Linguistic Typology Research Articles

Debunking Rhaeto-Romance: Synchronic Evidence from Two Peripheral Northern Italian Dialects

This paper explores two peripheral Northern Italian dialects (NIDs), namely Lamonat and Frignanese, with respect to their genealogical linguistic classification. The two NIDs exhibit morpho-phonological and morpho-syntactic features that do not fall neatly into the Gallo-Italic sub-classification of Northern Italo-Romance, but resemble some of the core characteristics of the putative Rhaeto-Romance language family. This analysis of Lamonat and Frignanese reveals that their conservative traits more closely relate to Rhaeto-Romance. The synchronic evidence from the two peripheral NIDs hence supports the argument against the unity and autonomy of Rhaeto-Romance as a language family, whereby the linguistic traits that distinguish Rhaeto-Romance within Northern Italo-Romance consist of shared retentions rather than shared innovations, which were once common to virtually all NIDs. In this light, Rhaeto-Romance can be regarded as an array of conservative Gallo-Italic varieties. The paper concludes with a discussion of the geo-sociolinguistic properties of the two peripheral dialect areas under investigation that lead to a conservative linguistic behaviour within the Lamonat and Frignanese speech communities. Given the relatively similar historical and geo-political background of these speech communities, we attempt the formulation of a geo-sociolinguistic model of linguistic innovation diffusion that captures the conservative behaviour of Lamonat and Frignanese. We propose that those dialect areas that, in Bartoli’s (1945) geo-spatial linguistic typology, are both “lateral” and “isolated” deflect linguistic innovations. This proposal must be interpreted within a more general “gravity” and “wave” sociolinguistic model of diffusion of linguistic innovations, whereby “lateral” and “isolated” dialect areas give rise to a mechanism that we call “the pond rock effect” and that renders such dialect areas resistant to language change. Publisher's Note: A corrigendum relating to this article hass been published at http://doi.org/10.3828/mlo.v0i0.358 .

Applying typological insights in a minority-language context: Motion event lexicalisations in Ladin, Italian, German and English texts compiled by Ladins

This paper investigates the lexical choices made by speakers of Ladin in describing the opening scene of Mayer’s (1969) Frog, where are you? in Ladin and in the other languages they learnt later in life (Italian, German and English). The focus of the investigation is on motion lexicalisation, which varies across languages in terms of preferred encoding patterns (Talmy 1985, 2000; Wälchli 2001). Relative frequencies are calculated for the variants occurring in the different languages, before turning to a qualitative discourse-analytic approach, which forms the core of the analysis. The results are discussed with reference to the fields of typology and cross-linguistic research. The analysed texts bring to the fore the necessity of distinguishing between national and regional idioms and the potential value of drawing cross-linguistic issues to the explicit attention of learners. Possible implications are considered with reference to the novel framework of Applied Language Typology (Filipović 2018)

Frajzyngier, Zygmunt & Erin Shay. 2016. The role of functions in syntax: A unified approach to language theory, description, and typology

This article reviews The role of functions in syntax: A unified approach to language theory, description, and typology 978 90 272 6728 3

Probing phonological structure in play language: Speaking backwards in Zenzontepec Chatino

Play languages (also known as language games or ludlings) represent a special type of language use that is well known to shed useful light on linguistic structure. This paper explores a syllable transposition play language in Zenzontepec Chatino that provides evidence for the segmental inventory, syllable structure, the limits of the phonological word, the prosodic status of inflectional formatives, and the autonomy of tone, all of which aligns with independent phonological evidence in the language. While recent theoretical and cross-linguistic studies have questioned the nature, and even the validity, of constituents such as the phonological word, the syllable, and the onset, this study provides an example of a language with strongly manifested phonological constituents. The study also highlights the importance of in-depth analysis of less-studied languages for linguistic theory, typology, and language maintenance or reclamation for communities.

