English Word Order Research Articles

Transient adenosine infusion and washout before ischemia protects the heart against myocardial damage during ischemia and reperfusion in pigs -energy metabolism and regional myocardial blood flow

In this paper we demonstrate that discourse-functional constraints on inversion in Farsi correspond to those on inversion in English despite differences in word order. Farsi canonically exhibits SXV word order, but permits a marked ordering of XSV. Although this word order is like that of English topicalization, it does not share the discourse function of topicalization in English; instead, Farsi XSV word order corresponds functionally to English inversion. In both languages inversion requires the preposed constituent to represent more familiar information in the discourse than does the postposed constituent; moreover, in both languages inversion serves to reverse the relative ordering of these constituents. The difference in word order between inversion in Farsi and inversion in English reduces to a difference in the position of the verb, and reflects independent syntactic constraints. Hence, Farsi XSV word order and English XVS word order represent a single inversion construction.

Determinants of cue strength in adult first and second language speakers of French

ABSTRACTThis study investigates the determinants of adult usage of various syntactic and semantic cues in sentence interpretation. Native French speakers and advanced English/French bilinguals were tested for the strength of usage of word order, clitic pronoun agreement, verb agreement, and noun animacy cues in the assignment of the actor role in French sentences. Native speakers showed strong use of clitic pronoun agreement, followed by much weaker use of verb agreement, an even weaker use of noun animacy, and negligible use of word order. This ranking reflects the importance of these cues in naturally occurring French sentences involving conflicts among cues in conjunction with a learning-on-error model. The English/French bilinguals did not manifest English-like strategies of word order preference on the French sentences; rather, they showed a cue ranking very similar to that of native speakers, although detectability may have played a role in their use of verb agreement. The failure of English word order strategies to correctly interpret many naturally occurring French sentences may be responsible for the adaptation of strategies appropriate to the second language.

Syntactic distinctions in child language

This paper presents a study of young children's understanding of a constraint on English word order, which is that pronouns and proper names cannot be modified by prenominal adjectives. For adults, this is a syntactic constraint: adjectives can only precede nouns, and pronouns and proper names are lexical Noun Phrases (NPs). In two analyses, the spontaneous speech of 14 one- and two-year-old children was studied. These analyses show that even in children's very first word combinations, they almost never say things like big Fred or big he. Some nonsyntactic theories of this phenomenon are discussed and found to have serious descriptive problems, supporting the claim that children understand knowledge of word order through rules that order abstract linguistic categories. A theory is proposed as to how children could use semantic information to draw the noun/NP distinction and to acquire this restriction on English word order.

Empathy Perspective and Word Order in Japanese and English

Empathy Perspective and Word Order in Japanese and English

Effects of Training Method and Word Order on Adults’ Acquisition of Miniature Linguistic Systems

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of training method, English vs. non-English syntax, and number of training items on the learning of two-word miniature linguistic systems. Language matrices were constructed consisting of nonsense syllables representing modifier and object referents. Adult subjects were exposed to nonoverlap (diagonal) or overlap (edgewise or stepwise) training conditions. In spite of the different number of items trained, there were no significant differences in the initial rate of learning among the three conditions. Overlap training, however, provided more extensive generalization to untrained items than did non-overlap training. The addition of overlapping training items was sufficient for subjects originally in the nonoverlap training condition to demonstrate recombinative generalization. Although both modifier-object and object-modifier word order rules were employed, the use of English word order did not facilitate learning nor generalization. Equating the number of training items in the two overlap training conditions served to attenuate differences in maintenance and generalization effects. An analysis of errors revealed that object words were produced correctly more often than modifiers, regardless of syntax and training condition. It is suggested that careful selection of training items and frequent monitoring of generalization can enhance the efficiency of intervention programs focusing on lexical and syntactic development.

The Acquisition of Word Order in English and Cantonese Interrogative Sentences : A Singapore Case Study

The Acquisition of Word Order in English and Cantonese Interrogative Sentences : A Singapore Case Study

THE EFFECT OF WORD ORDER ON LISTENING COMPREHENSION AND PATTERN RETENTION: AN EXPERIMENT IN SPANISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

An important skill which the language learner uses in the listening task is knowledge of the syntax of the target language. This study empirically examines the effect of one aspect of surface structure, word order, on the listening comprehension and pattern retention of native English speakers learning Spanish The factors of sentence length and position of a sentence in a given context are also analyzed As the basis for the experiment, a brief discussion is presented of theoretical implications of word order processing and memory in listening. A comparative analysis of Spanish and English word order patterns follows, which identifies three principal word order patterns of Spanish. subject‐verb‐object, verb‐subject‐object, and object‐verb‐subject Results are reported of the experiment which tested the abilities of native English‐speaking students of Spanish and native Spanish speakers to comprehend an oral passage and remember the word order of certain sentences. The findings indicate that word order significantly affected the degree of comprehension of the English speakers In addition, for both groups of participants, sentences which were both longer and in final position in a context were comprehended most effectively Word order and sentence position significantly affected surface retention of both groups Further, there is indirect evidence to lend additional support to transformational grammar theory indicating that native speakers and foreign language learners may utilize an aural processing strategy of converting patterns to the basic SVO word order Implications of this investigation for Spanish foreign‐language pedagogy as well as suggestions for further research are included.

