Clause Subordination Research Articles

The combined effects of task repetition and post-task teacher-corrected transcribing on complexity, accuracy and fluency of L2 oral performance

Abstract Given the benefits of task repetition, post-task transcribing and teacher corrective feedback, examining the combined effects of task repetition and post-task teacher-corrected transcribing is promised to produce gains in L2 oral performance. In recognition of this potential, this study examined the effects of task repetition combined with post-task teacher-corrected transcribing (TRPTCT) on the complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) of L2 oral performance and CAF gains over time. On a sample of 27 second year English-majors in a Vietnamese university, they were randomly divided into three groups including TRPTCT, task repetition (TR), and control groups. They later orally performed three picture description tasks, which were measured in terms of CAF. Results showed that the TRPTCT condition was superior to the TR condition at increasing complexity and fluency for the students’ repeated task performances. Additionally, the TRPTCT condition was better at fostering accuracy in verb forms and complexity in terms of clause subordination and length of language production as learning gains in the new task performance.

Some notes on central causal clauses in Venetian

Abstract The goal of this paper is to provide novel evidence in favor of an integration of Haegeman’s (2002) taxonomy of adverbial clause subordination by discussing some data from C-introduced causal constructs in Venetian, the Italo-Romance dialect spoken in the city of Venice. Haegeman’s model is based on a two-class categorization of adverbial structures into central clauses, in which matrix-clause phenomena (such as the licensing of some sentence-initial or sentence-final discourse particle-like items, XP-fronting) are excluded, and peripheral clauses, in which these phenomena are licit. The external-syntactic distinction predicted by this model, namely a semantic differentiation resulting from TP/VP-adjunction for central vs. CP-adjunction for peripheral adverbial clauses, has severe consequences for the internal syntax of the a/m constructions, the most striking being the absence of the upper projections of the Split CP of central constructs. The data presented in this paper, however, suggest that (at least) in Venetian, (some) main-clause phenomena may also be licensed in central adverbial clauses under specific circumstances. Additionally, it will be shown that the conclusions drawn from the observation of the Venetian data match the behavior of the same constructions in Standard Italian, as well as in other languages, under the very same conditions.

Peculiarities of complex sentences with object clauses in the texts of mathematical works in the english and french languages

The aim of the article is to study the basic structural and semantic qualities of two-component complex sentences with object clauses functioning in mathematical works in English and French. The works of outstanding modern mathematicians in the field of differential geometry and algebraic topology served as a material for the research. Using the technique of continuous sampling the authors extracted the sentences to be studied. The basic principles of communicative grammar, structural and semantic analysis, as well as statistical methods to process the extracted material, were applied. For the difficult material to be apprehended properly the language of mathematical works must obey some definite syntactical laws. Complex sentences with clear subordination of clauses favor to a great extent the logical consecutive statement of the mathematical text. Having a more complicated structure than simple sentences they are more evident in semantic facilitating apprehension of the information being conveyed. Constructions with object clauses are highly productive among the complex sentences of the inseparable type. As a rule, it is the subordinate clause that contains somewhat new that promotes the advancement of the course of reasoning whereas the main clause is assigned only an auxiliary part. The article covers such important features of the studied sentences as the position and construction of the main and subordinate clauses, their means of connection, morphological and semantic properties of the subordinating word, etc. In the course of analysis of these structures in the two languages, some common features (for example, the absolute predominance of the preposition of the main clause), as well as considerable differences (for example, the absence of a conjunction in English) are revealed, which should be taken into account at working with the texts of mathematical works in these languages.