The Structure of Interjections in Biblical Hebrew: Phonetics, Morphology, and Syntax

This article studies the compliance of Biblical Hebrew (BH) interjections with the formal prototype of interjections formulated in linguistic typology. The authors demonstrate that, globally, the lexical class of interjections in Biblical Hebrew exhibits a semi-canonical and thus semi-extra-systematic profile as far as its form is concerned. Locally, the levels of canonicity and extra-systematicity of BH interjections are uneven—high in morphology and moderate in phonology and syntax.

Forward to the past

Abstract This paper argues that linguistic typology, and linguistics more generally, got off to a good start in the 19th century with scholars like Wilhelm von Humboldt and Georg von der Gabelentz, where the understanding was that each language manifests a unique world view, and it is important to study and compare those world views. This tradition is still alive, but was sidelined and even denigrated for many years due to the rise of Structuralism, which attempted to study language structures divorced from their linguistic and socio-cultural contexts. The paper reviews the understandings the early scholars had and points out their similarities with cutting edge current views in cognitive linguistics, construction grammar, and interactional linguistics, which had to be rediscovered due to the influence of Structuralism for so many years. It then argues that we should make linguistic typology (and linguistics more generally) more modern, scientific, and empirical by returning to our roots.

The Discourse Personality of Politician Sergey Mikheyev with Regards to his Speech Behaviour

This paper presents the results of research into the linguistic personality of politician Sergey Mikheyev when viewed as a discourse personality. Special consideration has been given to the speech behaviour characteristic of a discourse personality. The paper presents the results of the cognitive-discursive and linguo-rhetorical description of a discourse personality.The relevance of this research is based on the growing interest for linguistic personality typology with regards to discourse (K. F. Sedov, V. I. Karasik, N. D. Golev, A. V. Bolotnov, et al.). A mixed type of political discourse that actualises both the personal and status factors of its formation was chosen as the object of analysis. The research focuses on semantic dominants and semantic constructs of the discourse behaviour of the Russian politician Sergey Mikheyev, as well as on the cognitive and linguo-rhetorical mechanisms of the interpretation of speech acts when viewed as elements of individual discourse behaviour. We define the linguo-rhetorical competence of the politician’s personality. The study is novel in that it identifies semantic dominants and semantic constructs found in Mikheyev’s discourse and uses an integrative approach to analysis (cognitive-discursive and linguo-rhetorical). It is proven that semantic dominants, constructs, and presuppositions manifest inventive mechanisms of individual discourse activity. We suggest defining the status of Mikheyev’s discourse personality as a mixed type of elitist linguistic personality that is pragmatically oriented. We prove that the discourse personality of Sergey Mikheyev is a prototype of a future successful politician’s linguistic personality. The paper presents the author’s original communicative competence system of S. Mikheyev’s discourse personality.

The Contribution of Linguistic Typology to the Study of Biblical Hebrew in Africa: The Case of Pronouns in Sesotho

African languages and linguistic communities differ in many respects from their Western counterparts. As a result, the standard philological resources available to African scholars of Biblical Hebrew are often inadequate for understanding Biblical Hebrew and for conveying the meaning and function of Hebrew terms and constructions in African languages and societies. This article is based on linguistic typology, which deals with the examination of linguistic features across languages. It compares pronouns in Sesotho to pronouns in Biblical Hebrew and examines their similarities and differences. The purpose of the comparison is to demonstrate how the relevant features of Biblical Hebrew pronouns can be communicated effectively to Sesotho students by determining how the two languages’ pronoun systems correspond to one other typologically.

The Verb *√L(-)Đ ‘To Remove’ in Early Aramaic Curses and the Evolution of Aramaic Interdental Orthography and Phonology

Abstract Several verbal morphologies including the core orthography {ld} are attested in ninth- and eighth-century bce Aramaic texts from Sefire and Tell Fekheriyeh. From their similar contexts, all can be demon-strated to have the semantics ‘to remove’, but scholars are divided as to the root source and precise phonology of these verbs. The present paper demonstrates that these {ld} verbs belong to a cognate set descendant from proto-Semitic . The representation of the reflex of the interdental by {d} is a precocious development only attested broadly in later Aramaic, but its surfacing here can be ration-alized by appeal to diachronic phonology, phonotactics and linguistic typology. The consistent employment of developed orthography for this root is perhaps related to the existence of a broad and consistent early Aramaic curse tradition.

