Verb Research Articles

Middle voice in Cháoyáng Mǐn

Abstract Cháoyáng Mǐn, a dialect originating from Southeast China, exemplifies a unique instance of an isolating language featuring a middle voice. Historically, the middle voice in Cháoyáng Mǐn emerged as the culmination of a sequential transformation involving causative, passive, and anticausative constructions as intermediate stages. This unexpected alternation between valency-increasing and valency-decreasing constructions can be attributed to the grammaticalization of pro-drop (zero-anaphora) within serial verb constructions. The formal marker of all these constructions is the coverb khiɁ ‘give’ which is further merged with the expletive human pronoun i ‘s/he’ into khiɁi as a marker of the last two constructions: anticausative and middle voice. We claim that khiɁi serves as a genuine synthetical middle voice marker, whereas khiɁ fails one crucial set of data to qualify for an analytical middle voice marker.

Gaplessness in Chinese relative clauses

This study posits the existence of a covert gap in Chinese gapless relative clauses, seeking to elucidate how this gap, created by the omission of certain sentential elements, can be recovered via coercion from the relative head noun. This mechanism is elucidated by analyzing the relativization process in prepositional phrases and serial verb constructions. Within prepositional phrases, two subtypes are discerned. The first subtype involves the omission of the preposition, a process termed Preposition Ghosting, which occurs to avoid a violation of the Edge Constraint. Conversely, in the second subtype, the preposition remains in situ without undergoing direct relativization, attributable to its less straightforwardly inferable thematic relationship with the head noun. In serial verb constructions, the process of relativization may lead to the omission of either the first or second verb, with the omitted verb subsequently recoverable through coercion from the relative head noun. The findings suggest that ‘gapless’ relative clauses in Chinese are, in fact, ‘gapped’, which highlight syntactic universals that transcend surface-level forms and meanings.

General skills amidst the details: alternative learning objectives and a framework of competencies for human anatomy.

The field of anatomy is often seen by nonanatomists as concerned primarily with the tasks of locating, naming, and describing structures; these tasks, in turn, are often assumed to require only lower-order cognitive skills (LOCSs), i.e., the Knowledge or Comprehension levels of Bloom's taxonomy. Many nonanatomists may thus believe that studying anatomy does not develop transferable higher-order cognitive skills. Published lists of anatomy learning objectives (LOs) might reinforce this view by focusing attention on numerous details of specific structures and regions. To explore this issue further, we have analyzed the structure of published peer-reviewed LOs by characterizing their organization (single-tiered or multi-tiered), inclusion of function, use of action verbs, and dependence on or independence of context. Our results suggest that previously published LO lists, despite their value, may not fully showcase opportunities for students to develop higher-order skills. In the hope of stimulating further discussion and scholarship, we present here a two-tiered framework of human anatomy competencies, i.e., generalizable skills beyond straightforward recognition and memorization. This framework, which is intended to be both student-facing and faculty-facing, illustrates how anatomy courses may be reframed as opportunities to think critically and develop sophisticated, professionally relevant skills.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Although skilled anatomists know that anatomy is much more than memorization, nonanatomists are often unsure how to emphasize general skills and problem-solving in their teaching of the subject. Here we show how a multi-tiered approach to defining and assessing learning objectives (LOs) can reframe anatomy courses as more than long lists of structures to remember.

The Argument Structure of Intransitive Verbs in Toba Batak Language Aek Kanopan Dialect: A Grammatical Typology Analysis

The aim of the research is to describe the argument structure of intransitive verbs in Toba Batak language (TBL) Aek Kanopan dialect based on grammatical typology analysis. Data collections are gathered by applying conversational and listening method. Meanwhile, the main technique in collecting the data is elicitation technique, which is continued by several techniques, i.e. recording technique and taking note. The data is analyzed by distributional method as suggested by Sudaryanto (2015) and Mahsun (2011). With the use of the oral and written data, as well as the observation method, the analyzing data is done by using substitutional method, translational method, and referential method. The results of the analysis are provided by formal and informal methods. The result of this research shows that the argument structure of intransitive verbs in Toba Batak Language, Aek Kanopan dialect is that intransitive verbs can be divided into two types, namely verbs involving experiencer verbs and action verbs. Both types of verbs require only one argument, the subject, which grammatically functions as the only argument in the sentence. Semantically, the subject can act as an agent who performs an action or as an experiencer who experiences a state or feeling. Then, typologically of grammatical, the argument structure of intransitive verb in TBL Aek Kanopan dialect involved as an accusative-type language.

