Left Dislocation Constructions Research Articles

Left dislocation in Dutch

Abstract Left Dislocation in Dutch is still poorly understood. In particular, it is unclear why speakers of Dutch use this construction and which factors influence its use. To obtain more insight in the function and use of Left Dislocation in Dutch, we elicited narratives from 30 adult speakers of Dutch and carried out an analysis of the use of Left Dislocation constructions in these narratives. Our analysis revealed that neither the introduction of new referents, nor the expression of a contrast between two referents, nor the marking of a shifted topic is able to explain all uses of Left Dislocation in these narratives. We speculate that the function of Left Dislocation in Dutch is to mark a referent as a potential topic for the further discourse.

Microvariation in the Distribution of Resumptive Pronouns in the Left Dislocation Construction in Two Tyrolean Dialects of Northern Italy

In this paper we document a so-far neglected case of microvariation involving resumptive pronouns in the left-dislocation construction in Meranese, spoken in South Tyrol, and Mòcheno, spoken in the Fersina valley (Trentino). While in standard German resumptive elements in this construction belong to the class of D-pronouns, the two Tyrolean dialects considered in the paper exhibit, as resumptive pronouns, both (i) D-pronouns and (ii) pronominal usages of the distal demonstrative formed by the definite article (D) and sèll corresponding to ‘that one’. We show that in both languages D+sèll forms overlap with German D-pronouns in most contexts, whereas D-pronouns only superficially, but not functionally, correspond to German D-pronouns, and have undergone a weakening process. While the weakening process is in nuce in Meranese, it seems to be nearly completed in Mòcheno, where D-pronouns appear to have acquired a status close to that of subject clitics of Northern Italian varieties.

Syntactic Features of Left Dislocation Constructions in Post-Exilic Biblical Hebrew

Left dislocation constructions involve a constituent that precedes the matrix sentence and is resumed within the sentence by a coreferential resumptive element. Cross-linguistically, left dislocation constructions exhibit considerable syntactic variation, which can be described on the basis of (1) the grammatical features of the resumptive element, (2) the relationship of the left dislocated constituent to the resumptive element, especially with respect to case agreement, and (3) the relationship of the left dislocation construction to the broader syntactic context. In this essay we describe the syntactic features of left dislocation constructions in the biblical books traditionally and uncontroversially identified as post-exilic—Ezra, Nehemiah, Daniel, and Esther. We identify ways in which trajectories of change in Biblical Hebrew can be identified in these constructions as well as syntactic features that are stable within the biblical corpus.

A further argument for a syncretic analysis of DOM and dative in Spanish

AbstractThis paper offers an argument to analyse the Spanish form /a/ as a syncretic case marker for accusative differential object marking (dom) and dative. The literature on free relative clauses has established that syncretism allows the repair of feature mismatches arising from contradictory selectional requirements between the matrix and the embedded predicates. By combining clitic left dislocation constructions (CLLD) and free relatives, it is shown here thatdomand dative grant the same repairing effect in Spanish, so it follows that they must be syncretic categories. The same type of configuration distinguishes the directional prepositionaand the dative case marker, which is taken to indicate that these elements are mere homophones in the language. Furthermore, an analysis of the repairing effect of syncretism is offered.

THE MULTIPLE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE PRONOUN ʾULĀʾIKA IN THE QURʾĀN

Demonstrative pronouns may function as deictic or anaphoric pronouns. The demonstrative pronoun ʾulāʾika in Arabic is the focus of this paper. It is argued that in the Qurʾān, besides being an anaphoric/resumptive pronoun, which primarily functions as the syntactic subject, it has three additional functions: (1) as a resumptive pronoun of the left-dislocation construction, helping in retrieving the predicate, which usually consists of a short clause following a ‘heavy’ subject. (2) Possibly it has the same function as ḍamīr al-faṣl, ‘separation pronoun’—namely, ʾulāʾika occurs in a simple sentence where it separates a definite subject and a definite predicate. It also occurs between subject and predicate, while both are constructed as relative clauses, and between a ‘heavy’ subject and indefinite predicate. (3) As a number marker in conditional clauses that are headed by the conditional particle man, and two kinds of number agreement are exhibited in the clause: singular and plural.ʾulāʾika in this case marks the transition from the grammatical-number feature associated with man to the notional number of man.

