1,770,789 research outputs found
Wh-questions in Japanese: scrambling, reconstruction, and wh-movement
No full textIn this article, I discuss some important properties of wh-questions and wh-scrambling in Japanese. The questions I will address are (i) which instances of (wh-) scrambling involve reconstruction and (ii) how the undoing effects of scrambling can be derived. First I will discuss the claim that (wh-) scrambling is semantically vacuous and is therefore undone at LF (Saito 1989, 1992). Then I consider the data that led Takahashi (1993) to the conclusion that at least some instances of wh-scrambling have to be analyzed as instances of "full wh-movement" i.e., overt movement of the wh-phrase in its scopal position. It will be argued that these examples are not instances of full wh-movement in Japanese, but that they also represent semantically vacuous scrambling. Those instances of scrambling that apprently cannot be undone are best explained with recourse to parsing effects. I conclude that wh-scrambling in Japanese is always triggered by a ([-wh]-) scrambling feature. In addition, long distance scrambling (scrambling out of finite CPs) is analyzed as adjunction movement, whereas short distance scrambling is movement to a specifier position of IP. Turning to the mechanisms of undoing, I will argue that only long distance scrambling is undone. This is shown to follow from Chomsky's (1995) bare phrase structure analysis, according to which multi-segmental categories derived by adjunction movement are not licensed at LF. The article is organized as follows. In section 2, the wh-scrambling phenomenon is described. In section 3, I discuss the reconstruction properties of scrambling. In addition, this section provides some basic assumptions about my analysis of Japanese scrambling in general. In section 4, I turn to the analysis of wh-scrambling as an instance of full wh-movement in Japanese. Section 5 provides discussion of multiple wh-questions in Japanese, and section 6 gives the conclusion
Wh-questions and extraction asymmetries in Malagasy
No full textThe languages of the world differ with respect to argument extraction possibilities. In languages such as English, wh-movement is possible from Spec IP and from the complement position, whereas in languages such as Malagasy only extraction from Spec IP is possible. This difference correlates with the fact that these language types obey different island constraints and behave differently with respect to wh-in situ and superiority effects. The goal of this paper is to outline an analysis for these differences. The basic idea is that in contrast to languages such as English, in Malagasy-type languages every argument can be merged in the complement position of the selecting head
Prosody by phase : evidence from focus intonation–Wh-scope correspondence in Japanese
No full textJapanese wh-questions always exhibit focus intonation (FI). Furthermore, the domain of FI exhibits a correspondence to the wh-scope. I propose that this phonology-semantics correspondence is a result of the cyclic computation of FI, which is explained under the notion of Multiple Spell-Out in the recent Minimalist framework. The proposed analysis makes two predictions: (1) embedding of an FI into another is possible; (2) (overt) movement of a wh-phrase to a phase edge position causes a mismatch between FI and wh-scope. Both predictions are tested experimentally, and shown to be borne out
Pied-piping in wh-questions:What do children say about it?
Full text linkErrors/non-target responses characterizing sub-extraction of a wh-phrase from complex DPs in child speech are found in first language acquisition studies (van Kampen 1997 among others) and have provided the basis for arguing the complexity of question formation involving pied-piping.
In this dissertation, data were drawn from 81 children, aged 3;0-6;0, participating in two experiments, with one eliciting a D-linked question in complex phrases such as inda milo ‘which apple’ in Cypriot Greek. The results validated previous literature on sub-extraction phenomena and have provided the first observation for such cases in the specific variety. Errors were characterized by movement of the operator and stranding of the noun in which+NP structures, such as ‘which apple’. Another error involved movement of the operator and pied-piping of a noun, but stranding of the second noun in wh+NP+NP structures, such as ti xroma tsenda (lit., ‘which color bag’).
Results from the production experiment show that children show high percentages of omission of the NP in D-linked questions (up to 50%) in all age groups. Their responses involve stranding of the NP (7%-17%), which does not seem to fade out even in the oldest age group. These errors appear across ages when children produce a wh-question with the wh-phrase ti ‘which’. In a set of responses, where inda ‘which’ is used, errors are found only in the youngest group and do not appear with the successful use of inda ‘which’.