Automatic extraction of subordinate clauses and its application in second language acquisition research

Clause subordination is an important linguistic phenomenon that is relevant to research in psycholinguistics, cognitive and behavioral sciences, language acquisition, and computational information retrieval. The paper presents a comprehensive tool called AutoSubClause, which is specifically designed for extracting subordinate clause (SC) information from natural English production. Using dependency parsing, AutoSubClause is able to extract not only information characterizing the three main types of SCs—complement, adverbial, and relative clauses—but also information regarding the internal structure of different clause types and their semantic and structural relations with elements of the main clause. Robustness testing of the system and its underlying dependency parser Stanford CoreNLP showed satisfactory results. To demonstrate the usefulness of AutoSubClause, we used it to analyze a large-scale learner corpus and investigate the effects of first language (L1) on the acquisition of subordination in second language (L2) English. Our analysis shows that learners from an L1 that is typologically different from the L2 in clause subordination tend to have different developmental trajectories from those whose L1 is typologically similar to the L2. Furthermore, the developmental patterns for different types of SCs also vary. This finding suggests the need to approach clausal subordination as a multi-componential construct rather than a unitary one, as is the case in most previous research. Finally, we demonstrate how NLP technology can support research questions that rely on linguistic analysis across various disciplines and help gain new insights with the increasing opportunities for up-scaled analysis.

An Organic Syntactic Complexity Measure for the Chinese Language: The TC-Unit

Abstract Language complexity reveals the ability to use a wide and varied range of sophisticated structures and vocabulary. Although different languages compose complexity differently, complexity measures such as the T-unit have typically been based on clause subordination, which may underrepresent complexity and threaten the validity of studies. This study argues that an organic complexity measure should avoid the assumption of clause subordination and instead consider the typological features of the target language. Therefore, this study proposes the TC-unit in recognition of the topic chain as the underlying unit of Chinese complexity. It further validates TC-unit-based measures by investigating how accurately they predict proficiency group membership. Discriminant analyses of L1 and L2 Chinese speakers’ spoken (N = 115) and written (N = 116) output elicited from a designed timed online test, revealed that TC-unit-based measures classified proficiency group membership with high efficiency (61.2–75.7 per cent). Mean length of terminable TC-unit proved the most effective indicator of spoken Chinese syntactic complexity, while mean length of terminable TC-unit and single TC-units per terminable TC-unit in combination proved the most effective for written Chinese syntactic complexity.

The ‘I’ of the author and its persuasive function (as exemplified by the complex sentence with homogeneously collateral sub clauses)

What makes this study topical: the urgency of the problem under consideration is due to the existing need for structural and semantic analysis of complex sentences (CS) with homogeneously collateral subordination of clauses, in different functional styles of speech and language. Our study is directed towards revealing the ability of syntaxemes with homogeneously collateral subordination to render hidden meanings of the author‘s ‘I’ and to thereby affect the reader/hearer. The cornerstone research method in this study is direct observation of language phenomena with generous borrowings from transformational analysis; it allows us to assert that the multi-component sentences under scrutiny here possess powerful expressive potential and can better than any other render additional information, thereby giving a strongly suggestive focus to an utterance or statement. In this paper, for the first time in the history of linguistics, we reveal how CS with homogeneously collateral subordination of sub clauses work in all functional styles. We also define cognitive boundaries within which takes place the choice between such multi-component structures in the process of language activity, with concern for how the ‘I’ of the author affects the addressee.

Foreground and Background in a Narrative: Trends in Foreign Linguistic and Translation Studies

The review accumulates the information on the Theory of Grounding and Saliency Hierarchy (based on publications that have not been translated into Russian) and describes the main modern trends in the study of grounding. The Theory of Grounding, designed in the last quarter of the 20th century, has since then been developing within linguistic, narratological, cognitive and translation studies, being applied to texts of various genres in many languages. Early works in this sphere elaborated the criteria characterizing the relative grounding of the clauses in the narrative (based on temporal sequentiality and transitivity), while later research, focusing on the wider range of texts including free indirect discourse and non-sequential prose, highlighted the subjectivity of grounding, including criteria of human importance and unpredictability into the analysis of the salient clauses. As a result the Theory of Grounding has contributed to various coexisting trends in the scientific research concerning subordination of clauses and anaphoric relations in texts on the one hand, and deixis, evaluation and perspective on the other. Touching upon these trends in the review, we pay special attention to the analysis of grounding within translation studies: the researchers focus on transitivity in translation, revealing and explaining the cases of non-intentional and purposeful changes in transitivity made by translators. The analysis of the deictic center shifts in original texts and their translations also contributes to our knowledge of grounding devices. Out of all publications, our special attention is drawn to the studies of grounding that employ Russian-language narrative materials.