Neurohospitalist Core Competencies.

The Neurohospitalist Core Competencies comprise a set of competency-based learning objectives that encapsulate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of neurohospitalitists who specialize in the care of hospitalized patients with neurologic conditions. These competencies serve to characterize the rapidly expanding field of neurohospitalist medicine. The 27 chapters are divided into 3 sections entitled: neurological conditions, clinical interventions and interpretation of ancillary studies, and neurohospitalist role in the healthcare system. Each individual learning objective in the chapters describes a specific concept with an action verb to illustrate the behavior that the neurohospitalist exhibits. The individual neurohospitalist may not exhibit mastery in each of the topics included as individual practices vary in scope and practice pattern. A few examples of how the complete set of competencies may be used include in the creation of curricula for neurohospitalist fellowships, to assist in defining the scope of practice of neurohospitalists for administrative leaders of hospitals and departments, and in influencing the direction of further research and quality improvement in the field.

Serial Verbs Constructions as Double-headed Syntactic Structures: Evidence from Igbo

Although serial verb constructions (SVCs) are widely observed across languages, there is ongoing debate regarding their syntactic representation, particularly in cases involving shared arguments. Two prominent approaches to SVCs with argument sharing are the double-headed structure proposed by Baker (1989) and the control structure suggested by Collins (1997). This paper presents novel data from Igbo to evaluate these differing approaches. First, we disentangle the confound between covert coordination and SVCs through syntactic and semantic tests, demonstrating that SVCs do exist in Igbo. We then conduct a comprehensive comparison between SVCs and corresponding verb-verb (V-V) compounds. The absence of a systematic derivational relationship between SVCs and V-V compounds raises doubts about the verb incorporation mechanism posited by Collins. Furthermore, the lack of resultative SVCs in Igbo challenges the existence of an empty category, further undermining the control structure for SVCs. In contrast, we illustrate that the endocentric property of Igbo SVCs aligns naturally with Baker's double-headed syntactic structure. Building on this, we propose a double-headed structure for SVCs in Igbo, both with and without shared arguments. Our findings thus provide a novel argument for a permissible structure of SVCs with argument sharing and for the availability of double-headedness in Universal Grammar.

On the relation between negation and phases

Abstract This research article provides evidence from Jordanian Arabic (JA) that negation is syntactically bound to the projection of a phasal head, wherein NegP is structurally licensed to project exclusively within phase-bound configurations. Therefore, NegP can project separately in CP and v*P, offering support to the multi-locus view (Alqassas 2012. The morpho-syntax and pragmatics of Levantine Arabic negation: A synchronic and diachronic analysis. Doctoral dissertation, Indiana University) that NegP in Arabic is not restricted to one structural position in the clause structure. NegP can rather project separately above TP or below TP. However, as we argue for in this article the projection of NegP is correlated with the presence of a phasal head (Chomsky 2007. Approaching UG from below. In Uli Sauerland & Hans-Martin Gärtner (eds.), Interfaces+recursion=language? Chomsky’s minimalism and the view from syntax-semantics, 1–30. Berlin, Germany: Mouton de Gruyter). Our evidence comes from two interrelated phenomena in JA: (1) the possibility of negating the past tense copula ka:n independently from the negation of the main verb in transitive and passive sentences and (2) the impossibility of independently negating the verb and the past-tense copula ka:n in unaccusative clauses. Following Jarrah’s (2023. Passive vs. unaccusative predicates: A phase-based account. Natural Language & Linguistic Theory 41. 1397–1424) assumption that unaccusative predicates, unlike passive or transitive verbs, do not project phases in JA grammar, we propose that the use of two NegPs in the same clause with unaccusative clauses is prohibited as these unaccusative predicates do not project phases. This assumption is significant as phases, local domains, are not only found to be independent in terms of their Φ-content (their head bears an independent set of unvalued Φ-features) but also in terms of negation.