Construction of Relative Clause in Indonesian Language

Researchers are interested in the study of the syntactic typology of language. There is one problem in this research, namely how the types of constituents and the structure of Indonesian relative clauses. Words/phrases greatly affect the presence of relative clauses as constituent extension or explanation clauses. The constituents explained by the relative clauses certainly have a relationship that is in accordance with the meaning of the constituents. This study used descriptive qualitative method. The data source used is native Indonesian speakers. The data of this study are sentences containing relative Indonesian clauses. Data collection techniques used in this study are collaboration techniques with informants and questionnaire techniques. Data analysis method used is the method of sharing with lingual units. The analysis technique of this research uses x-bar theory analysis technique which produces a word/phrase structure into a tree diagram of the whole sentence/clause. The conclusion of the results of this study is the type of constituents that can be expanded with relative clauses. As well as the patterns produced by the construction. The results of this study are expected to update previous research relating to the relative clauses of the Indonesian language.

ЗНАЧЕНИЕ КОНЦЕПТА В СОВРЕМЕННОЙ ЛИНГВИСТИКЕ

The analysis of existing approaches to the concept description in modern linguistics is carried out. The research is based on the scientific works of modern linguists dealing with cognitive linguistics, semantics and pragmatics: A. A. Zalevskaya (2001), V. I. Karasik (2002, 2007, 2019), Z. D. Arutyunov (1999), V. A. Maslov (2007), Y. S. Stepanov (2007). The versatility of the concept noted by the linguists requires a more detailed consideration of approaches to its description. The article discusses two positions in the study of the concept - cognitive and lingua-cultural. Terminological differences of term ‘concept’ are given from the point of view of several representatives of the observed linguistic schools. The research methodology is based on the dialectical method of cognition. The concept as a mental category embodies the linguistic and cultural connection of a person's ideas about the world around them - "a clot of culture in the mind". Representatives of cognitive linguistics consider the concept as the result of conscious activity of the speaker, behind which the meanings of native speakers of a particular language are hidden. Psycholinguists interpret the concept as a basic perceptual-cognitive-affective education, which serves as an indicator of a person's mental life. Representatives of the lingua-cultural direction distinguish several features in the concept. First, the value characteristics are expressed in the meaning - "cultural saturation of the concept". Secondly, conceptual properties are represented in the meaning of "mental education". Thirdly, the figurative components of the concept serve its operation in various activities. The multilayered nature of the concept is a subject to abstract modeling, which is used in applied research in linguistics, synchronous comparative studies, confrontational and comparative- typological linguistics. The concept as a unit of meaning is represented as an abstract category that is implemented in language tools and images. Cultural linguistics examines the structure of the concept from the standpoint of three components - conceptual, figurative and axiological (evaluative). The content of the concept can be furtherly investigated in accordance with the field principle - the core (information content), the near periphery (metaphorical interpretation and value features) and the far periphery (infrequent functioning of features).

About the role of MAPRYAL in the development of Spanish Russian studies (2000–2020)

The article analyzes the activities of MAPRYAL aimed at the development of Spanish Russian studies. The first part of the article provides a brief description of the genesis of Spanish Russian studies and the key stages of its formation related to geographical, historical and political factors. The second part is devoted to the role of MAPRYAL in the spread of the Russian language in the Spanish-speaking world, in particular, measures to support Russian studies at the University of Granada. The article notes that, in many respects, thanks to close and fruitful cooperation with MAPRYAL, Spanish Russian studies took the leading positions in the world, as evidenced by successfully hosting the XIII MAPRYAL Congress in Granada in 2015. The article analyzes some of the contributions of the University of Granada to Russian studies in the world. An important role in the fate of Russian studies at the University of Granada was played by the creation in 2004 of the research group HUM 827 “Slavistics, Caucasian Studies, Typology of Languages”, which became a collective member of MAPRYAL and actively participated in organizing many events dedicated to the dissemination of the Russian language and literature. Particular attention in the article is paid to the personal contribution to the development of Spanish Russian studies by Lyudmila Verbitskaya — not only as President of MAPRYAL, but also as a person who has passionately loved the Russian language and devoted her life to promoting it in Russia and in the world.

