 1996 From: Debra.Ziegeler at ARTS.MONASH.EDU.AU (Ziegeler, D.) Date: Mon, 1 Apr 1996 17:20:33 GMT+1000 Subject: unidirectionality Message-ID: With reference to the recent discussion on unidirectionality, a possible question that came to mind was: are bi-directional patterns of change necessarily so, or are they in some cases representing a unidirectional pattern which is actually cyclical? Alan King's comments on the existence of patterns of the nature of A>B, and B>A via C seem to suggest that this might be happening in some cases. Bybee et al (1994: 190-1) discuss the sources in some languages of the grammaticalisation of 'ability' modals as sometimes derived from verbs with meanings of 'finish', 'reach', 'arrive at' etc., in other words, attainment of a goal. This is suggested as being implied by the relation of successful completion of an act with notions of past ability on the part of an agent. In English expressions such as: 'He was able to mend the fence', imply, conversationally, that he did in fact mend it, although the sentence only expresses past ability (thus, 'He was able to mend the fence, but he didn't' is quite OK). The direction of inference can be routed as follows: a) He mended the fence > b) He was able to mend the fence > c) He mended the fence; i.e. a) accomplishment > b) (past) ability > a) accomplishment. This would appear to follow either a bi-directional shift of meaning, or a unidirectional sequence, depending on your viewpoint. However, if we hypothesised a (c) and a (d) stage, e.g. 'possibility', which is held by Bybee et al (1994) to be a further stage in the grammaticalisation of forms expressing ability, then the sequence which should result is: a) accomplishment > b) (past) ability > c) possibility > d) (past) ability > a) accomplishment. The question is whether or not such hypothetical patterns actually do occur in languages. If so, then is there a possibility that what we are looking at with some cases of bi-directional semantic change can really be described as a cyclical pattern of unidirectionality? Debra Ziegeler Dept. of Linguistics, Monash University, Clayton, Vic. Australia 3168 From barlow at RUF.RICE.EDU Tue Apr 9 02:44:01 1996 From: barlow at RUF.RICE.EDU (Michael Barlow) Date: Mon, 8 Apr 1996 21:44:01 -0500 Subject: MonoConc for Windows demo Message-ID: A demo of MonoConc for Windows, a concordance program, can be downloaded by pointing a web-browser at ftp://ftp.nol.net/pub/users/athel/Win/monoconc/. If you are using regular ftp, then ftp (with anonymous login) to ftp.nol.net and connect to pub/users/athel/Win/monoconc. Remember to transfer the file in binary mode. The actual file, which is about 400K, is MfWdemo.exe. There is also a small demo text, a transcript of a White House press conference, in the folder. Michael ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael Barlow (barlow at ruf.rice.edu) Dept of Linguistics Home page: http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~barlow/ Rice University Athelstan: http://www.nol.net/~athel/athel.html From mccay at JET.ES Tue Apr 16 15:45:49 1996 From: mccay at JET.ES (Alan R. King) Date: Tue, 16 Apr 1996 16:45:49 +0100 Subject: Modal survey Message-ID: As part of a study on the typology of modality expressions in the world's languages, I request translations into as many languages as possible of the following three sentences: 1) I can go to Tokyo. 2) I have to go to Tokyo. 3) I want to go to Tokyo. Please literal-gloss the sentences; any further grammatical explanations or comments will also be most welcome. "Tokyo" may be replaced by any other place if that is more convenient. If there is a choice of possible translations, you may give more than one, commenting if possible on differences between them. I may want to come back to those who reply with a longer list of more detailed questions on the subject, so you may wish to indicate in your reply whether or not you would object to this. This message will be cross-posted on some other lists; I apologise to those affected. Many thanks! Alan R. King | EMAIL: mccay at jet.es Indamendi 13, 7C | [or