Categorization of Mujarrad Verbs Beginning with the Letter ‘ba’ in Al Munawwir Arabic-Indonesian Dictionary and Mazīd Verbs in Duleim Masoud Al Qahtani Arabic-English Dictionary: A Morphosemantic Analysis

Objective: This research discusses the categorization of Arabic verbs, which hold a significant importance in word formation and meaning determination. Therefore, the study of verbs in Arabic becomes one of the important theoretical foundations to continue to be studied and developed. One of the important studies of Arabic verbs is the study of mujarrad verbs and mazīd verbs. Method: Employing a qualitative approach, data were gathered from two dictionaries: Al-Munawwir Arabic – Indonesian dictionary and Al-Qahtani Arabic – English dictionary. Content analysis was employed to analyze the collected data. Data were collected from two Arabic dictionary corpora using morphological analysis of verbs. After collecting the data, the morphological data were categorized into three groups based on the semantic meanings of verbs: process verbs, action verbs and state verbs. In the final stage, the researcher investigated the relationship between morphological and semantic analysis in Arabic verbs (mujarrad and mazīd). Results: Morphosemantic analysis reveals that action verbs dominate “Arabic verbs”. Mujarrad verbs in Arabic are classified as action verbs, process verbs, and state verbs. The binary analysis indicates that 77,89 % of the mazīd verbs in this study are action verbs, 20% are process verbs, and 25,26% are state verbs. In this case, action verbs are the most common. Conclusions: This study contributes to the optimization of multidisciplinary analysis in linguistic studies, namely the combination of morphological and semantic analysis. In terms of Arabic dictionary development, this study suggests that verb analysis be supplemented by the categorization of actions, states, and processes

The impact of insubordination on the history of Greek

Abstract In this paper, I trace the impact of insubordination and semi-insubordination on the history of Greek, focusing on its impact on the modal system used to express speech acts. Starting from the cross-linguistic connections of insubordinate and semi-insubordinate ἵνα and να constructions with those found in other languages, I show that ἵνα only had subordinate usages in Classical Greek (including in dyadic syntactic contexts), but developed insubordinate usages for directive and wish speech acts in Post-Classical Greek. In Medieval Greek, insubordinate να spreads pragmatically to other speech acts, e.g. to exclamatives, interrogatives and various assertives (e.g. counterfactual apodoses or double negative declaratives). In Modern Greek, insubordinate να has obtained novel usages in interrogative speech acts too and gained paradigmatic strength as it competes with the imperative and the future. Semi-insubordinate patterns are first developed in Medieval Greek (with ἴσως νὰ + main verb) but spread formally and functionally to other parts of the modal system, expressing epistemic possibility, probability, counterfactuality and avertives.

Embodied cognition in native and foreign language – evidence from a typing task

ABSTRACT This study explores embodied cognition by examining the interplay between psycholinguistic features and motor processes in written language reproduction. We investigated whether previously observed effects (such as verb type and sentence structure influencing motor performance) in native languages also occur in non-native languages, shedding light on sensorimotor grounding across languages. A typing task assessed two phenomena: the manual action verb phenomenon and the negation phenomenon, both known to affect motor planning and performance. Experiment 1 involved native speakers, while Experiment 2 involved non-native speakers of German. We found interference effects (but no facilitation) for manual action verbs compared to non-action verbs in both speaker groups. Results for the negation paradigm were ambiguous and were influenced by syntactic operators. Our findings suggest similar sensorimotor grounding for native and foreign languages, contributing to research on embodied cognition in foreign language contexts. Methodological challenges and future research implications are discussed.

Delving Into the Syntactic and Semantic Aspects of Verb Phrases in a Comparative Context

This research paper aims to investigate and analyze the syntax and semantics of verb phrases in both English and Bangla, with a view of identifying their major similarities and differences. Though English and Bangla verb phrases have a lot of likenesses, they vary in their structure, function and meaning. The term ‘verb’ is often considered to be a most vital syntactic and semantic component of any language. It is, both in English and Bangla, defined as a linguistic unit expressing some ‘action’ or ‘state’. Syntactically, the verb appears as a part or constituent of a phrase and is usually modified or complemented in some way(s): the verb complemented by noun(s), adjective(s), adverb(s), adverb participle(s), infinitive(s) etc. and the main verb is the ‘head’ accompanies other verbs, generally the copulas, verbs to have, modals etc. The verb phrase also involves the so-called concept which is traditionally termed a ‘predicate’. Moreover, in order to analyze the verb phrase semantically too, this research attempts to study the internal structure of the verb phrase consisting of the auxiliary verb and the main verb, where the role of main verbs is to convey the semantic content of the verb phrase and set up various relationships with all the other elements in the sentence. Here, the auxiliary verb often indicates aspect, tense, mood, voice, etc. So, this research is intended to provide readers and learners of both languages with necessary information about the similarities and differences in the verb phrases of English and Bangla.

