Adjectival Constructions Research Articles

Interactions of particles, adjectival resultatives and benefactive double object constructions in Norwegian

In this paper, I take a closer look at a set of observations concerning word order and co-occurrence restrictions on verb-particle constructions, benefactive double object constructions and resultative constructions in Norwegian. While a particle can co-occur with both a beneficiary DP and a resultative AP, beneficiary DPs and resultatives cannot co-occur at all. I give an analysis in terms of the system proposed in Ramchand (2006), where I argue that the co-occurrence restrictions follow from the syntactic structure assumed together with independent properties of adjectival resultative constructions and verb-particle constructions.

On the position of adjectives in Middle English

The position of adjectives, and especially that of postnominal adjectives, in Middle English is compared to the adjective situation for Old English. Recently, Fischer (2000, 2001), followed to some extent by Haumann (2003), has proposed that in Old English there is a difference in meaning between certain types of preposed and postposed adjectives, which is related to a number of parameters such as definiteness vs indefiniteness of the NP, weak vs strong forms of the adjective, and given vs new information. This article will investigate to what extent the same or similar parameters still hold in Middle English, a period in which postposed adjective position began to decline due to, among other things, the loss of the strong vs weak distinction in adjectives, the rise of a new determiner system and the gradual fixation of word order on both a phrasal and a clausal level. Special attention will be paid to the postnominal and + adjective construction, which is here argued, pace Haumann for Old English, to be similar to postnominal adjectives without and.

Semantic, pragmatic and lexical aspects of the measure phrase + adjective construction

While some adjectives are modified by measure phrases (e.g.,} 3m high), others are not (#30 euros expensive). Semantic and pragmatic hypotheses have been proposed to account for this, but they are confounded by the fact that the class of modifiable adjectives differs by language. After surveying the phenomenon and previous accounts, I argue that Germanic languages have a limited number of partially lexicalised MP+Adj constructions. Then, using historical corpus and web data, I present and argue for the hypothesis that new MP+Adj constructions are added to the language by analogy, but only when motivating factors, such as the need for measure-unit clarification and conciseness, are strong enough.

A multi-dimensional approach to the category ‘verb’ in Cantonese

Cantonese exhibits a pattern of variation among verbs that has often been interpreted as distinguishing a category of adjectives or a subcategory of adjectival verbs. However, neither of these approaches takes into account the complex patterns of overlap among the purported categories or subcategories. To account for these patterns, we propose a multi-dimensional, feature-based analysis, whereby morphological, phonological, syntactic, and semantic features interact to determine the distribution of each verb. While all verbs bear the same syntactic category feature, there are other features that affect the distribution of verbs independently of syntactic category. For example, constructions that resemble adjectival constructions in other languages license the semantic classes of verbs that are permanent, gradable, and/or non-dynamic, while constructions that resemble verbal constructions in other languages license the semantic classes of verbs that are dynamic, non-gradable, and/or non-permanent. Typological implications of this analysis are also considered.

CASE STUDYSyntactic comprehension of reversible sentences in semantic dementia

Background: A patient with semantic dementia had difficulty comprehending semantically reversible passive sentences in the Test for the Reception of Grammar (TROG). Investigations of patients with semantic dementia have typically focused on the lexical and semantic components of language. Syntactic abilities have received less attention, presumably because these are reported to be preserved until later stages of the disease.Aim: To localise the possible functional sources of deficient comprehension of passives in a Dutch man (EGY) with semantic dementia.Methods & Procedures: Dutch written sentence picture–matching tasks were used to investigate whether EGY assigned the thematic role of agent on the basis of word order, the presence of auxiliary plus inflected verb morphology, the by phrase, the presence of a locative preposition (against and after), or the lexical‐semantic specifications of the verbs push and chase.Outcomes & Results: EGY was able to understand reversible active and truncated passive sentences. He was impaired when comprehension depended on understanding the agentive role of the by phrase, although his performance improved when a locative preposition was available to highlight the theme of the action.Conclusions: Intact performance on reversible active sentences indicated spared ability to process canonical word order. EGY's ability to understand truncated passives showed comprehension of the auxiliary and inflected verb, perhaps resulting in a conceptual representation of the passive as an adjectival construction (e.g., the cow is pushed = the pushed cow). EGY's deficit in comprehending full passive sentences is explained as a failure to process the syntactic and lexical information in the agentive by preposition. In semantic dementia, the division between lexicon and grammar may be more apparent than real.

