Co-Event Conflation for Compound Verbs in Korean

PACLIC 21 / Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea / November 1-3, 200

Talmy’s Dichotomous Typology and Japanese Lexicalization Patterns of Motion Events

Talmy‘s (1985) crosslinguistic typology of lexicalization patterns of motion events have been extensively used in second language acquisition (SLA) research as a means to examine how second language (L2) learners map form, meaning, and function. These studies have yielded some conflicting results regarding the learnability of L2 lexicalization patterns — arguably the oversimplification over and the overreliance on the dichotomous typological categorization of such patterns. The present corpus study seeks to illustrate how Japanese, which is classified as a V-language, may express motion events differently from what the typology typically suggests. The results showed that (1) Japanese elaborates on the Manner of motion via nouns, adjectives and adverbs, and that (2) Japanese verbs conflate Manner and Motion via Chinese loanwords and compound verbs. In order to shed light on what is learnable and why certain lexicalization patterns are (un)learnable for specific population groups in adult L2 acquisition, it is argued that, a deeper understanding of the nature of L2 input and learners‘ native languages (NL), especially in terms of input frequency, the complexity of form-meaning relationships, and the ease of processing of lexicalization patterns, would be indispensable

Chinese Causative Resultative V-Vs and Their Acquisition by L1 European Portuguese Learners