if all else fails] 70244.1674 at compuserve.com 20800 Zarautz | FAX: +34-43-130396 Gipuzkoa Euskal Herria / Basque Country (Spain) From nuyts at UIA.UA.AC.BE Wed Apr 17 10:02:18 1996 From: nuyts at UIA.UA.AC.BE (Jan.Nuyts) Date: Wed, 17 Apr 1996 12:02:18 +0200 Subject: Modal survey In-Reply-To: <199604161545.QAA17357@jet.es> Message-ID: Alan, Re your request for translations of a few modalized English sentences: I wonder what you would like to learn (or rather, how you think you can learn something fundamental and stable) from answers to such a short list of completely decontextualized sentences (which, especially in the case with 'can', leads to multiple ambiguity). In other words: how do you motivate this method of inquiry? Jan Jan Nuyts phone: 32/3/820.27.73 University of Antwerp fax: 32/3/820.27.62 Linguistics email: nuyts at uia.ua.ac.be Universiteitsplein 1 B-2610 Wilrijk - Belgium From colinh at OWLNET.RICE.EDU Tue Apr 23 19:41:39 1996 From: colinh at OWLNET.RICE.EDU (Colin Harrison) Date: Tue, 23 Apr 1996 14:41:39 -0500 Subject: Query: Periphrastic Future Message-ID: Does anyone out there know of any languages that form a periphrastic future tense using the verb "do" (or "make") as an auxiliary (i.e. something like "He is DOING to write" meaning "He is going to write"). I have a future tense formation in a Papuan language that seems to be doing this (although it's not entirely clear) and I'm wondering if there's a precedent. Thanks! From linnje at LURE.LATROBE.EDU.AU Tue Apr 23 23:54:06 1996 From: linnje at LURE.LATROBE.EDU.AU (Nick Enfield) Date: Wed, 24 Apr 1996 09:54:06 +1000 Subject: Periphrastic Future (fwd) Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Wed, 24 Apr 1996 09:47:27 +1000 From: linnje at LURE.LATROBE.EDU.AU To: FunkNet Mailboard Cc: Nick Enfield Subject: Periphrastic Future Perhaps a more well-known example is the Sanskrit periphrastic future, formed with a nominalising "agentive suffix" (tr), and the verb "to be". Thus, "he goes" becomes "he is a go-er". Cf. any Sanskrit grammar. Hindustani now uses a form "wala" ('person, agent') with the infinitive form of the verb, and the verb 'to be' (although this might not be quite what you were after). Thus, bas aa-yaa hai "The bus has come." bus come-PAST be(3sg) bas aa-na waalaa hai "The bus is about to come." bus come-INF person/do-er be (3sg) The Hindi form is restricted to immediate future ("about to V"). Cheers, Nick Enfield Melbourne From apawley at COOMBS.ANU.EDU.AU Wed Apr 24 07:27:02 1996 From: apawley at COOMBS.ANU.EDU.AU (Pawley, A.) Date: Wed, 24 Apr 1996 17:27:02 +1000 Subject: periphrastic future Message-ID: Colin Harrison asks: Dear Colin, ONE way of expressing a future in colloquial Welsh is something like that. E.g. na i ofyn i Dafydd. do I ask to David "I'll ask David." The same kind of construction occurs with the past of "do" and then serves as a pretirite: nes i ofyn i Dafydd did I ask to David "I asked David." I can give you more specifics if you wish. Alan R. King | EMAIL: mccay at jet.es Indamendi 13, 7C | [or if all else fails] 70244.1674 at compuserve.com 20800 Zarautz | FAX: +34-43-130396 Gipuzkoa Euskal Herria / Basque Country (Spain) From john at RESEARCH.HAIFA.AC.IL Mon Apr 29 05:27:02 1996 From: john at RESEARCH.HAIFA.AC.IL (John Myhill) Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1996 08:27:02 +0300 Subject: Query: Periphrastic Future Message-ID: The closest I can think of to this is that in Southern US English and Black English it's common to say 'I'm fixin' to go' (commonly contracted to 'I'm finna go' with a meaning like 'I'm about to go' in other English dialects). I think that in these dialects it's also possible to say 'I'm fixin' a cake' with the meaning 'I'm making a cake' (not just 'I'm repairing a cake). This would be basically the same thing as what you're talking about, except that I think the meaning is specifically NEAR future, not future in general. You better check this with a native speaker of these dialects, though. John Myhill >Does anyone out there know of any languages that form a periphrastic future >tense using the verb "do" (or "make") as an auxiliary (i.e. something like >"He is DOING to write" meaning "He is going to write"). > >I have a future tense formation in a Papuan language that seems to be doing >this (although it's not entirely clear) and I'm wondering if there's a >precedent. > >Thanks! From Carl.Mills at UC.EDU Mon Apr 29 12:12:53 1996 From: Carl.Mills at UC.EDU (Carl Mills) Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1996 07:12:53 -0500 Subject: periphrastic future Message-ID: Regarding John Myhill's "fixin' to V" as an example of periphrastic future, numerous nonsouthern transplants to the south, especially Texas, report that this is the one construction they are never likely to master (or use spontaneously). On the other hand, John's "I'm fixin' a cake" 'I plan to prepare a cake' is so unremarkable that I thought his inclusion of that particular construction was an attempt at humor. Most of us Border States speakers would say, in response to "What are you taking to the potluck?" things like "I'm fixin' beans and cornbread" or "I'm fixin' balled shrimp." But I doubt that we could say "I'm fixin' a punkin" or "I'm fixin' a ghost" in response to "What sort of costume is your preschooler wearing for Halloween?" I think "fixin' to V" may be a real periphrastic future. I suspect that "fixin' a N" is not, at least not in Murrican dialects. Carl From LEHMANN at NOV1.LILI.UNI-BIELEFELD.DE Mon Apr 29 13:52:49 1996 From: LEHMANN at NOV1.LILI.UNI-BIELEFELD.DE (Christian Lehmann) Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1996 13:52:49 GMT+010 Subject: (Fwd) Re: Query: Periphrastic Future Message-ID: Forwarded message: From: Self To: colinh at OWLNET.RICE.EDU Subject: Re: Query: Periphrastic Future Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1996 13:51:39 There is another Papuan language, Kobon (genetically related to Andy's Ka= lam, = if I am not mistaken), that does the same. See Davies's account in the Li= ngua = Descriptive Studies volume. Another language with a similar construction is Korean. German has a periphrastic construction `X macht sich ans V-inf' meaning `= X is = preparing/going to V', e.g. `Paul macht sich ans Klavierspielen' `Paul is= = about to play the piano.' The construction is illuminating in that it mak= es = the detransitivization of the `do' auxiliary explicit which is presuppose= d by = the other languages, too. Like the other languages, the full verb complem= ent = is taken in a directional/purposive relation. The literal meaning/etymology of the construction is less clear. If `mach= t = sich' meant `prepares himself', then a different preposition (`zu' or `f=81= r') = would be expected. There is, however, a phraseme `X macht sich an Y heran= ' = meaning 'X approches Y'; e.g. `Paul machte sich an das Gebaeude/die Frau = heran' `Paul approached the building/the woman.' This might be at the bas= is = of the periphrastic future. Christian Lehmann Universitaet Bielefeld New private telecommunication: phone: +49/2582/65607 fax: +49/2582/65608 From kemmer at RUF.RICE.EDU Mon Apr 29 14:53:40 1996 From: kemmer at RUF.RICE.EDU (Suzanne E Kemmer) Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1996 09:53:40 -0500 Subject: fixin' to Message-ID: I think John's point about _fixin' [a N]_ was to suggest a possible source construction for the periphrastic future with _fixin' to_. The lexical meaning of _fixin'_ with nouns is close to 'preparing', and it makes sense that the word has been extended to infinitive constructions with a similar meaning. And 'preparing' seems a perfectly reasonable lexical source meaning for a periphrastic future, even though it's not as schematic as 'go' or 'do' or 'make'. --Suzanne From john at RESEARCH.HAIFA.AC.IL Tue Apr 30 05:38:31 1996 From: john at RESEARCH.HAIFA.AC.IL (John Myhill) Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 08:38:31 +0300 Subject: No subject Message-ID: Thank you for clarifying my point, Suzanne. I did not intend to suggest that 'fixin' a cake' is a future usage. And as a yankee I defer to real southerners on the usage of these forms. John From Debra.Ziegeler at