20.783, Books: Lexicography/Syntax:Yang - Lexicography/Syntax:Spruit

Wed Mar 11 03:13:56 UTC 2009

LINGUIST List: Vol-20-783. Tue Mar 10 2009. ISSN: 1068 - 4875.

Subject: 20.783, Books: Lexicography/Syntax:Yang - Lexicography/Syntax:Spruit

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1)
Date: 07-Mar-2009
From: Parcival von Schmid < lot at uu.nl >
Subject: The Indefinite Object in Mandarin Chinese: Yang

2)
Date: 07-Mar-2009
From: Parcival von Schmid < lot at uu.nl >
Subject: Quantitative perspectives on syntactic variation in Dutch
dialects: Spruit

-------------------------Message 1 ---------------------------------- 
Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:11:47
From: Parcival von Schmid [lot at uu.nl]
Subject: The Indefinite Object in Mandarin Chinese: Yang

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Title: The Indefinite Object in Mandarin Chinese 
Subtitle: its Marking, Interpretation and Acquisition 
Series Title: LOT Dissertation Series 179  

Publication Year: 2008 
Publisher: Netherlands Graduate School of Linguistics / Landelijke - LOT
	   http://www.lotpublications.nl/

Author: Ning Yang

Paperback: ISBN:  9789078328537 Pages: 259 Price: Europe EURO 23.46

Abstract:

This dissertation centers around the indefinite object noun phrase in Chinese.
In order to investigate whether language specific properties can be
accounted for by language universal constraints, three aspects of the
indefinite object are studied: its marking, its interpretation and its
acquisition. With respect to the marking of the indefinite object in
Chinese, this dissertation shows that the pattern of differential object
marking can be accounted for by considering not only cross-linguistically
attested features of animacy and specificity, but word order as well. This
dissertation also shows that non-specific indefinite objects in Chinese,
contrary to traditional claims, in fact do occur in certain constructions.
The interpretation in these constructions is influenced by lexical
properties of the object, its syntactic position and the type of predicate.
Finally, this dissertation describes two experiments that were carried out
in order to examine the acquisition of one particular type of indefinite
object in Chinese. The results show that Chinese children initially
interpret indefinite objects with a non-specific, narrow-scope reading,
following a universal pattern. This finding goes against the results of
previous acquisition studies, claiming that Chinese children have a default
non-scopal reading of indefinite objects. This dissertation therefore
argues that language specific factors play a role from early stages on, but
that these factors only lead to adult-like patterns of interpretation when
the initial preference wanes. The examination of these three aspects of
indefinite objects in Chinese leads to the conclusion that language
specific properties of indefinite objects in Chinese can be captured by a
language specific ranking of universal, conflicting constraints. 

Linguistic Field(s): Lexicography
                     Syntax

Subject Language(s): Chinese, Mandarin (cmn)

Written In: English  (eng)

See this book announcement on our website: 
http://linguistlist.org/get-book.html?BookID=40003

-------------------------Message 2 ---------------------------------- 
Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:11:58
From: Parcival von Schmid [lot at uu.nl]
Subject: Quantitative perspectives on syntactic variation in Dutch dialects: Spruit

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Title: Quantitative perspectives on syntactic variation in Dutch
dialects 
Series Title: LOT Dissertation Series 174  

Publication Year: 2008 
Publisher: Netherlands Graduate School of Linguistics / Landelijke - LOT
	   http://www.lotpublications.nl/

Author: Marco René Spruit

Paperback: ISBN:  9789078328483 Pages: 157 Price: Europe EURO 18.83

Abstract:

This dialectometrical research has investigated three quantitative perspectives
on syntactic variation in Dutch dialects.

The first perspective shows how to quantify syntactic differences between
language varieties and classifies the Dutch dialect varieties based on a
measure of syntactic distance. This objective classification is compared
with-and highly resembles-the traditional, perceptual classification based
on subjective judgements. This approach also affirmatively answers the
question whether syntactic variation patterns are geographically coherent.

The second perspective describes how to quantify the degrees of association
between pronunciational, lexical and syntactic differences. This approach
reveals that the degrees of association among the linguistic levels of
pronunciation, lexis and syntax are genuine but modest. Also, syntactic and
pronunciational differences are not more strongly associated with one
another than either one is associated with lexical differences.

The third perspective demonstrates how to discover relevant associations
between syntactic variables using a data mining technique based on
geographical co-occurrences. This approach contributes to the validation of
existing typological hypotheses and facilitates the identification and
exploration of variable relationships in general. 

Linguistic Field(s): Lexicography
                     Syntax

Subject Language(s): Dutch (nld)

Written In: English  (eng)

See this book announcement on our website: 
http://linguistlist.org/get-book.html?BookID=40000

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