Subordination Across Ghanaian And British Newspaper Editorials: A Register Perspective

This is a corpus-based empirical study which argues in the light of the register theory that grammatical categories are functional and relate to their situational context of use. Using editorials from Ghanaian and British newspapers, this paper examined the usage dynamics and the functional motivations behind the use of subordinate clauses in the editorial register. Clause subordination in this study is argued to offer the opportunity for idea expansion. Limiting the focus to functional clauses, it was found that though there are enormous patterns of similarity in the distribution of the three functional clause-types across the variable sociocultural contexts studied in line with claims by register theory, some distributional inconsistencies exist in the details of the subtypes of some of the functional clause-types. The results revealed that nominal clauses are consistently preferred across newspapers from the two sociocultural contexts, followed by relative clauses; an observation that led us to conclude that the nominal clause is indispensable to the editorial register because it performs elaboratory functions necessary for editorial communication. The findings of this cross-cultural study generally enhance our understanding of the language of newspaper editorials as well as the sociocultural variations that exist in the newspaper editorial genre.

Discriminating CEFR levels in Greek L2: a corpus-based study of young learners’ written narratives

In line with cross-linguistic research aiming at identifying criterial features that discriminate the CEFR proficiency levels, the present study investigates language elements that are core characteristics of each proficiency level for Greek L2. It is based on a graded corpus of 150 written narratives produced by young L2 learners (aged 8–14) at levels A2 to B2. This corpus was annotated with respect to a set of features at both the sentence and discourse level, such as clause subordination, connectives, modifiers and grammatical accuracy. Statistical analysis identified certain aspects of these features that discriminate language proficiency levels in L2 Greek narratives and are put forward as criterial features. These include the frequency of dependent and centre-embedded clauses, the gradual decrease of additive and the emergence of contrastive and inferential connectives, the felicitous use of clitics, as well as the use of evaluative adverbs and adjectives.

Cross-linguistic variation and the acquisition of pronominal reference in L2 Spanish

The current investigation tested two predictions regarding second language (L2) processing at the syntax—discourse interface: (1) that L2 performance on measures of interface phenomena can differ from that of native speakers; and (2) that cross-linguistic influence can be a source of such divergence. Specifically, we examined the offline interpretation of ambiguous subject pronouns with intrasentential antecedents in Spanish and English, including discourse—syntactic constraints that are active in pro-drop Spanish and principles of discourse structure that affect pronominal reference in English. Two participant groups of English-speaking learners of L2 Spanish — an intermediate group and an advanced group — failed to show categorically native-like differentiation between null and overt pronouns in Spanish. Both groups, however, did show marginal effects for Discourse Structure (coordination or subordination of clauses), an effect that was also present in their native English. Furthermore, there was a significant interaction with the advanced group between Pronoun and Discourse Structure, so this group seemed to employ to a certain degree a hybrid strategy. This outcome suggests that pre-existing referential strategy persists even at an advanced level of L2 proficiency and may be a primary barrier to native-like performance, even after target-like L2 principles are acquired and begin to apply.

Correspondence analysis of the synoptic gospels

Taking a recent article by D. L. Mealand (Literary and Linguistic Computing, 10: 171-82, 1995) as the starting-point, this study investigates what correspondence analysis (CA) could contribute towards the stylometric study of the synoptic gospels (Mark, Matthew, and Luke). Results from the author's dissertation are presented, based mainly on syntax, in particular the subordination of clauses. Mealand's source investigations of the Gospel of Luke, building on CA and other multivariate techniques, are shown to be flawed because they fail to take into account the discourse-type constitution of the gospels. Stressing the importance of discourse type, the present investigation, by contrast, seeks inspiration from modern sociolinguistic research on register. Because discourse type acts as a third variable - alongside corpus and language - a generalized form of CA is needed, using loglinear analysis to produce restricted models. Generalized CA proves to be a flexible tool to display discourse-type and authorial preferences in an unalloyed form. Finally, it is argued-and exemplified-that multivariate analysis is particularly valuable when used in combination with advanced discourse-functional linguistics

