Zeitschrift für Wortbildung / Journal of Word Formation (ZWJW)
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Approximation through suffixation: -ḍḍu/-a in Sicilian
Get PDFThis article investigates the use of the Sicilian suffix -ḍḍu/-a for the expression of approximation. On the basis of a survey of a corpus of ethnotexts and the outputs of a translation questionnaire, we propose that approximation is a core value in the semantic network of the suffix, expressing a certain distance from the default values conveyed by the base. In terms of prototypicality, this distance may occur from the categorial centre (internal approximation): the suffix modifies the semantics of the base but does not alter the categorial status of the referent. Alternatively, the suffix may impact on categorial membership tout court (external approximation), questioning the categorial properties of the base. Based on this classification, the semantic cores of the suffix are represented in a map showing the connections between the various meanings identified in the corpus.This article investigates the use of the Sicilian suffix -ḍḍu/-a for the expression of approximation. On the basis of a survey of a corpus of ethnotexts and the outputs of a translation questionnaire, we propose that approximation is a core value in the semantic network of the suffix, expressing a certain distance from the default values conveyed by the base. In terms of prototypicality, this distance may occur from the categorial centre (internal approximation): the suffix modifies the semantics of the base but does not alter the categorial status of the referent. Alternatively, the suffix may impact on categorial membership tout court (external approximation), questioning the categorial properties of the base. Based on this classification, the semantic cores of the suffix are represented in a map showing the connections between the various meanings identified in the corpus
Paradigmatic relations in Construction Morphology: the case of Dutch Noun+Verb compounds
Get PDFThe formal and semantic properties of Noun+Verb compounds in Dutch can be accounted for by means of paradigmatically related word-constructional schemas. We can form verbal compounds with an infinitival head from nominal compounds with a deverbal head noun, for instance boekbespreken ‘to book-review’, derived from boekbespreking ’book review’ through substitution of ‑ing by ‑en. The paradigmatically related constructions of verbal compounds with an infinitival head and nominal compounds with a deverbal head thus constitute a paradigm for word formation. The paradigmatic origin of verbal compounds makes the rare use of finite forms of these compounds understandable. The form of nominalizations for Noun+Verb compounds provides additional evidence for the paradigmatic origin of these verbal compounds. The analysis proposed lends support to morphological frameworks in which paradigmatic relations between words play a crucial role, such as Construction Morphology.The formal and semantic properties of Noun+Verb compounds in Dutch can be accounted for by means of paradigmatically related word-constructional schemas. We can form verbal compounds with an infinitival head from nominal compounds with a deverbal head noun, for instance boekbespreken ‘to book-review’, derived from boekbespreking ’book review’ through substitution of ‑ing by ‑en. The paradigmatically related constructions of verbal compounds with an infinitival head and nominal compounds with a deverbal head thus constitute a paradigm for word formation. The paradigmatic origin of verbal compounds makes the rare use of finite forms of these compounds understandable. The form of nominalizations for Noun+Verb compounds provides additional evidence for the paradigmatic origin of these verbal compounds. The analysis proposed lends support to morphological frameworks in which paradigmatic relations between words play a crucial role, such as Construction Morphology
Non-prototypicality by (discontinuous) reduplication: the N-non-N construction in Italian
Get PDFThis paper contributes to the research on the morphological expression of approximation by analysing the discontinuous reduplication pattern N-non-N in Italian, giving rise to complex nominals (e.g. sapone non sapone lit. soap neg soap ‘non-soap/soap-free cleanser’). The analysis is based on a dataset of 4609 tokens and 692 types extracted from corpora and annotated for orthographical, phonological and categorical parameters. Given its unpredictable formal and semantic properties, N-non-N is analysed as a semi-schematic and productive construction, which is hypothesized to have emerged microdiachronically from the entrenchment and reanalysis of the expression tessuto non tessuto ‘nonwoven fabric’. We claim that the N-non-N construction bears a general function of ‘non-prototypicality’ and produces expressions with complex and specific meanings that are generated in context, by deviating from the ‘prototypical’ N concept in various ways. Despite its productivity, very few N-non-N expressions are conventionalised, making this device similar to other approximative strategies and to evaluative morphology in general.This paper contributes to the research on the morphological expression of approximation by analysing the discontinuous reduplication pattern N-non-N in Italian, giving rise to complex nominals (e.g. sapone non sapone lit. soap neg soap ‘non-soap/soap-free cleanser’). The analysis is based on a dataset of 4609 tokens and 692 types extracted from corpora and annotated for orthographical, phonological and categorical parameters. Given its unpredictable formal and semantic properties, N-non-N is analysed as a semi-schematic and productive construction, which is hypothesized to have emerged microdiachronically from the entrenchment and reanalysis of the expression tessuto non tessuto ‘nonwoven fabric’. We claim that the N-non-N construction bears a general function of ‘non-prototypicality’ and produces expressions with complex and specific meanings that are generated in context, by deviating from the ‘prototypical’ N concept in various ways. Despite its productivity, very few N-non-N expressions are conventionalised, making this device similar to other approximative strategies and to evaluative morphology in general