The Development of Word Order Patterns in Old English

The major focus of this book involves the testing of theories of word order change with data on change in Old English. The data are drawn from such sources as the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and from the work of other scholars in Old English and historical linguistics. The book provides support for the ideas of earlier linguists such as Sapir, and will represent a major study for those working in Old English and historical linguistics. Contents: Introduction; Natural Word Order Types and Natural Word Order Change; Proto-Indo-European and Proto-Germanic Word Order Patterns; Order of Major Elements in Main Clauses in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle; Word Order Patterns in Conjunct, Relative and Subordinate Clauses; Further Studies in Old English Word Order; Conclusions.^R

The use of augmentative communication systems in schools and units for autistic and aphasic children in the United Kingdom.

AbstractThe results of postal surveys of the use of sign languages and symbol systems by schools catering for autistic and aphasic children are described. Up to 40 schools and units were surveyed in the four surveys between 1978 and 1982. The surveys showed that the majority of schools and units were using some form of augmentative system. The use of sign language predominated in all types of school. British Sign Language, used in English word order and with accompanying speech, was favoured by schools and units catering for autistic pupils. The Paget Gorman Sign System was favoured by schools teaching aphasic pupils. Symbol systems were employed by only a minority of schools. Programmes were variable in size. Data on outcome was not collected regularly but suggested highly variable achievement levels amongst autistic children and more general success with aphasic pupils. The data are discussed within the context of the overall use of sign language and symbol systems in the U.K.

FSP and the Historical Development of Word Order in English

FSP and the Historical Development of Word Order in English

Letters to the Editor

Comments, Questions, and Answers Alan B. Crammatte Editor, Comments The Comment, Question, and Answer department is published as a service to professional readers and parents of deaf children. It is an attempt to provide practical information on the basic aspects of deafness, particularly in relation to education. Although all questions submitted cannot be used, those considered to be of greatest interest to readers will be published. Answers are prepared by competent authorities. Material submitted must contain the writer's name and address. Address questions and comments to: Alan B. Crammatte, 897 Windsong Dr., Arnold, Md. 21012. COMMENT—The Rowley case, decided by the Supreme Court June 28,1982, was not a victory for Amy Rowley and her parents. Amy was denied an interpreter by a 6-3 decision. However , the decision cannot be considered a total loss, says the National Center for Law and the Deaf in a recent analysis of the case. The positive aspects are summed up by the Center by a statement that "The Supreme Court upheld the fundamental tenets of the Education for all Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142): (1) individual instruction, (2) sufficient support services to benefit from education, (3) such instruction and services to be at public expense, (4) parental involvement in development of individualized education program, (5) due process rights for parents and (6) judicial review." Although it was found by the Court that Amy did not have to have an interpreter, this does not mean that parents of other deaf children would not be able to demonstrate that their child did need an interpreter. For a detailed analysis of this decision contact the National Center for Law and the Deaf, 800 Florida Avenue, N.E., Washington , D.C. 20002, phone 202-651-5454. COMMENT—Great American Thomas H. GaIlaudet will be recognized as such by the U. S. Postal Service with a stamp in the Great Americans series to be issued late in 1982 or in 1983. The portrait for the stamp, by artist Dennis Lyall, was unveiled at the Gallaudet College alumni reunion in June. Another postal celebration at that reunion was the hand stamping of a first-day cover featuring Ole Jim, the College's newly restored gymnasium to serve as an alumni house. The stamp and the cancellation were sparked respectively by alumnus Kenneth Rothschild and his committee and honorary alumnus Albert Hlibok. The art for the first-day cachet was created by alumna Ruth Peterson. COMMENT—A new attempt at tactile interpretation of speech for deaf persons was brought to notice June 27 by an open house given by the Ear Three Systems, parent organization for a manufacturing concern and a franchising organization, which will manufacture and market the simulators. The firms are not yet into production. COMMENT—It may be getting monotonous but one cannot resist announcing that the Editor of the Annals is not the only member of the staff to occupy the Doctor Chair (1979-80 as reported here June 1979). This time it is Alan Crammatte. Send your COMMENTS to him at Gallaudet College, Washington, D.C. 20002. Letters To The Editor To The Editor: Anyone who has taken the trouble to learn even a little of the beautiful language of the deaf A.A.O. I October 1982 735 Letters to the Editor people in the United States is forced to recognize its magnificent qualities: clarity, grace, explicit expression, artistic beauty, and speed. Why is it not accepted in schools and programs for the deaf? Because it does not conform specifically to English word order and grammatical patterns. Spanish has this same characteristic, but Spanish is not thought deficient because of its difference from English. Why is ASL considered (primarily by hearing educators) to be somehow inferior because of its differences from English? The reason, of course, is that most of these educators wish to reserve sign language as a slave to English, with all the beautiful signs reduced to the status of symbols for words, devoid of independent meaning of their own. Their purpose is good: to teach English grammar. But the price is high: the necessity of teaching almost every spoken and written English word, and the exclusion of sign...

