16.79, Qs: Superlatives; Interaction in Inquiry Offices

[LINGUIST List]

LINGUIST List: Vol-16-79. Thu Jan 13 2005. ISSN: 1068 - 4875.

Subject: 16.79, Qs: Superlatives; Interaction in Inquiry Offices

Moderators: Anthony Aristar, Wayne State U <aristar at linguistlist.org>
            Helen Aristar-Dry, Eastern Michigan U <hdry at linguistlist.org>

Reviews (reviews at linguistlist.org)
        Sheila Collberg, U of Arizona
        Terry Langendoen, U of Arizona

Homepage: http://linguistlist.org/

The LINGUIST List is funded by Eastern Michigan University, Wayne
State University, and donations from subscribers and publishers.

Editor for this issue: Steven Moran <steve at linguistlist.org>
================================================================

We'd like to remind readers that the responses to queries are usually
best posted to the individual asking the question. That individual is
then strongly encouraged to post a summary to the list. This policy was
instituted to help control the huge volume of mail on LINGUIST; so we
would appreciate your cooperating with it whenever it seems appropriate.

In addition to posting a summary, we'd like to remind people that it
is usually a good idea to personally thank those individuals who have
taken the trouble to respond to the query.

To post to LINGUIST, use our convenient web form at
http://linguistlist.org/LL/posttolinguist.html.


===========================Directory==============================

1)
Date: 05-Jan-2005
From: Penka Stateva < stateva at zas.gwz-berlin.de >
Subject: Superlatives

2)
Date: 05-Jan-2005
From: Jana Kubista < Jana.Kubista at gmx.net >
Subject: Interaction in Inquiry Offices


-------------------------Message 1 ----------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2005 13:53:50
From: Penka Stateva < stateva at zas.gwz-berlin.de >
Subject: Superlatives


Dear linguists,

I am interested in the ways languages of the world form superlative
constructions. So far I am aware of three morphological strategies: English
type using a special superlative morpheme (-est/least), Slavic/Baltic type
using both a comparative and a superlative morpheme, and Arabic type using
the same morpheme to express comparative and superlative meaning. Each of
these strategies are exemplified below:

(1) John is the smartest.

(2)Ivan je najpametniji
   Ivan is most-smart-er
   'Ivan is the smartest.'   (Serbo-Croatian)

(3) Sa9da     Ahmad  a9la     al-dzhibaali
    climbed  Ahmad  more-high the mountains
    'John climbed the highest mountain.'      (Standard Arabic)

I would like to know if there exist other linguistic means in which
superlativity can be expressed in different languages. To this effect, I
would be very grateful if you could let me know how the following simple
sentences are translated into your language:

(4) John is the smartest.
(5) John climbed the highest mountain.
(6) John ran the fastest.

Any further hints and pointers will be highly appreciated. Please respond
directly to stateva at zas.gwz-berlin.de

If there is sufficient response, I will post a summary.

best wishes,
Penka Stateva

Linguistic Field(s): Morphology
                     Typology




-------------------------Message 2 ----------------------------------
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2005 13:53:53
From: Jana Kubista < Jana.Kubista at gmx.net >
Subject: Interaction in Inquiry Offices



Dear colleagues,

I am looking for literature and research projects dealing with interaction
in inquiry offices, especially in Slavic countries and languages (f.i.
tourist information offices, information desks at stations, in city
centres, city halls, cultural institutions ...). Are there articles or
books analysing these interactional situations and dialogues by
means/methods of conversational analysis, discourse analysis,
ethnomethodology, or similiar theories?

I am also interested in any linguistic work in Slavonic languages that is
based on authentic, spontaneous dialogues (I didn't find so much yet, only
in Czech).

Thank you very much for your help,

sincerely,

Jana Kubista (Technical University Dresden)

Linguistic Field(s): Discourse Analysis

Language Family(ies): Slavic Subgroup






-----------------------------------------------------------
LINGUIST List: Vol-16-79