Fw: [Lexicog] part of speech for phrases

[List Facilitator]

----- Original Message -----
From: "John Roberts" <dr_john_roberts at sil.org>
To: <lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2004 2:36 PM
Subject: Re: [Lexicog] part of speech for phrases


> From: John Roberts
>
> Ron,
>
> I describe these difficulties with respect to verb stems in Amele (Papuan)
> in the following article:
>
> Roberts, John R. (1996) A Government and Binding Analysis of the Verb in
> Amele. Language and Linguistics in Melanesia 27.1:1-66.
>
>
> Here are some examples of verbs in Amele. The -ec/-oc suffix is an
> infinitive suffix which can be replaced with one of 20 different paradigms
> of inflectional morphology. IO = indirect object (Amele can mark direct,
> indirect or oblique objects on the verb), DS = different subject
following.
> Are verb bases in Amele stems, words, phrases, clauses or even discourses?
> Answers on a postcard.
>
> f-ec        'to see'
> hel-ec     'to throw'
> heliheli-ec    'to throw repeatedly'
> budu-ec        'to thud'
> budubada-ec    'to thud repeatedly in a haphazard manner'
> ton-ec        'to descend'
> tob-ec        'to ascend'
> tonitobi-ec    'to go up and down'
> l-ec        'to go'
> h-oc        'to come'
> lilihuhu-ec    'to come and go'
> qet-ec        'to cut'
> qeti li qeti hu ec    'to cut backwards and fowards'
> wa ni cam tawi ec    'to come rain or shine'
> rain come.down sun stand.up INF
> feceb feceb ec    'to look at each other'
> see.DS see.DS INF
> heli tocob tocob ec    'to throw to/at each other'
> throw IO.DS IO.DS INF
> lahaluhududu wolwildudu lili huhu ec 'to stamp on him all over and twist
> your foot round and round and backwards and forwards'
> faga t-ec    'to want me to see'
> cesul-tec    'to help me'
> cesul bahic t-ec    'to really help me'
> cesul qee t-ec        'to not help me'
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ron Moe" <ron_moe at sil.org>
> To: <lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2004 8:30 PM
> Subject: [Lexicog] part of speech for phrases
>
>
> > During the discussion on derivatives and idioms, a question came to mind
> > that I have been thinking about for the last couple of years and would
> like
> > your help on. I've seen a variety of 'part of speech' labels for
> multi-word
> > lexical items (phrase, set phrase, idiom, calc, prefab, etc.). However
> 'part
> > of speech' in my understanding is a label for inflectional and syntactic
> > distribution patterns. For instance a 'noun' in English can take the
> plural
> > suffix. But this really relates to noun stems. The word 'box' can take
the
> > plural suffix '-s' (allomorph -es). So both 'box' and 'boxes' are noun
> > words. Noun words then are a separate class from noun stems. Noun stems
> have
> > a distribution/combination pattern with a set of affixes. Noun words
have
> a
> > distribution pattern in the syntax (e.g. they can be preceded by an
> > adjective in an attributive relationship). So far so good, although I'm
> sure
> > there are different theoretical viewpoints on the subject. But now we
come
> > to phrases. Phrases don't take affixes, although the individual words
> within
> > a phrase may take affixes. So in the phrase 'take time' the verb 'take'
> can
> > be inflected like any other verb, and the noun 'time' can be modified
like
> > any other noun: "He took his time getting to the job," "Each day he take
> the
> > time to plan the day's activities." So 'take time' is not a noun or a
> verb,
> > but something else. The phrase 'to and fro' is slightly different. It
> occurs
> > in the clause final adverbial slot: "He walked to and fro" "He walked
for
> an
> > hour" "He walks everywhere on foot." So we might be able to
subcategorize
> > 'to and fro' as an 'adverbial phrase'.
> >
> > So here's my question: Does anyone know of something written on the
> subject
> > of labeling the part of speech for multi-word lexical items? Can anyone
> > clarify the issue or give examples from your language? For instance the
> MDF
> > manual is good on principles for determining the parts of speech of a
> > language, but says nothing about phrases.
> >
> > Ron Moe
> > Linguistics Consultant
> > SIL International, Uganda Tanzania Branch
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> > To visit your group on the web, go to:
> >  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lexicographylist/
> >
> > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> >  lexicographylist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
> >  http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
> Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark
> Printer at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada.
> http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511
> http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/HKE4lB/TM
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------~->
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
> To visit your group on the web, go to:
>  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lexicographylist/
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
>  lexicographylist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
>  http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>