Issues in the modification of American sign language for instructional purposes.

The use of manual communication and sign languages for language education of autistic, deaf retarded, and mentally retarded individuals is receiving increasing attention by educators. Modifications of sign systems for this purpose emphasize simplicity, redundancy, and English word order. Effective utilization of manual communication for these populations requires a better understanding of the physical and linguistic bases of sign languages than now exists. Preliminary evidence from studies of oral-only, manual-only, and oral-manual modes of communication suggests that flexibility in utilizing all modes is the most effective teaching method. The present paper will consider the possible utilization of modifications of the American Sign Language for use in three general areas: instruction of deaf students in the classroom, communication between hearing parents and young deaf children, and communication with individuals with handicaps other than deafness.

REVIEWS

Book reviewed in this article:CHRISTER PLATZACK, The semantic interpretation of aspect and aktionsarten. A study of internal time reference in Swedish.W. O. HENDRICKS, Grammars of style and styles of grammar.JOSHUA A. FISHMAN(ed.). Advances in the study of societal multilingualism. Contributions to the sociology of language 9.VILJO KOHONEN, On the development of English word order in religious prose around 1000 and 1200 A. D. A quantitative study of word order in context.R. M. W. DIXON & BARRY J. BLAKE (eds). Handbook of Australian languages, Vol. 1.

What makes bad technical writing bad? A historical analysis

While bad technical writing has specific characteristics, one important cause of bad technical writing is abuse of natural English word order. Since about 1400, English has relied solely on word order to convey meaning, particularly active voice (agent-verb-object). Infusions of large numbers of foreign words from 1100 to 1600 further affected the development of English sentence patterns and their use in modern applied writing. To develop clear sentences, (1) use active voice as frequently as possible; (2) build sentences with clauses rather than phrases; (3) make the agent of the action the subject of the clause; (4) build clauses by concentrating meaning in the subject-verb pairs; (5) choose concrete rather than abstract nouns as subject-agents; (6) use action verbs rather than “be” verbs whenever possible; (7) use passive voice only when its use will not cloud meaning; (8) choose voice carefully when planning sentences; (9) remember that technical writing should inform, and that historically elegant sentence patterns and words are not suitable to express technical information.

Russian Word Order: A Comparative Study

Language is used for more than communication of referential information. Grammar serves to fulfill communicative needs as well as to express propositional content directly. In order to be effective, verbal communication must be appropriate, selective, and expressive. Therefore, language must provide the speaker with ways to express ideas effectively: to focus the listener's attention on certain parts of the message while downgrading others; to account for his prior knowledge and expectations; to distinguish between old and new information; to take shared information into account. The grammar of a language must provide the means whereby the speaker can program his message for maximal effectiveness and intelligibility.1 This view of grammar allows us to examine word order not simply as a linear arrangement of elements, but also as a device for guiding the listener through the message. In a language such as Russian, where grammatical relations are expressed by morphological markers, word order is freed for these purposes, as opposed to English where the relatively fixed word order serves to mark grammatical relations.2 Since Russian and English word order differ in such a fundamental way, the mastery of the former presents a problem to English speakers, yet an overwhelming majority of Russian language textbooks do not address the problem adequately.3 In order to understand the nature of the difficulty English speakers experience with Russian word order, it is necessary to examine some of the uses to which it is put. Although the position of a word in a sentence does not necessarily denote its grammatical function, there are many sentences in Russian where word order marks grammatical relations: Tovaris'am xotelos' pomogat' Petru 'The comrades wanted to help Peter' and Petru xotelos' pomogat' tovari''am 'Peter wanted to help his comrades'; Mat' ijubit doe' 'The mother loves the daughter' and Doc' liubit mat' 'The daughter loves the mother'; Ja znaju professora brata 'I know the professor of my brother' and Ja znaju brata professora 'I know the brother of the professor.' Word order is recruited in these sentences to encode underlying phrase marker constituency which the morphology marks ambiguously. The speaker typically assumes that some of the information is new to

