32.936, Confs: German; Ling Theories, Morphology, Syntax/France

[The LINGUIST List]

LINGUIST List: Vol-32-936. Mon Mar 15 2021. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 32.936, Confs: German; Ling Theories, Morphology, Syntax/France

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Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2021 18:13:01
From: Pierre-Yves Modicom [pymodicom.ling at yahoo.fr]
Subject: German adverbs and adverbials : descriptive, theoretical and comparative perspectives

 
German adverbs and adverbials : descriptive, theoretical and comparative perspectives 
Short Title: Adverbien 

Date: 29-Apr-2021 - 30-Apr-2021 
Location: Bordeaux, France 
Contact: Pierre-Yves Modicom 
Contact Email: pymodicom.ling at yahoo.fr 
Meeting URL: https://adverb2021.sciencesconf.org 

Linguistic Field(s): Linguistic Theories; Morphology; Syntax 

Subject Language(s): German (deu)

Meeting Description: 

Bordeaux, 29.-30. April 2021 / Maison des Sciences de l'Homme d'Aquitaine, 
Université Bordeaux Montaigne

Adverbs represent a major challenge for any theory of word classes in German.
Among the most plausible candidates for this status, we find lexical items
that are morphologically and functionally so diverse that the very unity of
the class is cast into doubt. 

At the morphosyntactic level, only two features appear to be generally
acceptable : the lack of flexion and the ability to fill the first slot of a
declarative clause (Vorfeld). Yet, not all connective adverbs and particles
can occur in this slot. In spite of this, several authors regard these items
as (deficient) adverbs...

Functional-syntactic criteria quickly meet their limits, as well. It is
well-known that they can not only modify a verb or a VP, but also be part of
an NP or specify an adjective. Even within the VP, several scope classes have
to be distinguished. Adverbs such as gerade, weiterhin or noch participate in
the marking of aspect and Aktionsart, raising the question of their incipient
grammaticalization. Sentence adverbs do not form a unified class, either: they
can exhibit different scopes, different functions and occupy different
syntactic positions. Functional hierarchies ought to be established. Within
the core VP, adverbs are often associated either with manner, or with
circumstances. But among adverbs of time and place, some seem to be able to
enjoy the status of core arguments to the verb (ich wohne hier), so that it
becomes necessary to question the distinction between arguments and adjuncts
frequently underlying the notion of circumstantial adverbial. But
circumstantials can also play a text- or discourse-structuring role as
framesetting topics, in which case they should be located at a higher
functional level than “normal” circumstances.  The syntactic diversity of
adverbs is at least partly linked to the heterogeneity of “adverbial
functions”. In German, theses functions can also be fulfilled by NPs, PrepPs,
conjunctional phrases (“adverbial clauses”) but also adjectives. Further, many
German adverbs go back to processes of lexicalization and/or reanalysis of
adverbial NPs. Can we link the presumptive emergence of a lexical class of
adverbs in German and the downfall of adverbial genitives? Do adverbial
adjectives really have access to the same functions as derivated forms like
adverbs ending with -erweise? Is there any kind of relation between morphology
and semantic resp. syntactic function?
 

Program Information: 

The aim of the conference is to discuss issues on the formal and functional
characterization of adverbs in German, crossing language-specific, descriptive
and theoretical research and drawing on inputs from all theoretical
backgrounds, from cross-linguistic research. Among the problems to be
addressed are:
 - The status of adverbs in linguistic theories of parts-of-speech in German
 - The respective relevance of functional and formal criteria and their
combination, under special consideration of adjective-adverbs and
weise-adverbs.
 - Taxonomies and hierarchies within adverbs and adverbials; how sustainable
are notions like ''circumstancial indications'', “manner adverbs” or “sentence
adverbs”?
 - The syntax of adverbs

The talks will last 30 minutes + 10 minutes of discussion, and will be held
either in German or in English.

The conference will take place online.

Inscription: send an e-mail to: pierre-yves.modicom (at)
u-bordeaux-montaigne.fr

Full program available on:
https://adverb2021.sciencesconf.org/resource/page/id/2





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