Review: Jackendoff, Ray & Jenny Audring. 2020. The Texture of the Lexicon: Relational Morphology and the Parallel Architecture. Oxford: Oxford University Press. xiii + 312 pages
Get PDFThe Texture of the Lexicon is an ambitious work that doesn’t fail to impress. While its main purpose is to update and refine the original PA framework, it may alternatively serve as a highly accessible introduction to this line of thinking for those unfamiliar with Jackendoff’s previous work. In either case, it can be warmly recommended to anyone sympathetic to cognitive, usage-based approaches to language, or broadly interested in linguistic theory.The Texture of the Lexicon is an ambitious work that doesn’t fail to impress. While its main purpose is to update and refine the original PA framework, it may alternatively serve as a highly accessible introduction to this line of thinking for those unfamiliar with Jackendoff’s previous work. In either case, it can be warmly recommended to anyone sympathetic to cognitive, usage-based approaches to language, or broadly interested in linguistic theory
Pseudo(-) in French and Greek: Categorization and approximation
Get PDFPseudo(-) is generally considered to be a prefix or a prefixoid unit with an evaluative value of pragmatic approximation and negative polarity: pseudo(-)X presents a distortion with respect to a standard X. It then enters the paradigm of expressions responsible for infusing subjectivity into the discourse. The interpretative mechanisms in play exploit two dimensions, semantic and pragmatic, according to principles that will be explained in this paper. Furthermore, our contribution aims to highlight the semantic dimension in the interpretation of pseudo(-) both in Greek and French and to show how it exploits the semantic and categorial properties of the nouns that are postposed to it, leading to three main types of categorization (pseudo(-)X belongs to the category X but it is not a good exemplar, pseudo(-)X is clearly not an X the categorization remains undecidable) and to several readings.Pseudo(-) is generally considered to be a prefix or a prefixoid unit with an evaluative value of pragmatic approximation and negative polarity: pseudo(-)X presents a distortion with respect to a standard X. It then enters the paradigm of expressions responsible for infusing subjectivity into the discourse. The interpretative mechanisms in play exploit two dimensions, semantic and pragmatic, according to principles that will be explained in this paper. Furthermore, our contribution aims to highlight the semantic dimension in the interpretation of pseudo(-) both in Greek and French and to show how it exploits the semantic and categorial properties of the nouns that are postposed to it, leading to three main types of categorization (pseudo(-)X belongs to the category X but it is not a good exemplar, pseudo(-)X is clearly not an X the categorization remains undecidable) and to several readings
The emergence of approximative values in the Italian prefixes semi- and para-
Get PDFThis paper examines the diachrony of two neoclassical prefixes in Italian, namely semi- (from Latin sēmi- ‘half’) and para- (from Ancient Greek parà close to’), based on data extracted from corpora. The diachronic analysis reveals that until the 20th century, both the prefixes semi- and para- were mostly used in scientific terminology, where they conveyed their original meanings: degree and spatial proximity respectively. A cursory synchronic analysis based on data extracted from two newspaper corpora shows that in the last decades, semi- and para- have been productively used to express evaluative values (i.e., attenuation and approximation). The present study enriches the literature on the sources of approximating morphological markers and the relationship between attenuation and approximation, considered here as two distinct values placed along a continuum.This paper examines the diachrony of two neoclassical prefixes in Italian, namely semi- (from Latin sēmi- ‘half’) and para- (from Ancient Greek parà close to’), based on data extracted from corpora. The diachronic analysis reveals that until the 20th century, both the prefixes semi- and para- were mostly used in scientific terminology, where they conveyed their original meanings: degree and spatial proximity respectively. A cursory synchronic analysis based on data extracted from two newspaper corpora shows that in the last decades, semi- and para- have been productively used to express evaluative values (i.e., attenuation and approximation). The present study enriches the literature on the sources of approximating morphological markers and the relationship between attenuation and approximation, considered here as two distinct values placed along a continuum
Approximation in morphology: A state of the art:
Get PDFThis paper offers a state of the art of approximation within the larger domain of evaluative morphology. It provides an overview of the formal means employed by the morphology of different languages to express approximative meanings, as well as a survey of the specific approximative values that can be conveyed. We further discuss the (input and output) lexical categories involved in the expression of approximation crosslinguistically. On an intralinguistic level, we address the issue of competition between different strategies.This paper offers a state of the art of approximation within the larger domain of evaluative morphology. It provides an overview of the formal means employed by the morphology of different languages to express approximative meanings, as well as a survey of the specific approximative values that can be conveyed. We further discuss the (input and output) lexical categories involved in the expression of approximation crosslinguistically. On an intralinguistic level, we address the issue of competition between different strategies
Word Formation as a Stance Resource in Online Commenting: Theoretical Integration and Empirical Insights Using Two Families of Constructions as Examples