The Investigation of Ideological Representations in Subtitling: A Critical Discourse Analysis Approach

The present study investigates how ideologically-laden words and expressions are subtitled from English into Arabic by taking into account various translation strategies and lexical choices. It also sheds light on the role of the subtitler in this ideologically-constructed transfer. For this purpose, a mixed methods approach is followed to analyze and calculate the occurrence of the selected words and expressions from English movies and their Arabic subtitles by adopting the eclectic model of Farahzad’s critical discourse analysis model (2011), and Baker’s (2011) and Pedersen’s (2011) translation strategies. The results of the study show that the subtitlers try to convey different ideologies from the ones presented in the original dialogues by depicting Muslim characters as negative individuals and American characters as positive individuals who are saviors and defenders. This is revealed through omission, translation by more expressive words, addition, and generalization. The findings further highlight that the subtitlers attempted to match the subtitles to the religious beliefs of the target viewers through cultural substitution. Regarding shifts of agency or participants, the subtitlers employed addition by adding action verbs in the subtitles to change the meaning of the sequence or to alter the focus toward specific agents by using different pronouns. The study thereof shows the role of the subtitler as an unfaithful transmitter of reality in the subtitles.

The Algonquian person prefix is an agreement affix, not a pronominal clitic

Halle & Marantz (1993) propose that the person prefix that appears on Independent Order verbs in Potawatomi is a pronominal clitic and not an agreement affix, and this analysis has been followed for a variety of Algonquian languages by a large number of researchers. With data primarily from Passamaquoddy-Maliseet (Eastern Algonquian), I show that the prefix is not a pronominal clitic, it is an agreement affix, according to all diagnostics for distinguishing them. This conclusion is problematic because the prefix can be separated from the verb stem and the rest of the inflection, which is suffixal. I propose an analysis according to which all the inflectional suffixes are heads low in the clause, through which the main verb moves. The prefix, in contrast, is an Agr(eement) head adjoined to a head higher in the clause. This head attracts the highest verbal element, which will be the highest preverb if there is one, or the main verb if not. Preverbs are syntactic heads above the main verb which never form a complex head with it. This is amply justified by their separability, their prosody (they are often separate prosodic words), and coordination facts. Word order facts also indicate that the verb does not move very high in Algonquian languages, contrary to many analyses since Halle & Marantz (1993).

A Novel Method to Early Agile Effort Estimation through Functional Initiatives

ContextDecision makers struggle to develop rough order of magnitude cost estimates early in an agile software project's lifecycle, when lack of detailed functional user requirements limits Functional Size Measurement. ObjectiveThis study introduces a new method based on counting initiatives to measure the functional size (Functional Initiative Count (FIC) and Functional Initiative Points (FIP) of agile software projects during their early phases and examines its effectiveness as a predictor of agile software development effort. FIC and FIP are derived from an agile project's high-level initiatives converted into similar size units based on their active verbs. Initiatives, also referred to as capabilities in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Defense (DoD), identifies the means to accomplish a mission, function, or objective. Initiatives are typically documented early in a project's product vision document, product roadmap document, or concept of operations (in the DHS and DoD). MethodThe analysis used historical actual data from 21 agile projects implemented between 2014 and 2022 in the DHS and DoD. ResultFIC revealed to be a reliable predictor of total software development effort, while FIP revealed to be an even better predictor of total software development effort. ConclusionUsing FIP is a viable solution to use as a functional size measure for early phase agile software development effort estimation.

The effectiveness of Processing Instruction and Production-Based Instruction on the acquisition of the past tense in Greek by child heritage learners: A preliminary study

The study compares the effectiveness of two communicative approaches to grammar teaching, Processing Instruction (PI) and Production-Based instruction with collaborative tasks (PB), on the acquisition of past tense verb morphology by child heritage learners of Greek. Fourteen child learners of Greek, students at a heritage language school in Hungary, participated in the study. Half of them received PI instruction, which focuses only on the input, providing structured-input activities, and the other half received PB instruction, which focuses on the production of output with meaningful collaborative tasks. Both teaching interventions included a short explicit grammar teaching module. A pre-/post-test design was employed, which consisted of two tasks: a written production task and a sentence repetition task. Results revealed significant gains for both PI and PB instruction. However, both teaching interventions yielded better results in the written production task than in the more cognitively demanding sentence repetition task. Additionally, children who had little or no previous exposure to Greek seem to have profited more in the more cognitively demanding task, irrespective of the type of teaching intervention.

Escape from Noun Complement Clauses in Avatime

This paper discusses the status of island phenomena in Avatime, an endangered Kwa language of Ghana. We focus on clausal adjuncts, specifically noun complement clauses (NCCs). We show that while standard adjuncts are strong islands in Avatime, NCCs allow argument extraction. We suggest that this is related to the fact that NCCs in Avatime are not a type of relative clause. Instead, NCCs involve a kind of serial verb construction, which independently allows for extraction.