ARTS.MONASH.EDU.AU Mon Apr 1 17:20:33 1996 From: Debra.Ziegeler at ARTS.MONASH.EDU.AU (Ziegeler, D.) Date: Mon, 1 Apr 1996 17:20:33 GMT+1000 Subject: unidirectionality Message-ID: With reference to the recent discussion on unidirectionality, a possible question that came to mind was: are bi-directional patterns of change necessarily so, or are they in some cases representing a unidirectional pattern which is actually cyclical? Alan King's comments on the existence of patterns of the nature of A>B, and B>A via C seem to suggest that this might be happening in some cases. Bybee et al (1994: 190-1) discuss the sources in some languages of the grammaticalisation of 'ability' modals as sometimes derived from verbs with meanings of 'finish', 'reach', 'arrive at' etc., in other words, attainment of a goal. This is suggested as being implied by the relation of successful completion of an act with notions of past ability on the part of an agent. In English expressions such as: 'He was able to mend the fence', imply, conversationally, that he did in fact mend it, although the sentence only expresses past ability (thus, 'He was able to mend the fence, but he didn't' is quite OK). The direction of inference can be routed as follows: a) He mended the fence > b) He was able to mend the fence > c) He mended the fence; i.e. a) accomplishment > b) (past) ability > a) accomplishment. This would appear to follow either a bi-directional shift of meaning, or a unidirectional sequence, depending on your viewpoint. However, if we hypothesised a (c) and a (d) stage, e.g. 'possibility', which is held by Bybee et al (1994) to be a further stage in the grammaticalisation of forms expressing ability, then the sequence which should result is: a) accomplishment > b) (past) ability > c) possibility > d) (past) ability > a) accomplishment. The question is whether or not such hypothetical patterns actually do occur in languages. If so, then is there a possibility that what we are looking at with some cases of bi-directional semantic change can really be described as a cyclical pattern of unidirectionality? Debra Ziegeler Dept. of Linguistics, Monash University, Clayton, Vic. Australia 3168 From barlow at RUF.RICE.EDU Tue Apr 9 02:44:01 1996 From: barlow at RUF.RICE.EDU (Michael Barlow) Date: Mon, 8 Apr 1996 21:44:01 -0500 Subject: MonoConc for Windows demo Message-ID: A demo of MonoConc for Windows, a concordance program, can be downloaded by pointing a web-browser at ftp://ftp.nol.net/pub/users/athel/Win/monoconc/. If you are using regular ftp, then ftp (with anonymous login) to ftp.nol.net and connect to pub/users/athel/Win/monoconc. Remember to transfer the file in binary mode. The actual file, which is about 400K, is MfWdemo.exe. There is also a small demo text, a transcript of a White House press conference, in the folder. Michael ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael Barlow (barlow at ruf.rice.edu) Dept of Linguistics Home page: http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~barlow/ Rice University Athelstan: http://www.nol.net/~athel/athel.html From mccay at JET.ES Tue Apr 16 15:45:49 1996 From: mccay at JET.ES (Alan R. King) Date: Tue, 16 Apr 1996 16:45:49 +0100 Subject: Modal survey Message-ID: As part of a study on the typology of modality expressions in the world's languages, I request translations into as many languages as possible of the following three sentences: 1) I can go to Tokyo. 2) I have to go to Tokyo. 3) I want to go to Tokyo. Please literal-gloss the sentences; any further grammatical explanations or comments will also be most welcome. "Tokyo" may be replaced by any other place if that is more convenient. If there is a choice of possible translations, you may give more than one, commenting if possible on differences between them. I may want to come back to those who reply with a longer list of more detailed questions on the subject, so you may wish to indicate in your reply whether or not you would object to this. This message will be cross-posted on some other lists; I apologise to those affected. Many thanks! Alan R. King | EMAIL: mccay at