A comprehension task was later administered to a subset of the children that participated n the production experiment and some of the data collected are used to compare the acquisition of D-linked questions between production and comprehension. Children provided more than 60% successful responses in the comprehension experiment showing a steady development by age. Lower percentages are found in object D-linked questions, suggesting greater difficulty in the comprehension of object D-linked questions in comparison with subject D-linked questions (Goodluck 2005 and subsequent work). Subject D-linked questions initially appear to be acquired at the age of 4, whereas object D-linked questions appear at the age of 6.
With focus on sub-extractions, the Immediate Move Hypothesis is proposed to account for these errors in D-linked questions and other environments of similar type. It predicts the ‘optionality’ in pied-piping, expands the syntactic term ‘shortest’ in the Minimal Link Condition and provides a theory of movement in children based on the smallest possible element satisfying the maximum number of requirements in syntax.
The types of errors produced by children involve a logical explanation under which fundamental notions of Minimalism, such as Economy, are expressed through different structures defining these errors as innately-motivated patterns
Question/answer congruence and the semantics of wh-phrases
No full textThis paper is about the semantics of wh-phrases. It is argued that wh-phrases should not be analyzed as indefinites as, for example, Karttunen (1977) and many others have done, but as functional expressions with an indefinite core -their function being to restrict possible focus/background structures in direct or congruent answers. This will be argued for on the basis of observations made with respect to the distribution of term answers in well-formed question/answer sequences. This claim having been established, it will be integrated in a categorial variant of Schwarzschild's (1999) information-theoretic approach to F-marking and accent placement, and – second – its consequences with respect to the focus/background structure of wh-questions will be outlined
A Comparative Study of Wh-Items in Kazakh and English: Structures, Usage, and Differences
Full text linkopenThis thesis explores the syntactic and morphological characteristics of wh-items in the Kazakh and English languages. The study aims to comprehensively analyze the structures, usage, and differences between these two languages, focusing particularly on interrogative items.
The research begins with an introduction to the Kazakh language, detailing its general properties, including word structure, conjugation, declension, possessive forms, word order, emphasis, focus, and sentence types. It also delves into the peculiarities of Kazakh grammar, such as its extensive agglutination, null-subject properties, and the use of auxiliary verbs and converbs.
The core of the study examines the structure of interrogative sentences in Kazakh, analyzing the morphology of interrogative pronouns and the positions of wh-items within these sentences. It also explores various constructions involving wh-items. This foundational understanding of Kazakh is juxtaposed with an analysis of wh-item utilization in English, highlighting key contrasts such as wh-movement, do-support, case declension, pro-drop language features, relative clauses, and exclamative clauses.
Through comparative analysis, the research identifies significant differences in utilizing wh-items between Kazakh and English. It is observed that while English heavily relies on syntactic movement and auxiliary support for question formation, Kazakh demonstrates a more flexible word order influenced by emphasis and focus.
The methodology includes a detailed linguistic analysis of both languages' grammar rules and sentence structures, supported by examples from native speakers and linguistic corpora.
The findings of this study contribute to the broader understanding of language typology and syntactic theory, offering insights into the unique features of Kazakh and English. The implications of this research extend to language teaching, translation studies, and further comparative linguistic research.
In conclusion, this thesis highlights the complex nature of wh-items in both Kazakh and English, showcasing the different linguistic methods each language uses to accomplish similar communicative goals.This thesis explores the syntactic and morphological characteristics of wh-items in the Kazakh and English languages. The study aims to comprehensively analyze the structures, usage, and differences between these two languages, focusing particularly on interrogative items.
The research begins with an introduction to the Kazakh language, detailing its general properties, including word structure, conjugation, declension, possessive forms, word order, emphasis, focus, and sentence types. It also delves into the peculiarities of Kazakh grammar, such as its extensive agglutination, null-subject properties, and the use of auxiliary verbs and converbs.