Some Notes on Word Order in Old and Middle English

Previous articleNext article No AccessNotes and DocumentsSome Notes on Word Order in Old and Middle EnglishFred WestFred West Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Modern Philology Volume 71, Number 1Aug., 1973 Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/390442 Views: 13Total views on this site Citations: 2Citations are reported from Crossref Copyright 1973 The University of ChicagoPDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Javier Calle-Martín, Antonio Miranda-García ‘ Gehyrdon ge þæt gecweden wæs ’ – A Corpus-based Approach to Verb-initial Constructions in Old English, Studia Neophilologica 82, no.11 (Jun 2010): 49–57.https://doi.org/10.1080/00393271003795202 References, ().https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110820980.299

ASPECTS OF THE PLACING OF THE ACCUSATIVE OBJECT IN ÆLFRIC

1. This study is based on a statistical analysis and comparison of two samples of JElfric's prose, one taken from the Catholic Homilies (CH), the other from the Lives of Saints (LS)2. The article continues my earlier work on JElfric's word-order (SWO).:I In this study I have confined my attention to pro tactic asseverative main clauses, that is, to main clause statements either standing alone or occupying the initial position in a double or multiple sentence. Only clauses containing as their basic struc'ture the threefold nexus of subject, simple verb, and accusative object were considered here, and I have therefore ignored all clauses or segments of clauses in which the subject was not expressed, although in a work in preparation I examine these forms too. Furthermore, as the term, 'simple verb' shows, I shall consider here only those clauses in which the verb consists of one word only, clauses with compound verbs being set aside for examination in another place. The aim of this study was to establish with regard to clauses of the type specified above, (a) what word-order patterns were current in iElfric's 'standard' prose, as found in CH, a consideration of that vexed question. 'How free was Old English word-order?', (b) what word-order patterns were current in iElfric's rhythmic prose, as found in LS, and (c) in how far could differences in usage between CH and LS be attributed to the metrical and alliterative forms of LS.

Phrase-learning in deaf and hearing subjects.

Two groups each containing 24 deaf subjects were compared with 24 fifth graders and 24 twelfth graders with normal hearing on the learning of segments of written English. Eight subjects from each group learned phrasally defined segments such as “paid the tall lady,” eight more learned the same words in nonphrases having acceptable English word order such as “lady paid the tall,” and the remaining eight in each group learned the same words scrambled, “lady tall the paid.” The task consisted of 12 study-test trials. Analyses of the mean number of words recalled correctly and the probability of recalling the whole phrase correctly, given that one word of it was recalled, indicated that both ages of hearing subjects showed facilitation on the phrasally defined segments, interference on the scrambled segments. The deaf groups showed no differential recall as a function of phrasal structure. It was concluded that the deaf do not possess the same perceptual or memory processes with regard to English as do the hearing subjects.

Language Translation

Language Translation

WHY NO TRANSLATION?

The use of translation, either word-for-word or expression-for-expression, is often found in the teaching of a foreign language. It is also frequently regarded a s an easy short-cut to attain command of the language to be learned. Teachers who have had practical up-to-date linguistic training, however, do not find it to be an entirely satisfactory technique. For the mastery of a foreign language involves more than the mere association of meaning carried by a word in the native language with that carried by another word in a foreign language. Every language is a closely and arbitrarily knitted mechanism composed of sounds and sound sequences, grammatical devices, and vocabulary items, and the details involved in this intricate relationship and the inter-play among these units are fairly rigid and limited, and vary from language to language. In other words, to memorize all the entries in a bi-lingual dictionary wi l l not enable a person to speak a foreign language. There are essential linguistic features that lie outside the realm of lexical equivalents, such a s the use of word order in English to distinguish certain statements from certain questions, the presence of one or more words functioning a s a structural signal, the use of specific expressions which may have equivalents in lexical meaning in another language but which a re used differently according to the social patterns or behavior of the people who speak the language. These and numerous other devices cannot be brought about by either word-for-word or expression-for-expression translation, and the purpose of this article is to use a few examples to show that translation is not an adequate technique in the teaching of a foreign language. Every language uses certain devices to convey meaning. The same device may be used by various languages. For example, English and Chinese both use word order a s a pattern to indicate the direction of action. The actor and the goal in