jet.es Indamendi 13, 7C | [or if all else fails] 70244.1674 at compuserve.com 20800 Zarautz | FAX: +34-43-130396 Gipuzkoa Euskal Herria / Basque Country (Spain) From nuyts at UIA.UA.AC.BE Wed Apr 17 10:02:18 1996 From: nuyts at UIA.UA.AC.BE (Jan.Nuyts) Date: Wed, 17 Apr 1996 12:02:18 +0200 Subject: Modal survey In-Reply-To: <199604161545.QAA17357@jet.es> Message-ID: Alan, Re your request for translations of a few modalized English sentences: I wonder what you would like to learn (or rather, how you think you can learn something fundamental and stable) from answers to such a short list of completely decontextualized sentences (which, especially in the case with 'can', leads to multiple ambiguity). In other words: how do you motivate this method of inquiry? Jan Jan Nuyts phone: 32/3/820.27.73 University of Antwerp fax: 32/3/820.27.62 Linguistics email: nuyts at uia.ua.ac.be Universiteitsplein 1 B-2610 Wilrijk - Belgium From colinh at OWLNET.RICE.EDU Tue Apr 23 19:41:39 1996 From: colinh at OWLNET.RICE.EDU (Colin Harrison) Date: Tue, 23 Apr 1996 14:41:39 -0500 Subject: Query: Periphrastic Future Message-ID: Does anyone out there know of any languages that form a periphrastic future tense using the verb "do" (or "make") as an auxiliary (i.e. something like "He is DOING to write" meaning "He is going to write"). I have a future tense formation in a Papuan language that seems to be doing this (although it's not entirely clear) and I'm wondering if there's a precedent. Thanks! From linnje at LURE.LATROBE.EDU.AU Tue Apr 23 23:54:06 1996 From: linnje at LURE.LATROBE.EDU.AU (Nick Enfield) Date: Wed, 24 Apr 1996 09:54:06 +1000 Subject: Periphrastic Future (fwd) Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Wed, 24 Apr 1996 09:47:27 +1000 From: linnje at LURE.LATROBE.EDU.AU To: FunkNet Mailboard Cc: Nick Enfield Subject: Periphrastic Future Perhaps a more well-known example is the Sanskrit periphrastic future, formed with a nominalising "agentive suffix" (tr), and the verb "to be". Thus, "he goes" becomes "he is a go-er". Cf. any Sanskrit grammar. Hindustani now uses a form "wala" ('person, agent') with the infinitive form of the verb, and the verb 'to be' (although this might not be quite what you were after). Thus, bas aa-yaa hai "The bus has come." bus come-PAST be(3sg) bas aa-na waalaa hai "The bus is about to come." bus come-INF person/do-er be (3sg) The Hindi form is restricted to immediate future ("about to V"). Cheers, Nick Enfield Melbourne From apawley at COOMBS.ANU.EDU.AU Wed Apr 24 07:27:02 1996 From: apawley at COOMBS.ANU.EDU.AU (Pawley, A.) Date: Wed, 24 Apr 1996 17:27:02 +1000 Subject: periphrastic future Message-ID: Colin Harrison asks: Dear Colin, ONE way of expressing a future in colloquial Welsh is something like that. E.g. na i ofyn i Dafydd. do I ask to David "I'll ask David." The same kind of construction occurs with the past of "do" and then serves as a pretirite: nes i ofyn i Dafydd did I ask to David "I asked David." I can give you more specifics if you wish. Alan R. King | EMAIL: mccay at jet.es Indamendi 13, 7C | [or if all else fails] 70244.1674 at compuserve.com 20800 Zarautz | FAX: +34-43-130396 Gipuzkoa Euskal Herria / Basque Country (Spain) From john at RESEARCH.HAIFA.AC.IL Mon Apr 29 05:27:02 1996 From: john at RESEARCH.HAIFA.AC.IL (John Myhill) Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1996 08:27:02 +0300 Subject: Query: Periphrastic Future Message-ID: The closest I can think of to this is that in Southern US English and Black English it's common to say 'I'm fixin' to go' (commonly contracted to 'I'm finna go' with a meaning like 'I'm about to go' in other English dialects). I think that in these dialects it's also possible to say 'I'm fixin' a cake' with the meaning 'I'm making a cake' (not just 'I'm repairing a cake). This would be basically the same thing as what you're talking about, except that I think the meaning is specifically NEAR future, not future in general. You better check this with a native speaker of these dialects, though. John Myhill >Does anyone out there know of any languages that form a periphrastic