The core of the study examines the structure of interrogative sentences in Kazakh, analyzing the morphology of interrogative pronouns and the positions of wh-items within these sentences. It also explores various constructions involving wh-items. This foundational understanding of Kazakh is juxtaposed with an analysis of wh-item utilization in English, highlighting key contrasts such as wh-movement, do-support, case declension, pro-drop language features, relative clauses, and exclamative clauses.
Through comparative analysis, the research identifies significant differences in utilizing wh-items between Kazakh and English. It is observed that while English heavily relies on syntactic movement and auxiliary support for question formation, Kazakh demonstrates a more flexible word order influenced by emphasis and focus.
The methodology includes a detailed linguistic analysis of both languages' grammar rules and sentence structures, supported by examples from native speakers and linguistic corpora.
The findings of this study contribute to the broader understanding of language typology and syntactic theory, offering insights into the unique features of Kazakh and English. The implications of this research extend to language teaching, translation studies, and further comparative linguistic research.
In conclusion, this thesis highlights the complex nature of wh-items in both Kazakh and English, showcasing the different linguistic methods each language uses to accomplish similar communicative goals
Syntactic Computation as Labelled Deduction: WH a case study
No full textThis paper addresses the question "Why do WH phenomena occur with the particular cluster of properties observed across languages -- long-distance dependencies, WH-in situ, partial movement constructions, reconstruction, crossover etc." These phenomena have been analysed by invoking a number of discrete principles and categories, but have so far resisted a unified treatment.
The explanation proposed is set within a model of natural language understanding in context, where the task of understanding is taken to be the incremental building of a structure over which the semantic content is defined. The formal model is a composite of a labelled type-deduction system, a modal tree logic, and a set of rules for describing the process of interpreting the string as a set of transition states. A dynamic concept of syntax results, in which in addition to an output structure associated with each string (analogous to the level of LF), there is in addition an explicit meta-level description of the process whereby this incremental process takes place.
This paper argues that WH-related phenomena can be unified by adopting this dynamic perspective. The main focus of the paper is on WH-initial structures, WH in situ structures, partial movement phenomena, and crossover phenomena. In each case, an analysis is proposed which emerges from the general characterisatioan of WH structures without construction-specific stipulation.Articl
Wh-slifing as an instance of wh-doubling (?)
No full textPresentation at the Workshop on Wh-Doubling, Zukunskolleg, University of Konstanz, German
On wh-doubling in Lombard varieties: the case of Ticino and Como areas
Full text linkopenIl presente lavoro di ricerca ha come scopo quello di analizzare la struttura sintattica delle interrogative nelle varietà dialettali lombarde. L'approccio sintattico di riferimento è quello cartografico. Al fine di analizzare frasi interrogative dirette e indirette dotate di raddoppiamento dell'elemento wh- (wh-doubling), viene suggerita l'esistenza di una particella Q(uestion) anche per i dialetti dell'Italia settentrionale. L'esistenza della suddetta particella è stata proposta da Cable (2010) sulla base di uno studio svolto sulla lingua Tlingit ed è stata applicata da Bonan (2019; 2021) nella propria teoria riguardante il movimento Wh-to-Foc in Trevigiano. Dal punto di vista empirico, nella presente ricerca sono proposti nuovi dati provenienti da varietà parlate nel Canton Ticino (CH) e nell'area di Como, raccolti per mezzo di questionari. L'analisi dei nuovi dati è stata svolta distinguendo tre tipologie di domande dal punto di vista sintattico: quelle dotate di un elemento interrogativo in prima posizione, quelle in cui il wh- si trova in situ, ovvero alla fine della frase interrogativa, e quelle che mostrano una costruzione di tipo doppio, in cui il wh- è ripetuto. Questo studio, riguardante nello specifico le interrogative dotate di raddoppiamento dell'elemento wh-, sostiene la proposta avanzata da Bonan (2019), secondo cui esisterebbe un movimento Wh-to-Foc, ossia uno dei due elementi interrogativi verrebbe spostato dalla propria posizione iniziale alla proiezione di Focus della periferia di VP al fine di verificare i propri tratti. Inoltre, l’analisi proposta avvalora la teoria della separazione dei tratti avanzata da Bonan (2021), secondo cui i tratti Focus e Wh- sono associati a due elementi differenti, come suggerito anche da Manzini e Savoia (2005; 2011; 2014). Ciò consente di spiegare la posizione iniziale assunta da uno dei due elementi wh- nelle strutture con raddoppiamento. D’altra parte, queste affermazioni confutano l'ipotesi di Poletto e Pollock (2009), per cui solo un movimento di tipo remnant permetterebbe di costruire strutture con wh-doubling, sostenendo che questo genere di movimento sia troppo costoso dal punto di vista computazionale.