Double-finite Serial Verbs in Sanskrit and later Indo-Aryan

Abstract Steever (1988. The serial verb formation in the Dravidian languages. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass) introduced to South Asian linguistics the notion “Serial Verb” – a Dravidian construction in which two morphologically finite verbs agree in person and number features in the same sentence. I show that similar “double-finite” structures are found in Sanskrit/Indo-Aryan, although details differ. One double-finite construction, inherited from Proto-Indo-European, does not seem to have continued in the post-Vedic language, but others do, and similar structures occur in Modern Indo-Aryan languages. While the historical developments are relatively clear for early Indo-Aryan, from Vedic down to Pāli, there are questions about whether the double-finite constructions of Modern Indo-Aryan are inherited , since comparable structures have not been noted in late Middle Indo-Aryan Apabhraṁśa, the near-ancestor of (peninsular) Modern Indo-Aryan. In the conclusion I discuss alternatives to Modern Indo-Aryan inheritance, including areal and typological factors and the proposal by Milizia (2018. Sul presente neoindoarico a doppio verbo finito. Atti del Sodalizio Glottologico Milanese 12(n.s.). 93–111) that the perhaps most widespread Modern Indo-Aryan double-finite construction results from analogical developments. (Unfortunately, the latter proposal does not account for the other Modern Indo-Aryan double-finite constructions.)

Guidelines for Integrating actionable A-SMART Learning Outcomes into the Backward Design Process.

Learning outcomes are essential in education, guiding both educators and learners towards desired knowledge, skills, and competencies. The backward design process offers a structured approach to curriculum planning, but its integration with actionable, SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) learning outcomes needs further exploration. This guide aims to introduce the concept of "A-SMART" learning outcomes and demonstrate their integration into the backward design process, focusing on outcomes that begin with action verbs. The guide outlines a three-stage curriculum planning approach: (i) define desired results, (ii) determine acceptable evidence of learning, and (iii) plan learning activities. It emphasizes the importance of starting with action verbs in formulating learning outcomes, aligning with Stage 1 of backward design and facilitating the transition to Stage 2 (assessment development). By following this guide, educators will acquire tools to develop effective "A-SMART" learning outcomes. This approach immediately advances to Stage 2 of backward design, improving educational practices and ensuring alignment with assessment methods. The guide provides strategies for formulating outcomes that are Action-oriented, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based. The integration of A-SMART learning outcomes into the backward design process offers a more cohesive and effective educational framework. This approach enhances clarity for learners, provides guidance for instructors, enables more effective assessments, and improves overall learning experiences. The guide also addresses potential challenges in formulating A-SMART outcomes and suggests solutions, including the use of AI tools for inspiration and critical review.

Are cleft sentence structures more difficult to process?

This study compares the processing of cleft structures against that of monoclausal sentences using event-related potential (ERP). We aim to understand how syntactic complexity is processed by comparing the neural response to cleft and single-clause sentences with identical verb phrases, controlling for verb bias frequency effects. Sixty participants were tested, and we presented 100 cleft and 100 monoclausal sentences, balanced for active and passive verb usage. We examined the P600 component, an ERP associated with syntactic complexity, to assess the processing of cleft structures. Results showed that cleft structures incur a greater processing load, as indicated by a larger P600, compared to monoclausal sentences. The P600 response indicates that processing cleft sentences requires additional syntactic operations, consistent with behavioral studies showing that clinical populations have difficulty comprehending complex sentences.

Complexity and accuracy of verbal morphology in written L2 Italian

Abstract The present study aims to verify previous findings on the role of proficiency in the degree of complexity and accuracy of verbal morphemes in written essays from intermediate and advanced L2 Italian learners. In addition, by taking the perspective of usage-based theories on the distributional properties in the input, it investigates the extent to which contingency affects morphological complexity and accuracy by the emergence of cue-outcome associations. Hypotheses on the effects of contingency and proficiency on complexity and accuracy, and on their mutual relationships, are verified by adopting a confirmatory approach and by using Structural equation modeling. Results support the claims for non-universal mechanisms in the acquisition of verbal morphology: proficiency does not affect the morphological complexity of learner texts in the same way in inflectionally rich and poor languages, and the cue-outcome mechanisms of associative learning work to different extents depending on the inflectional systems of the target languages.