Total Adjectives vs. Partial Adjectives: Scale Structure and Higher-Order Modifiers

This paper studies a distinction that was proposed in previous works between total and partial adjectives. In pairs of adjectives such as safe–dangerous, clean–dirty and healthy–sick, the first (“total”) adjective describes lack of danger, dirt, malady, etc., while the second (“partial”) adjective describes the existence of such properties. It is shown that the semantics of adjective phrases with modifiers such as almost, slightly, and completely is sensitive to whether the adjective is total or partial. The interpretation of such modified constructions is accounted for using a novel scale structure for total and partial adjectives. It is proposed that the standard value of a total adjective is always fixed as the lower bound of the corresponding partial adjective. By contrast, the standard value of partial adjectives can take any point on the partial scale. The effects of this theoretical distinction on the behavior of modified constructions are studied in detail, and their ramifications for the semantic theory of adjectives are discussed. Some other phenomena are surveyed that show evidence for total and partial adjectival constructions with various comparatives and exceptive phrases.

The postnominal and adjective construction in Old English I am indebted to Jennifer R. Austin, David Denison, and two anonymous English Language and Linguistics reviewers for detailed and helpful comments on earlier versions of this paper.

It is argued in this article that the postnominal ‘ and adjective’ construction in Old English (e.g. Sodfsstne man & unscyldigne (LAW2,40.45) ‘righteous person and guiltless’ and psas fullan ofnes & psas peostran (BEDE,13.430.4) ‘that full furnace and that dark’) should be not analyzed as an instance of ambilateral adjective placement, but as an instance of DP coordination with an empty nominal element, pro , in the second conjunct. As a consequence, the adjective contained in the postnominal ‘ and adjective’ construction is analyzed as an attributive adjective in prenominal, i.e. pre- pro position.

Variation in Northern Sotho adjective constructions

Despite the fact that Northern Sotho is reasonably established as a written language, used as an educational medium, and addressed in various publications, there are still grammatical aspects, like the adjective word group (construction) for example, that are incorrectly or incompletely described. In this article one such variation is discussed, namely the problem of possible compounds.

Les constructions adjectivales à sujet phrastique en grec moderne et en français

During the comparative study of adjectives nominalization in Modern Greek and in French (E. Sklavounou, 1997) we have singled out constructions with specific syntactic properties and related them to lexical entries of different syntactic classes. In this article we study the specific syntactic properties of the adjectival constructions whose subject is a sentence or a deverbal phrase, for example Η απόφαση του Οδυσσέα ήταν έξυπνη (Ulysses' decision was clever) . These constructions are related to the construction with a human subject and a sentential complement ΝΟ είναι Adj QueP. The two adjectival constructions (sentential or human subject) have important syntactic differences. Both can be nominalized leading to two de-adjectival nominal sentences, indirectly related, with slightly different meanings and different support verb. We propose a representation with two families of constructions inside the lexical entry : one for the human-subject construction and another for the sentential-subject one. These specific syntactic properties and those of morphologically related nouns and adverbs define a class of adjectives denoting human psychological qualities.

La restructuration du sujet dans les phrases adjectivales à substantif approprié

In this paper, we study the restructuration of the subject in adjectival constructions containing an appropriate noun like Les cheveux de Léa sont frisés. The restructuration is studied in three steps. First, we examine on which syntactic conditions it can take place. Then we describe the syntactic properties of regular sequences Prep Det Napp which appear in restructurated sentences. Finally, we show that these sequences are also semantically homogeneous.

The redundancy principle: relative descriptions in Northern Sotho

The redundancy principle in Northern Sotho implies that any tautological linguistic element must be reduced through omission (elision). This principle is discussed with special reference to relative constructions (verbal, nominal and adjectival constructions). Linguistic elements that become redundant in these types of constructions are the subject concord, class prefix and the relative marker (‘demonstrative’).

On the recognition of transfer errors

This study reconsiders a claim by Ioup (1984) that individuals can use only phonological clues in identifying the native language of ESL students. In two different investigations, Ioup found evidence that syntactic errors are of no help in enabling people to identify the mother tongue of an anonymous speaker or writer. Her approach, however, has unwarranted assumptions, and it does not give sufficient regard to some crucial considerations including the potential of bilingual judges to detect characteristic errors of individuals who speak the same languages as the judges. The results of the present study indicate that certain characteristic problems of Spanish and Korean ESL writers are distinguishable to readers who know either Spanish or Korean. For example, nearly all Korean judges considered the sentence She fell in love with a different country man to be a likely error of Korean students while almost no Spanish‐speaking informants considered it to be likely from a Spanish‐speaker. Other characteristic errors include reflexes of Spanish as well as Korean word order, certain adjectival constructions, and problems involving articles.

These

In this work, we study the transformational relations between adjectival and verbal constructions in a syntactic approach. This study is composed of three parts. First, we describe the characteristics of this type of adjectives and we deal with different problems such as the collection of these adjectives, the description of their syntactic properties, etc. The second part includes the chapters 3 and 4, in which we describe the similarities and the differences between the two constructions. Syntactic and transformational regularities appear but they are not systematic, thus the construction of the lexicon-grammar of these adjectives is necessary. In the third part, which contains chapters 5 and 6, we describe adjectival constructions that have an appropriate noun in subject position. First, we classify these nouns according to semantic criteria, then we investigate the properties of the constructions obtained with different transformations, i.e., a nominal sentence containing a support verb, a sentence in which the subject is restructurated and a metonymical sentence.