Functional Divergences of Left Dislocation Construction in English and Chinese

Functional Divergences of Left Dislocation Construction in English and Chinese

Exploring the Left Dislocation construction by means of multiple linear regression

AbstractThis study deals with the complexity of left-dislocated [LDed] noun phrases in the Modern English period (1500–1914). The purpose is twofold: to estimate the effects of a number of theoretically relevant predictors on complexity, operationalized as word-length, and to explore whether shorter LDed NPs, which are characteristic of contemporary spoken English, symbolize the claimed ‘orality’ of earlier speech-related texts. Multiple linear regression is employed in order to assess the correlation between complexity and factors relating to both the context (e.g. genre) and the inner configuration (e.g. augmentation of the LDed constituent) of the tokens extracted from the Penn-Helsinki suite of corpora. The results confirm that shorter LDed items more closely match the characterization previously offered for contemporary spoken Left Dislocation. The results also provide preliminary insight into the accommodation strategies that might facilitate the resumption of heavier LDed NPs. As regards genre, speech-purposed and mixed texts feature a higher relative rate of shorter LDed elements. Thus, if shorter LDed NPs are more closely connected with the spoken variant, it is in speech-purposed and mixed genres where they might be claimed to constitute a trait of orality that is deliberately employed by writers in order to reproduce conversation. Surprisingly, speech-like genres do not include LDed items as often, and these are just as complex as those attested in writing-related texts.

The relationship between L2 instruction, exposure, and the L2 acquisition of a syntax–discourse property in L2 Spanish

This article uses the clitic left dislocation (CLLD) construction in L2 Spanish to investigate whether generative SLA has valuable insights to contribute to language teaching. Although CLLD is a structure that is commonly used by native speakers, as reported anecdotally and in at least one corpus, we found that native-Spanish and native-English teachers of Spanish have little metalinguistic knowledge of it. Crucially, we also found that CLLD does not appear consistently in Spanish textbooks. Additionally, it appears to be infrequent in the classroom input that learners receive, as we found in three lectures we recorded and tallied for CLLD usage rates. At the same time, study results show that the construction is learnable. Study abroad, that is, exposure to naturalistic input, appears to be a significant factor. Based on these collective findings, we suggest that learners at intermediate proficiency levels should be exposed to CLLD and that generative SLA is valuable to teachers in identifying such gaps in instruction.

PRAGMATIC ALTERNATIVE CONSTRUCTION (FRONTING, LEFT DISLOCATION, AND TOPICALIZATION) IN LAMALERA DIALECT

Abstract
 
 Left dislocation construction, fronting construction and topicalization construction are universal linguistic alternations. Nevertheless these three constructions have characteristics that are very different from one language to another. This distinction depends on the language system of every language. This research data is obtained from the result of conversation between speakers of Lamaholot dialect of Lamalera. The result of data analysis proves that LDLL has three alternative constructions. The use of real language in everyday communication, this alternative construction ear has a gradative usage frequency. Left dislocation construction has the lowest usage frequency while the construction of precision and topicalization construction is significant. However, the construction of forging and parsing differed from one to another. Left dislocation construction is the advancement of peripheral arguments while topicalization construction is the construction of core argument prediction. The construction of topicalization is a passive-like construction (derivative construction).
 Keywords: Left dislocation construction, fronting construction and topicalization construction

ON ESTABLISHING COREFERENCE IN LEFT DISLOCATION CONSTRUCTIONS

The phenomenon of left dislocation (LD) has received relatively little attention in the generative literature. In Government & Binding theory and early versions of Minimalist Syntax, the left-dislocated expression is conventionally taken to be base-generated in its sentence-initial surface position and the resumptive pronoun in some other position in the structure. The establishment of an (obligatory) coreferential relationship between these expressions is usually ascribed to a special binding mechanism, A-bar binding, though this issue is seldom explicitly addressed in LD studies. The aim of this paper is to present, in broad outline, an alternative analysis of LD constructions, one that incorporates the core hypotheses of the nominal shell analysis of coreferential constructions put forward by Oosthuizen (2013a,b). On this analysis, the resumptive pronoun and the referring expression that is to serve as its antecedent are base-generated in a nominal shell structure which is headed by a presentational focus light noun, a functional category belonging to a natural class of identificational elements. The coreferential relationship between the two expressions is established within this structure by means of phi-feature valuation. The antecedent is subsequently raised into the left-periphery of the sentence, where it surfaces as the left-dislocated expression. It is claimed that such an analysis can account for the phenomenon of obligatory coreferentiality in LD constructions in terms of formal devices that are either already provided by or compatible with the basic assumptions and concepts of Minimalist Syntax. A tentative proposal is also put forward to account for the word order in LD constructions, specifically for the fact that left-dislocation does not bring about (surface) subject-verb inversion in V2 languages such as Afrikaans.

