15.3312, Diss: Semantics, syntax:Zeijlstra: Sentential Negation a

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LINGUIST List: Vol-15-3312. Fri Nov 26 2004. ISSN: 1068 - 4875.

Subject: 15.3312, Diss: Semantics, syntax:Zeijlstra: Sentential Negation a

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1)
Date: 22-Nov-2004
From: Hedde Zeijlstra < hedde.zeijlstra at uni-tuebingen.de >
Subject: Sentential Negation and Negative Concord



-------------------------Message 1 ----------------------------------
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 2004 14:06:24
From: Hedde Zeijlstra < hedde.zeijlstra at uni-tuebingen.de >
Subject: Sentential Negation and Negative Concord


Institution: University of Amsterdam
Program: Amsterdam Center for Language and Communication
Dissertation Status: Completed
Degree Date: 2004

Author: Hedde Zeijlstra

Dissertation Title: Sentential Negation and Negative Concord

Dissertation URL:  www.lotpublications.nl

Linguistic Field(s): Semantics; Syntax

Subject Language(s):
Dutch (Language Code: DUT)

Language Family(ies):

 Germanic; Romance; Slavic Subgroup


Dissertation Director(s):
Jeroen Groenendijk
Hans Bennis
Hans Den Besten

Dissertation Abstract:

Sentential Negation and Negative Concord describes and explains a series
of phenomena that surface in the study of negation as well the typological
correlations between these phenomena.

The study focuses on four issues: (i) the way that sentential negation is
expressed syntactically, i.e. what are the syntactic properties of
negative markers cross-linguistically; (ii) the occurrence of Negative
Concord, i.e. the phenomenon that in many languages multiple morpho-
syntactically negative elements yield only one semantic negation; (iii)
the question whether imperative forms of verbs are allowed to occur in
negative constructions; and (iv) the interpretation of constructions in
which a universal quantifier subject precedes a negative marker: in most
languages the negation then outscopes the subject.

Based on the results of Dutch diachronic, Dutch dialectological and cross-
linguistic research the author shows that all these phenomena can be
described in terms of typological implications. For instance, every
language that bans true negative imperatives has at least a negative
marker that is a syntactic head; and every language with such a negative
head marker is on its turn a Negative Concord language.

The author presents a syntax-semantics interface theory of sentential
negation and Negative Concord that correctly predicts these typological
implications. One of the general conclusions of this study is that n-words
(in Negative Concord languages) should not be thought of as negative
quantifiers or negative polarity items, but that they should be considered
as semantically non-negative indefinites that are syntactically marked for
negation.

This study is of relevance to syntacticians, semanticists and scholars in
the syntax-semantics interface, as well as to diachronic linguists,
dialectologists and typologists.





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