Corpus-based Analysis of Verbal and Nominal Reduplication in Colloquial Singapore English

Reduplication has always been an important subject of morphology and language typology. Cross-linguistic studies have identified 45 functions of reduplication in 108 languages. Total reduplication is recognised as productive and systematic in Colloquial Singapore English (CSE), possibly due to language contact. The paper aims to present the cases of verbal and nominal reduplication in CSE described in the linguistic literature, and juxtapose them with the examples from the Singapore component of the International Corpus of English (ICE-SIN), which seem to be indicative of discrepancies in form and functions.

Mind your tones! The role of tonal morphology in Kwa action nominalization

Abstract In the typology of West African languages, tone has been noted to play crucial grammatical and lexical roles, but its function in word formation has been less systematically explored and remains to be fully understood. Against this backdrop, the present study seeks to examine the form and function of tonal morphology in the formation of action nominals in four Kwa languages spoken in Ghana, namely Akan, Ga, Lεtε, and Esahie, a relatively unexplored language of the Central Tano subgroup. Relying on data from both secondary and primary sources, we argue that tone raising is an important component of Kwa action nominalization, as it is found across different languages and derivational strategies. Specifically, while across the Kwa languages considered, tone raising tends to be an epiphenomenon of phonological conditioning, sometimes tone is the sole component of the nominalization operation or, as in Esahie, it concurs with the affix to the derivation, hence playing a morphological function.

English as a Lingua Franca: A random forests approach to particle placement in multi‐speaker interactions

This multifactorial corpus‐based exploration of particle placement focuses specifically on the verb‐object‐particle vs. verb‐particle‐object alternation in English as a Lingua Franca (ELF). Theoretically, ELF is approached as a complex adaptive system that develops as a result of real‐time interaction between multiple speakers. Methodologically, the study operationalizes this theoretical approach with a random forests analysis with interactions between linguistic, socio‐demographic and conversational factors. Empirical results show the importance of integrating extra‐linguistic factors to large‐scale quantitative linguistic analyses (e.g., speakers' native language and conversational roles contribute to the linguistic developments and changes that occur in ELF). Ultimately, the influence of speakers' native language over their constructional choices revives the question whether the typology of speakers' native languages should be accounted for when exploring the shape of ELF.

Категориально-семантическая нотация базовых лексем монгольского языка в количественном освещении

The article defines the categorical-semantic notation (tagging) of the word-forms of the basic lexemes of the Mongolian language; these word-forms are characterized by their occurrence. The article provides a list, containing the basic vocabulary of the modern Mongolian language (454 word-forms). The calculation of the frequency of word-forms was carried out on the material of the General Corpus of the Modern Mongolian Language (GCML).This work is based on the same principles of quantitative Mongolian Study as the previous works of the author. However, the most original feature of this dictionary is the presence of a special categorical-semantic notation (tagging) in it. Such a notation is focused on the tasks of the semantic typology of the world languages. It is designed for potential typological comparability of this dictionary with similarly compiled dictionaries of the other languages of the world. In this article, the basic 454 word-forms of the modern Mongolian language can be found, and they are rather common in the GCML-1a: the absolute frequency in the GCML is over 255, and the relative frequency is respectively 220 ipm (I.) The name of the word-form in a quasi-orthographic recording. The quasi-orthographic recording differs from the proper spelling by removing all the differences in the registers (capital/small letters). (II.) The generalized grammateme (i. e., not only the grammatemes themselves, but also bundles of homographic grammatemes are included here). (III.) The generalized lexeme (i. e., not only proper lexemes are included here, but also homographic lexeme bundles). (IV.) The semantic gloss-mark, attributed to the corresponding word-form or lexeme (strictly speaking, it is assigned to one of the members of the bundle of homographic segments, which coincides with the name of the word-form). This column has a function of an informal mnemonic reminder to indicate which lexical meaning possesses the given word-form. The reminder is intended for a typologist-user, especially not familiar with the Mongolian language (V.) The categorical- semantic gloss-mark, attributed to the given word-form (more precisely, to a bundle of homographic word-forms) in the GCML. This column in the given table is the key. (VI.) The absolute frequency of the word-form (more precisely, the bundle of homographic word-forms) in the GCML-1a. (VII.) The rank of the word-form (more precisely, the bundle of homographic word-forms) in the GCML-1a. (VIII.) The number of the texts from the GCML-1a, in which the given word-form (more precisely, a bundle of homographic word-forms) occurs. (IX.) The rank of the word-form (more precisely, a bundle of homographic word-forms) in the frequency dictionary, ordered by decreasing the number of the texts from the GCML-1a. The categorical-semantic notation (tagging) of the word-forms of the basic lexemes of the Mongolian language is presented in the form of a table, ordered in the direct alphabetical order of the categorical-semantic marks.