future >tense using the verb "do" (or "make") as an auxiliary (i.e. something like >"He is DOING to write" meaning "He is going to write"). > >I have a future tense formation in a Papuan language that seems to be doing >this (although it's not entirely clear) and I'm wondering if there's a >precedent. > >Thanks! From Carl.Mills at UC.EDU Mon Apr 29 12:12:53 1996 From: Carl.Mills at UC.EDU (Carl Mills) Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1996 07:12:53 -0500 Subject: periphrastic future Message-ID: Regarding John Myhill's "fixin' to V" as an example of periphrastic future, numerous nonsouthern transplants to the south, especially Texas, report that this is the one construction they are never likely to master (or use spontaneously). On the other hand, John's "I'm fixin' a cake" 'I plan to prepare a cake' is so unremarkable that I thought his inclusion of that particular construction was an attempt at humor. Most of us Border States speakers would say, in response to "What are you taking to the potluck?" things like "I'm fixin' beans and cornbread" or "I'm fixin' balled shrimp." But I doubt that we could say "I'm fixin' a punkin" or "I'm fixin' a ghost" in response to "What sort of costume is your preschooler wearing for Halloween?" I think "fixin' to V" may be a real periphrastic future. I suspect that "fixin' a N" is not, at least not in Murrican dialects. Carl From LEHMANN at NOV1.LILI.UNI-BIELEFELD.DE Mon Apr 29 13:52:49 1996 From: LEHMANN at NOV1.LILI.UNI-BIELEFELD.DE (Christian Lehmann) Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1996 13:52:49 GMT+010 Subject: (Fwd) Re: Query: Periphrastic Future Message-ID: Forwarded message: From: Self To: colinh at OWLNET.RICE.EDU Subject: Re: Query: Periphrastic Future Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1996 13:51:39 There is another Papuan language, Kobon (genetically related to Andy's Ka= lam, = if I am not mistaken), that does the same. See Davies's account in the Li= ngua = Descriptive Studies volume. Another language with a similar construction is Korean. German has a periphrastic construction `X macht sich ans V-inf' meaning `= X is = preparing/going to V', e.g. `Paul macht sich ans Klavierspielen' `Paul is= = about to play the piano.' The construction is illuminating in that it mak= es = the detransitivization of the `do' auxiliary explicit which is presuppose= d by = the other languages, too. Like the other languages, the full verb complem= ent = is taken in a directional/purposive relation. The literal meaning/etymology of the construction is less clear. If `mach= t = sich' meant `prepares himself', then a different preposition (`zu' or `f=81= r') = would be expected. There is, however, a phraseme `X macht sich an Y heran= ' = meaning 'X approches Y'; e.g. `Paul machte sich an das Gebaeude/die Frau = heran' `Paul approached the building/the woman.' This might be at the bas= is = of the periphrastic future. Christian Lehmann Universitaet Bielefeld New private telecommunication: phone: +49/2582/65607 fax: +49/2582/65608 From kemmer at RUF.RICE.EDU Mon Apr 29 14:53:40 1996 From: kemmer at RUF.RICE.EDU (Suzanne E Kemmer) Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1996 09:53:40 -0500 Subject: fixin' to Message-ID: I think John's point about _fixin' [a N]_ was to suggest a possible source construction for the periphrastic future with _fixin' to_. The lexical meaning of _fixin'_ with nouns is close to 'preparing', and it makes sense that the word has been extended to infinitive constructions with a similar meaning. And 'preparing' seems a perfectly reasonable lexical source meaning for a periphrastic future, even though it's not as schematic as 'go' or 'do' or 'make'. --Suzanne From john at RESEARCH.HAIFA.AC.IL Tue Apr 30 05:38:31 1996 From: john at RESEARCH.HAIFA.AC.IL (John Myhill) Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 08:38:31 +0300 Subject: No subject Message-ID: Thank you for clarifying my point, Suzanne. I did not intend to suggest that 'fixin' a cake' is a future usage. And as a yankee I defer to real southerners on the usage of these forms. John