Clause subordination structures in language decline

AbstractThe field of language-death studies has invited a growing number of researchers to explore what happens to the internal structure of a language as it declines. However, little work has been done to date on minority varieties of French in the context of language-death studies. This paper examines some intergenerational changes in subordination (conditionals and subjunctive clauses) in a Cajun French community, exploring the gradual loss of non-indicative moods and the abandonment of finite clauses in subjunctive contexts in favour of innovative non-finite clause types via a continuum of variation.

Sentence Complexity and Clause Subordination in Children's Spanish

Sentence Complexity and Clause Subordination in Children's Spanish

Language-specific and language-general in developing syntax.

ABSTRACTThe distribution of a number of syntactic structures in the speech output of 102 Israeli preschoolers was examined. Findings on the proportion of grammatically analysable clauses, the patterning of word order in Hebrew child language, and the emergence of syntactic connectedness through coordination and subordination of clauses are reported. Our analysis reveals that while in some areas there are clearly age-related differences among preschool children, other types of syntactic patternings exhibit a stable behaviour. We refer to the importance of integrating findings for a wide variety of seemingly unrelated syntactic constructions across different discourse modes. We also claim that complex interactions between structural, semantic and pragmatic factors underlie the child's acquisition of syntax.

Is Tübatulabal De-Acquisition Relevant to Theories of Language Acquisition?

Previous articleNext article No AccessIs Tübatulabal De-Acquisition Relevant to Theories of Language Acquisition?C. F. Voegelin and F. M. VoegelinC. F. Voegelin Search for more articles by this author and F. M. Voegelin Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by International Journal of American Linguistics Volume 43, Number 4Oct., 1977 Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/465504 Views: 21Total views on this site Citations: 10Citations are reported from Crossref Copyright 1977 The University of ChicagoPDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Qihui Xu, Magdalena Markowska, Martin Chodorow, Ping Li Modeling Bilingual Lexical Processing Through Code-Switching Speech: A Network Science Approach, Frontiers in Psychology 12 (Aug 2021).https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.662409Felicity Meakins, Cassandra Algy Deadly Reckoning: Changes in Gurindji Children’s Knowledge of Cardinals *, Australian Journal of Linguistics 36, no.44 (May 2016): 479–501.https://doi.org/10.1080/07268602.2016.1169973Felicity Meakins, Gillian Wigglesworth How much input is enough? Correlating comprehension and child language input in an endangered language, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development 34, no.22 (Mar 2013): 171–188.https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2012.733010Nancy C. Dorian Sociolinguistic Dimensions of Language Death, (Jan 2009): 541–559.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-92299-4_37Nancy C. Dorian Age and speaker skills in receding languages: how far do community evaluations and linguists' evaluations agree?, International Journal of the Sociology of Language 2009, no.200200 (Jan 2009).https://doi.org/10.1515/IJSL.2009.042Walt Wolfram Language Death and Dying, (Jan 2008): 764–787.https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470756591.ch29Kevin J. Rottet Clause subordination structures in language decline, Journal of French Language Studies 8, no.11 (Oct 2008): 63–95.https://doi.org/10.1017/S0959269500000570Ofelia Zepeda, Jane H. Hill The Condition of Native American Languages in the United States, Diogenes 39, no.153153 (Mar 1991): 45–65.https://doi.org/10.1177/039219219103915304Eung-Do Cook Is phonology going haywire in dying languages? Phonological variations in Chipewyan and Sarcee, Language in Society 18, no.22 (Dec 2008): 235–255.https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047404500013488Peter Austin Structural change in language obsolescence: Some eastern Australian examples, Australian Journal of Linguistics 6, no.22 (Dec 1986): 201–230.https://doi.org/10.1080/07268608608599363