I nuovi dati raccolti nelle varietà lombarde occidentali hanno portato all'avanzamento di due ulteriori proposte, entrambe aperte a nuove ricerche. La prima suppone l'esistenza di una gerarchia implicazionale degli elementi interrogativi che possono essere inseriti in una configurazione di tipo raddoppiato. La seconda mette in luce l'esistenza di una particella "ma", usata in alcune varietà lombarde per rafforzare specifici valori pragmatici conferiti a domande non standard dotate di raddoppiamento del wh-, in altre per sostituire le costruzioni con raddoppiamento.This piece of research outlines an analysis of wh-doubling questions in Lombard varieties. It falls within the cartographic approach to syntactic structures. It suggests the existence of a silent Q(uestion)-particle à la Cable (2010) in Northern Italian dialects as proposed by Bonan (2019; 2021) in her theory concerning Wh-to-Foc movement in Trevisan. Empirically, I offer new data from varieties spoken in Ticino (CH) and Como areas, collected through surveys. Using these new samples, I analyse three different constructions of content questions: wh-fronting, wh-in situ, and wh-doubling configurations. The study about wh-doubling structure supports Bonan’s (2019) proposal concerning the presence of a Wh-to-Foc movement, i.e., in wh-in situ questions wh-items move to Focus Projection in VP-periphery to check their features. Moreover, I stay with scattering features theory argued by Bonan (2021), namely Focus feature and Wh-feature are carried by two different elements, as suggested also by Manzini and Savoia (2005; 2011; 2014). This allows the fronting of one wh-item in doubling configurations. These statements contrast with remnant movement hypothesis, argued by Poletto and Pollock (2009), considering it more costly in terms of computation.
The new data collected within Western Lombard dialects arise two more proposals, both open to further research. First, the existence of an implicational hierarchy of wh-elements that are allowed to occur in wh-doubling configurations. Second, the presence of a ma-particle in some Lombard varieties that is used to strengthen the pragmatics value of non-standard wh-doubling configurations, or to substitute these constructions
As interrogativas do português brasileiro: perguntas e respostas
Full text linkTese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Comunicação e Expressão. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Linguística.Descrição e análise do comportamento sintático das sentenças interrogativas do português brasileiro (PB) a partir do modelo Princípios e Parâmetros da gramática gerativa. Busca confrontar suas duas versões concorrentes: a Teoria de Regência e Vinculação e o Programa Minimalista, procurando mostrar de que maneira cada uma delas lida com os fenômenos relacionados às interrogativas do PB. Parte da classificação usual das sentenças interrogativas em WH (não-polares) e polares e divide o estudo das interrogativas WH do PB em três partes em função da posição relativa do operador WH, contemplando as interrogativas com WH deslocado, com WH múltiplo e com WH in situ. Os principais fenômenos tratados em relação às interrogativas WH do PB são a inversão Verbo-Sujeito, as estruturas com que/é que, o Efeito de Superioridade, a distinção D-linked/não-D-linked proposta por Pesetsky (1987) e a permanência do sintagmas WH in situ também em LF. O estudo das interrogativas polares do PB, classificadas em Yes/No (Y/N) e Alternativas (esta última incluindo as perguntas A-não-A), se baseou no tipo de resposta que podem receber
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