Xhosa beyond the textbook: an analysis of grammatical variation of selected Xhosa constructions

This article investigates the negative of copular relative and adjective constructions. Variants of these constructions are discussed and issues pertaining to their use examined. It is concluded that this study indicates a significant need for further examination of the language as it is spoken as opposed to the way it has been described in present grammars.

Prenominal adjectives and the phrasal/lexical distinction

This paper aims to demonstrate that there is no adequate treatment of adjectives in NP in English, and attempts to remedy this. The central problem is to account for the syntactic and semantic differences between prenominal and postnominal adjectival constructions as in (i)–(iv):(i) the navigable river(ii) the rivers navigable(iii) *the navigable by boat rivers(iv) the rivers navigable by boatExisting treatments are reviewed, and a novel analysis proposed whereby the structures in (ii) and (iv) are normal syntactic N-AP structures, but prenominally, adjectives form what we call ‘small’ syntactic constructions (X° constructions, with X° daughters) which have some properties in common with lexical/morphological constructions. If the analysis is right, it poses a serious challenge to the view that there is a strict separation of lexical and syntactic aspects of grammar: grammatical theory should recognize a kind of construction which is neither fully syntactic nor fully lexical, but has properties of both.

Decapitation in two Welsh adjectival constructions

Decapitation in two Welsh adjectival constructions

Frege Numbers and the Relativity Argument

Textual and historical subtleties aside, let's call the idea that numbers are properties (or classes) of equinumerous sets ‘the Fregean thesis.’ In a recent paper, Palle Yourgrau claims to have found a decisive refutation of this thesis. More surprising still, he claims in addition that the essence of this refutation is found in the Grundlagen itself – the very masterpiece in which Frege first proffered his thesis. My intention in this note is to evaluate these claims, and along the way to shed some light on relevant passages of the Grundlagen. I will argue that Yourgrau does not make his case.The arguments with which we are concerned are found in the last three sections of Yourgrau's paper. A pervasive difficulty in these sections is that it is not clear exactly what Yourgrau is arguing against. The stated object of his attack is the Fregean thesis (d. 581-6), a thesis about what numbers are; however, instead of a frontal assault, his strategy is to embark on a foray into the ill-defined issue of what it is that numbers number (586ff.), where, roughly speaking, a number n numbers an object x just in case n can be legitimately assigned to x. The reason for this shift in emphasis appears to be rooted in a misconception. As we’ll see in more detail shortly, Yourgrau's argument against the Fregean thesis is based on an extension of a well known argument of Frege's found in §§22-3 of the Grundlagen, which Glenn Kessler has tagged the ‘relativity argument,’ (henceforth ‘RA’). According to Yourgrau, this is an argument ‘to the effect that what is literally numbered cannot simply be concrete objects’ (586). This is incorrect. Frege himself clarifies the point of the argument in §21 with the following preface:In language, numbers (i.e., numerals] most commonly appear in adjectival form and attributive construction in the same sort of way as the words "hard" or "heavy" or "red," which have for their meanings properties of external things. It is natural to ask whether we must think of the individual numbers too as such properties, and whether, accordingly, the concept of number can be classed along with that, say, of color.