Factors 2 i 3: cap a un enfocament fonamentat

This paper seeks to make progress in our understanding of the non-UG components of Chomsky’s (2005) Three Factors model. In relation to the input (Factor 2), I argue for the need to formulate a suitably precise hypothesis about which aspects of the input will qualify as ‘intake’ and, hence, serve as the basis for grammar construction. In relation to Factor 3, I highlight a specific cognitive bias that appears well motivated outside of language, while also having wide-ranging consequences for our understanding of how I-language grammars are constructed, and why they should have the crosslinguistically comparable form that generativists have always argued human languages have. This is Maximise Minimal Means (MMM). I demonstrate how its incorporation into our model of grammar acquisition facilitates understanding of diverse facts about natural language typology, acquisition, both in “stable” and “unstable” contexts, and also the ways in which linguistic systems may change over time.

Glosse d’epoca paleologa alle odi di Pindaro. Due casi di studio: Pyth. I–IV e Ol. XII

Abstract The paper deals with the linguistic typology and the manuscript tradition of the interlinear glosses to the Pindaric victory odes, and demonstrates that some glosses to Pindar’s Pythian odes (1–4) can be ascribed to Magister.

Lexical crosslinguistic influence in Basque-Spanish bilinguals’ English (L3) writing

ABSTRACT The present research examines the effects of a number of factors on crosslinguistic influence (CLI) in Basque-Spanish bilinguals’ third language (L3) writing. The main focus is on the levels of adapted and non-adapted loan words as illustrative of CLI. A quantitative analysis explores the impact of typology and proficiency in the target and the source-languages. Language proficiency was evaluated in 399 compositions, 133 written in each language (Basque, Spanish and English). The adapted and non-adapted loan words found in English compositions were classified according to their source-language, word category, word class and type/token categories. The results pointed at language typology as the main predictor of the source-language of CLI. Additionally, a linear association was detected between the learners’ degree of proficiency in the target language and the frequency of the CLI instances or adapted and non-adapted loan words. The overall results show that bilingual students use their entire linguistic repertoire to write in their third language (English).

Typology of motion events in Tugen

AbstractAll human activity including motion is construed mentally with reference to different objects and spatial relations that are relevant (Waliński 2014). Following the work of Talmy (1985, 2000) on categorization of languages on the basis of motion events into verb framed languages and satellite framed languages, this paper addresses the typology of the Tugen language regarding motion events. It takes into consideration the reclassification of the V-languages into equipollent frame and the doubling frame, (Slobin 2003; Croft et al. 2010). Further it explores the hybrid system as expounded by Schröder (2016) on the categorization of V-languages so as to cater for languages that do not fit into the equipollent and the doubling frame. This paper analyses motion events in Tugen, a Kalenjin language belonging to the southern Nilotic cluster. In this analysis, Tugen is seen as both verb framed language and satellite framed as a result of prevalence of deictic directionals and the applicative. The language also bears an associated motion affix which relates simultaneous motion to non-motion events. The associated motion affix renders the motion events to be satellite framed. The occurrence of deictic directionals on motion events that are verb framed can also be taken to be instances of doubling frame.