No full textThis paper integrates Construction Morphology and stancetaking. Referring to the current state of research, we outline a desideratum of Construction Morphology. Thus, functional-pragmatic characteristics of word formations have hardly been studied in detail so far. The empirical study is based on a corpus consisting of more than 10,000 internet comments on health news. We identify different semi-schematic word formation constructions that are used for stancetaking and that can be assigned to two families of constructions ([X-Gegner/Verweigerer/Skeptiker/Befürworter] and [X-Fraktion/Lobby/Mafia]). The constructions refer to (opinion) opponents and other participants whose constructed position is often evaluated simultaneously. The positioned individuals and collectivities can be addressed directly as well as be the third party written about. We describe the word formation constructions in their formal and functional patterns and work out their stance profile. The analysis consists of two steps: First, we carry out a profound morphological analysis of the constructions. Second, we examine the syntactic and co(n)textual embedding of the word formations to identify more specific pragmatic differences.This paper integrates Construction Morphology and stancetaking. Referring to the current state of research, we outline a desideratum of Construction Morphology. Thus, functional-pragmatic characteristics of word formations have hardly been studied in detail so far. The empirical study is based on a corpus consisting of more than 10,000 internet comments on health news. We identify different semi-schematic word formation constructions that are used for stancetaking and that can be assigned to two families of constructions ([X-Gegner/Verweigerer/Skeptiker/Befürworter] and [X-Fraktion/Lobby/Mafia]). The constructions refer to (opinion) opponents and other participants whose constructed position is often evaluated simultaneously. The positioned individuals and collectivities can be addressed directly as well as be the third party written about. We describe the word formation constructions in their formal and functional patterns and work out their stance profile. The analysis consists of two steps: First, we carry out a profound morphological analysis of the constructions. Second, we examine the syntactic and co(n)textual embedding of the word formations to identify more specific pragmatic differences
The approximative derivation in Kambaata (Cushitic)
Get PDFKambaata, a Cushitic language of Ethiopia, has a productive, word-class changing approximation derivation. The process marked by the suffix -lab takes adjectival, nominal and verbal roots as inputs and generates approximatives that belong to the adjective word class, whose members are characterised by their agreement behaviour in the NP. The meaning of the Kambaata approximatives is dependent on the word class of its input. Deadjectival approximatives express a vague, attenuated degree of a property, deverbal forms convey similarity or near-identity in manner, while denominal forms express similarity in nature or function and create ad hoc categories. The sub-meanings are subsumable under an overarching meaning of approximation, understood as deviation from a prototypical realisation. The source of the -lab suffix is a verb ‘resemble’. From a Cushitic perspective, the Kambaata approximative derivation is unique of its kind. No related language is known to have approximative morphology.Kambaata, a Cushitic language of Ethiopia, has a productive, word-class changing approximation derivation. The process marked by the suffix -lab takes adjectival, nominal and verbal roots as inputs and generates approximatives that belong to the adjective word class, whose members are characterised by their agreement behaviour in the NP. The meaning of the Kambaata approximatives is dependent on the word class of its input. Deadjectival approximatives express a vague, attenuated degree of a property, deverbal forms convey similarity or near-identity in manner, while denominal forms express similarity in nature or function and create ad hoc categories. The sub-meanings are subsumable under an overarching meaning of approximation, understood as deviation from a prototypical realisation. The source of the -lab suffix is a verb ‘resemble’. From a Cushitic perspective, the Kambaata approximative derivation is unique of its kind. No related language is known to have approximative morphology
Approximation and comparison in word-formation: The case of denominal adjectives in Dutch, German, and English
Get PDFThe paper presents a corpus-based comparative study of denominal adjectives in Dutch, German, and English. It aims at clarifying the notion of approximation. More specifically, it focuses on investigating the relation between approximation and comparison as semantic categories in word-formation. Drawing on equivalent patterns, we study both the relation between comparative and approximative readings in various word-formation patterns (derivation and compounding) in Dutch, German, and English as well as the respective differences between the languages. We specifically focus on suffixes and other right head constituents (in particular Dutch -achtig, German -artig and -ähnlich, and English -like), thereby addressing the question whether word class changing morphology is at all suitable for expressing approximation. We conclude that the patterns investigated in our study may have approximative readings but are not approximative in the strict sense.The paper presents a corpus-based comparative study of denominal adjectives in Dutch, German, and English. It aims at clarifying the notion of approximation. More specifically, it focuses on investigating the relation between approximation and comparison as semantic categories in word-formation. Drawing on equivalent patterns, we study both the relation between comparative and approximative readings in various word-formation patterns (derivation and compounding) in Dutch, German, and English as well as the respective differences between the languages. We specifically focus on suffixes and other right head constituents (in particular Dutch -achtig, German -artig and -ähnlich, and English -like), thereby addressing the question whether word class changing morphology is at all suitable for expressing approximation. We conclude that the patterns investigated in our study may have approximative readings but are not approximative in the strict sense