LEFT DISLOCATION: A TYPOLOGICAL OVERVIEW

The Left Dislocation construction is a typologically universal phenomenon that has received detailed analysis, from both formal and functional perspectives, in a number of genetically and areally diverse languages. The present paper aims to provide a general overview of this cross-linguistic research with a concentration on: 1) the comparison of syntactico-semantic features of LD across languages, 2) the generalized cross-linguistic patterns and categories attested for LD, and 3) the explanations offered for LD in terms of its motivation and function in discourse. Accordingly, the paper will proceed in two parts. The first part will entail a brief survey of the syntactic and semantic attributes that have established LD as a typological category. In light of these attributes, linguists generally distinguish between two broad types of LD on the basis of particular syntactic patterns and constraints. Thus, a general description of these types is provided, along with a brief description of several less prototypical LD types. The second part of the paper will focus on the explanation of LD both in terms of the cognitive and contextual constraints that motivate its use in discourse, as well as the communicative goals and pragmatic effects achieved by the construction in particular contexts.

A FUNCTIONAL PROFILE OF LEFT DISLOCATION IN BIBLICAL HEBREW

The primary aim of this paper is to provide a functional profile of verbal Left Dislocation (=LD) constructions in the Torah and Former Prophets (Genesis–2Kings). As a precursor, however, an abbreviated syntactico-semantic description of LD constructions within the aforementioned corpus is provided. This description consists of seven overlapping constructional schemas (i.e. construction types) that form a radial network around a typologically prototypical schema. Accordingly, each schematic type is more or less prototypical depending on its family resemblance (i.e. shared attributes) to the prototype. In light of this formal profile, and of the fact that grammatical constructions are equal parts form and function, the remainder and central focus of the paper will entail a detailed functional explanation of LD. This functional profile will consist of two complementary parts: 1) the central factors motivating the use of LD, and 2) the prototypical and non-prototypical discourse-pragmatic functions achieved by the construction in discourse. Together with the formal description, this functional explanation reveals a textured profile of the LD category, one that consists of a unified radial network of overlapping constructional types.

Ledstillingsvariation i amerikadanske hovedsætninger med topikalisering

Danish qualifies as a V2-language. Inversion of subject and finite verb is mandatory in topicalized declarative main clauses (topic-V-S). In American Danish, however, topicalized declaratives show standardlike word order to a large extent, but also considerable non-inversion (topic-S-V). This word order variation mirrors the syntactical patterns of Danish and American English. Based on an American Danish corpus of 103.000 words, we pinpoint the syntactical contexts that are affected by variation, those resistant to change and influential factors. Sentence-initial adverbial connectors and topicalized English elements favour English word order, while left dislocation constructions with an anaphoric particle are very resistant to change and there is a (weak) correlation between longer topics and Standard Danish word order. Sociolinguistics variables do not show any effect at all.

Connectivity in left-dislocation and the composition of the left periphery

This paper proposes a crosslinguistically uniform analysis of Left-dislocation constructions, according to which left-dislocated XPs are elliptical sentence fragments surfacing in linear juxtaposition to their host clause. The analysis is shown to provide a principled solution toCinque’s Paradox: dislocated XPs are extra-sentential constituents akin to parentheticals while behaving in certain respects as having moved to their surface position from within the host clause, in apparent violation of the boundaries of “sentence grammar” as typically defined. The solution in terms of deletion and endorphoric linkage undermines templatic analyses of the ‘cartographic’ tradition, showing that in at least some cases the “sentential periphery” reflects not syntactic composition but juxtaposition in discourse.

