14.2083, Diss: Syntax/Semantics: Paesani: 'The Semantics...'

[LINGUIST List]

LINGUIST List:  Vol-14-2083. Wed Aug 6 2003. ISSN: 1068-4875.

Subject: 14.2083, Diss: Syntax/Semantics: Paesani: 'The Semantics...'

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1)
Date:  Tue, 05 Aug 2003 11:03:18 +0000
From:  k.paesani at wayne.edu
Subject:  The Semantics and Syntax of ...

-------------------------------- Message 1 -------------------------------

Date:  Tue, 05 Aug 2003 11:03:18 +0000
From:  k.paesani at wayne.edu
Subject:  The Semantics and Syntax of ...

Institution: Indiana University
Program: Department of French and Italian
Dissertation Status: Completed
Degree Date: 2001

Author: Kate  Paesani

Dissertation Title: The Semantics and Syntax of the passé surcomposé
in Modern French

Linguistic Field: 	Syntax
			Semantics

Subject Language:	French (code: FRN )

Dissertation Director 1: Barbara S Vance
Dissertation Director 2: Laurent Dekydtspotter

Dissertation Abstract:

This dissertation provides a characterization of the meaning and
grammar of the French passé surcomposé (psc) articulated within the
context of generative grammar and Discourse Representation Theory.
The psc is a double compound past form expressing perfect aspect
(i.e. Jean a eu mangé une pomme 'Jean had eaten an apple').  After
presenting a critical review of previous literature on the psc, I
illustrate the compositional nature of the psc sentence through a
comprehensive examination of psc data.  I show that the
temporal-aspectual value of the psc sentence is determined through the
interaction of grammatical aspect, lexical aspect and context.  Next,
I outline the semantic framework used to explain the data before
providing a formal account of the semantics of the psc.  I show that
the psc, often associated with numerous semantic values, expresses
perfect aspect in all syntactic environments.  Furthermore, I show
that additional semantic nuances fall out as implicatures from the
semantics of the psc, the discourse context and conversational maxims.
I next consider the syntactic representation of the psc, couching my
discussion in terms of the Principles and Parameters and Minimalist
theories of grammar.  I argue for a hierarchical structure in which
each of the three verbs forms is the head of a separate VP and is in
turn dominated by a functional category.  This hierarchy yields the
structure [ TP [ VP [ Asp1P [ VP [ Aps2P [ VP ]]]]]].  The semantic
properties associated with the psc can be mapped directly onto this
structure.  I further argue that this basic structure is sufficient to
account for the psc in all of its syntactic environments, showing in
particular that a complex array of facts concerning the choice of have
or be as auxiliary can be reduced to minor parametric variation of a
type already motivated for Romance in general.

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