Taming ser and estar with Predicate Adjectives

In our article Sery Estar + Adjetivo Calificativo (Hispania, May 1983) a theory was set forth, according to which the selection of ser or estar in constructions with predicate adjectives is explained as expressing different types of implied comparisons. Ser is used to express an implied comparison of the type X/Y i.e., an entity X is compared with one or more entities Y which provide the standard by which a quality is attributed to X. For example, Pedro es rico asserts that Peter is rich in the sense that his wealth is greater than that of some putative average person. By contrast, estar expresses an implied comparison of the type X/X, i.e., an entity X is compared with itself, as in the example Pedro estd rico, which asserts that Peter is rich in the sense that his present wealth is greater than it is known or thought usually to be.' In the present article, our objective is to amplify and develop the theory of ser/estar with predicate adjectives in several ways.2 First, we shall look into the relationship between the theory and certain issues regarding the general semantic properties of adjectives. Second, we shall see how the theory in question provides an explanation for a variety of apparent paradoxes which have troubled earlier explanations of constructions of the type ser/estar + predicate adjective. In particular, we propose interpretations for a number of constructions such as Pedro estd muerto and El gerente estd bueno para tratar con el pziblico, which have traditionally not been well explained. As discussed in our earlier article, traditional explanations of the use of ser/estar with predicate adjectives, which are based on such dichotomies as permanent vs. temporary/ transitory or essential/inherent vs. accidental, fall short of being totally convincing because they are open to easy challenge by counter-example, e.g., Juan estd muerto, Pedro es rico,4 etc. Is death temporary, or is wealth permanent or inherent? The theory proposed in our article was able to accommodate such examples because it is based on the idea that in the case of subject-predicate adjective constructions the speaker is free to impose either of two interpretations, whereby each interpretation corresponds to a different type of implied comparison. Thus, to return to the example of rico, the difference between Pedro es rico and Pedro estd rico is seen as having nothing to do with such objective variables as the amount of money or other possessions Pedro might have at his disposal at the time either of these sentences is uttered, and indeed, this view is confirmed by observation of Spanish usage. The fact is that either of the sentences could be uttered by different speakers in exactly the same situation to comment on Pedro's wealth. Such observations would seem to clearly imply that the use of ser or estar with predicate adjectives reflects some sort of subjective reaction, judgment, or opinion of the individual speaker concerning Pedro's wealth. But what about our claim that the crucial variable underlying such individual reactions, judgments, or opinions is that one of two types of implied comparisons is being made? If this theory is correct, then it should account for the use of ser or estar not only in constructions with rico, but in constructions with any of the indefinitely many predicate adjectives which may be used with either ser or estar Furthermore, a highly valued theory of these constructions should provide a basis for accounting for the specific *Articles for this section may be sent to Prof. John P. Wonder, Dept. of Modern Languages, University of the Pacific, Stockton, California 95204. Please send a typed original and copy for each paper submitted. Maximum length is 20 double-spaced pages.

Teaching German Business Correspondence: A Computer-Assisted Approach

At a recent Business German conference for Germanists of New England area, advisability of teaching German business correspondence was debated.1 Those in favor believed it to be mandatory: Americans planning to market abroad must be able to meet their clients on their own level; they must be able to present their products and their arguments on behalf of these products in language of prospective buyer. Even though many business counterparts abroad are quite fluent in English, one should not take this for granted, nor should one overlook psychological advantage gained when approaching any foreign business associate or prospective customer in his or her own language. Furthermore, in case of graduates from business language programs seeking employment in a German or German-American firm, it would be very difficult to write on one's resume that one is fluent in German without at same time being able to write a letter of application or a vita in proper German style. Those opposed to teaching correspondence in Business German courses argued that task is too overwhelming; style of a German business letter is so esoteric and formal that only a native with years of training and experience can be entrusted with such a task. The vocabulary is specialized and shades of meaning are subtle; chance for error is too great for non-German speaker. Furthermore, German business writing style reflects a different mentality in dealing with business counterparts, which can only be fully duplicated by a native German. In short, Americans should write in English; Germans should write in German. Each side should develop a passive knowledge of business correspondence in other's language, but not attempt to duplicate it actively. At first glance at a German business letter such as enclosed sample from Richard Muller & Co.,2 untrained American students will not recognize this as German they have learned in conversational classes or during a Junior Year abroad. Indeed, even their German instructor might be discouraged by thought of writing such a hybrid prose. Not only is outer form of letter puzzling with its many abbreviations such as MM/ka, z.Hd., and Kd.Nr., but writing style itself clearly departs from spoken and written German which is generally taught in our classes. Some doubts are legitimate; can an American learn to think with extended adjective constructions and guarantee their grammatical accuracy? Very honored Mr. Mellers, by you with letter of July 22, 1983 announced delivery arrived at our company only today, apparently after occurrence of a delay. Such stylistic issues are further compounded by presence of potentially confusing cultural issues. Can Americans be close enough to German culture to understand their specific business needs? Would an American firm comprehend reference to a sales program commencing on the long Saturday of August 6, 1983?

Natural units of representation interact during sentence comprehension

Subjects read aloud the verb IS and ARE that was projected to interrupt a spoken sentence: immediately preceding the projected word, the sentence contianed a “verb” + ing noun” sequence, which was either a gerund (“raking leaves”), an adjectival phrase (“diving submarines”) or ambiguous (“growing flowers”). The experiment investigated the effect on word-reading time of various independent variables in the preceding context clause that biased the subject to expect either a gerund or adjectival construction. The operational measure of the effectiveness of a context was the difference in reading time between a word consistent with the bias and a word inconsistent with the bias. The stronger effects occurred when the “verb + ing noun” phrase was ambiguous and (1) the plural/singular dimension in the preceding context clause was morphologically explicit, (2) the context clause was introduced by THOUGH (as opposed to IF, or being a main clause), (3) there was an explicit form of BE in the context clause, (4) the biased interpretation from the context clause was the gerund. These effects and others support a structurally differentiated model of comprehension in which listeners link representations at distinct levels of representation expressed in the units that are most natural at that level (e.g., propositions at the semantic level, words and word-groupings at the syntactic level).