A unified analysis of conditionals as topics

We bring out syntactic and semantic similarities of two types of conditionals with fronted antecedents [normal indicative conditionals (NCs) and biscuit conditionals (BCs)] and two types of left dislocation constructions in German (German left dislocation and hanging topic left dislocation), which mark two types of topicality (aboutness topicality and relevance topicality). On the basis of these similarities we argue that (the antecedent if-clauses of) NCs and BCs are aboutness topics and relevance topics, respectively. Our analysis extends the approach to aboutness topicality of Endriss (Quantificational topics. A scopal treatment of exceptional wide scope phenomena, 2009) to relevance topics to derive the semantic and pragmatic contribution of left-dislocated DPs and applies it to an analysis of conditionals as (maximal) pluralities of possible worlds. We show how this uniform approach to the interpretation of topicality accounts for the nominal left dislocation constructions as well as for the semantic and pragmatic effects observed in connection with the two types of conditionals. We furthermore discuss the potential of our proposal to deal with subjunctive biscuit conditionals, if-clauses modifying speech acts different from assertions, conditionals with right-dislocated if-clauses, and nested conditionals.

Standard Arabic Left-dislocation without Movement: Evidence for the Presence of a Hanging Topic Left-dislocation Construction

This paper investigates left-dislocation constructions in Standard Arabic (SA), most notably those that have been considered so far as SA CLLD constructions (cf. Aoun & Benmamoun 1998). On the basis of an arsenal of movement diagnostic and cross-linguistic comparison with cross-linguistic findings, I demonstrate that the categorization that Aoun & Benmamoun (1998) advance with respect to SA left-dislocation is inadequate. Accordingly, I raise the issue of whether SA CLLD, are in fact hanging topic left dislocation (HTLD). I therefore compare SA CLLD with their HTLD counterparts. It turns out that SA and English pattern together with respect to HTLD; According to my findings, I provide a new classification of left-dislocation constructions which takes into account SA facts.

Norwegian (non-V2) declaratives, resumptive elements, and the Wackernagel position

Most Norwegian declaratives are subject-initial verb second (V2) clauses. This paper discusses declaratives that can be construed as non-V2, two constructions that have traditionally been analyzed as left dislocation phenomena: the (adjunctive)så-construction and the Copy Left Dislocation (CLD) construction, where the ‘copy’ is a weak pronoun. Both constructions share an affinity to root clauses, have particular scope effects, and employ a prosodically light particle between the topicalized phrase and the finite verb in V2 (såand a weak pronoun, respectively). The paper attributes these properties to the fact that the relevant particles are topic markers of a particular kind; they mark A-topics. A-Topics signal a topic-shift in the conversation and are confined to clauses with illocutionary force (Bianchi & Frascarelli 2010). The aforementioned particles are much more frequent in spoken contexts than in written prose, and I propose that this is because they depend on prosody. They are obligatorily light, and they occur in the part of the clause that has traditionally been described as ‘the Wackernagel position’. Wackernagel (1892) proposed that certain prosodically light elements (clitics in particular) tend to occur in the second position in Indo-European languages. Although the resumptive elements of theså-construction and especially of CLDs may not be fully-fledged clitics, like clitics, they appear in the second position of declaratives.

Dislokasi Kiri dalam Bahasa Indonesia

Information can be packaged based on the need of the speaker and best described in information structure. The selection of a certain package in using language is not aimless. There is special intention owned by the speaker. Left-dislocation is recognized as one of the way to package the information. Due to its uncommon use, left-dislocation construction is a non-canonical way to arrange the information flow. This paper will attempt to portray left-dislocation in bahasa Indonesia based on syntactic view and a slight analysis based on discourse view. The portrayal will deal with kinds of left-dislocation, the relationship of antecedant -- pronoun and the discourse function of left-dislocation.

Empirical support for the principle of the separation of reference and role

Research leading to the formulation of the principle of the separation of reference and role (PSRR) has not taken a straight path. Lambrecht's (1994) PSRR is in direct succession to work by Givón (1975), Chafe (1987), and Du Bois (1987). More specifically, only Du Bois and Lambrecht (contra Chafe) recognize the clause as the domain in which the separation of reference and role takes place. Now, according to Lambrecht, one of the constructions exhibiting the PSRR is the left dislocation (LD) construction, where a referent is first introduced in the dislocated component and is then pronominally re-mentioned in the sentence to make an assertion about it. From our own experimental research, we supply empirical evidence to the effect of the PSRR in LD sentences. We show that in LD, cognitive processing is facilitated, while in other marked-topic constructions, which do not display such a separation, cognitive processing is not facilitated or even inhibited.

A Unified Analysis of Indicative and Biscuit Conditionals as Topics

No abstract.