The Chinese Causative Resultative V-Vs (CR V-Vs) express caused-result events, with the component denoting the Manner (causing eventuality) and the one encoding the Result in adjacency. They constitute an interesting construction since they exhibit both lexical and syntactic properties, show thematic flexibility, and sometimes are semantically ambiguous. In previous studies, authors generally fell into one of the following two groups: some claim that CR V-Vs are formed on the lexical level, while others claim that CR V-Vs are formed on the syntactic level. In this study, within the framework of the Minimalist Program and under the assumptions of Distributed Morphology, we attempt to provide an account that can explain CR V-Vs’ properties holistically, including lexical properties such as V-V integrity and the “small size” constraint, and syntactic properties such as productivity and semantic compositionality, as well as other observed constraints such as the semantic constraint on V2 and the constraints related to causative alternation. More importantly, the syntactic structure we propose can account for the thematic flexibility and the semantic ambiguity of some CR V-Vs, which have attracted a lot of attention and imposed difficulty for explanation in the literature. In particular, we propose that Chinese CR V-Vs involve the head vCAUSE. The Mannerdenoting root conflates to it as an adjunct, and the Result-denoting root is incorporated to it as its Complement. Contrastingly, Portuguese does not allow either Manner Conflation or rootselecting vCAUSE. Therefore, for L1 Portuguese learners to acquire L2 Chinese CR V-Vs, parameter resetting will be required. To find out the accessibility of Universal Grammar (UG), the role of L1, and the attainability of parameter resetting in L2 acquisition, we conducted an experiment with 27 L1 Portuguese speakers learning Chinese as L2 (intermediate to advanced level) and 27 Chinese native speakers. The experiment includes three tasks: a semi-elicited production task (SPT), a grammaticality judgment task (GJT), and a comprehension task (CT). Results show a general positive developmental trend in CR V-Vs’ production and comprehension and successful acquisition of some CR V-V constraints, which is a strong argument for UG access. Nativelike performance is observed in some L2 learners’ responses in the SPT and CT, showing the attainability of parameter resetting. L1 transfer of both lexical properties and functional categories has been detected. However, some apparent evidence of L1 transfer of functional category properties is ambiguous because they can also be interpreted as evidence of UG access (similar to L1 acquisition). In general, the results of our study support an argument in favor of the Full Transfer Full Access hypothesis (Schwartz & Sprouse, 1994, 1996) of L2 acquisition. Nevertheless, the results of our study are not exclusively successful. We find that different aspects of the L2 grammars form a hierarchy of acquisition difficulty. While the L2 learners were successful in acquiring properties such as the V2 constraint, the V-V integrity, and the causative alternation constraints, they did not show sensitivity to constraints such as the V-V adjacency, and proficiency effect was not detected. It seems that parameter resetting does not guarantee successful acquisition. We attribute the L2 grammar variations to factors such as the Feature Reassembly (Lardiere, 2005, 2008, 2009a, b), processing difficulties, and the input quality. The L2 acquisition process is more complicated than selecting the correct values for parameters. The learners should also learn how the bundles of features are realized in L2, namely, the Feature Reassembly. Moreover, since frequency plays an important role in efficient acquisition (see Yang, 2010), the processing difficulty and the ambiguous input may complicate the acquisition process and decrease the acquisition efficiency. When the natural input quality is poor, explicit instruction may be needed to help. Furthermore, we hypothesize that the Bottleneck Hypothesis (Slabakova, 2009, 2014, 2016, 2019) and the distinction between macroparameters and microparameters (Baker, 2008; Slabakova, 2019; Tsimpli, 2014) may also provide an explanation: the acquisition of microparameters is more difficult than that of the macroparameters; the core syntax and semantics come easily, but the functional morphology imposes the most difficulties.As sequências de verbos Causativos Resultativos V-V em Chinês (CR V-Vs) expressam eventos resultado-causado, com o componente que denota a Maneira (que causa eventualidade) e aquele que codifica o Resultado a ocorrem em adjacência. É uma construção interessante, uma vez que exibe propriedades lexicais e sintáticas particulares, mostra flexibilidade temática e às vezes é semanticamente ambígua. Em estudos anteriores, os autores dividiram-se geralmente em dois grupos: alguns afirmam que os CR V-Vs são formados no léxico, enquanto outros defendem que os CR V-Vs são formados na sintaxe. Neste estudo, dentro do quadro teórico do Programa Minimalista e sob os pressupostos da Morfologia Distribuída, tentamos fornecer uma abordagem que pode explicar as propriedades CR V-Vs de forma holística, incluindo propriedades lexicais, como a integridade e a restrição de “tamanho”, e propriedades sintáticas, como a produtividade e a composicionalidade semântica, bem como outras restrições observadas, tal como a restrição semântica sobre V2 e as restrições relacionadas com a alternância causativa. Além disso, a nossa proposta pode explicar a flexibilidade temática e a ambiguidade semântica de alguns CR V-Vs, que sido objeto de amplo debate na literatura. Em particular, propomos que os CR V-Vs chineses envolvem o núcleo vCAUSE. A raiz (root) que denota Maneira funde-se (Conflate) com vCAUSE como um adjunto e a raiz que denota Resultado é incorporada (Incorporate) em vCAUSE como seu Complemento. Em contraste, o português não permite Manner Conflation nem a opção root-selecting de vCAUSE. Portanto, para que os alunos de L1 português e L2 chinês adquiram os CR V-Vs, será necessário refixar os parâmetros. Para explorar as questões de acessibilidade à Gramática Universal (GU), o papel da L1 e a possibilidade de refixação de parâmetros na aquisição de L2, levámos a cabo um experiência com 27 falantes de L1 português aprendentes de chinês como L2 (nível intermédio a avançado) e 27 falantes nativos de chinês. A experiência inclui três tarefas: uma Tarefa de Produção Semi- Induzida (SPT), uma Tarefa de Julgamento de Grammaticidade (GJT) e uma Tarefa de Compreensão (CT). Os resultados mostram, na generalidade, uma tendência de desenvolvimento positivo na produção e compreensão dos CR V-Vs e a aquisição de algumas restrições das construções CR V-Vs, o que é um forte argumento a favor da acessibilidade à UG. Observa-se um desempenho semelhante ao dos nativos nas respostas dos aprendentes L2 na SPT e na CT, o que favorece a hipótese de refixação de parâmetros. A transferência das propriedades lexicais e das categorias funcionais da L1 foi detectada. No entanto, algumas evidências aparentes de transferência L1 de propriedades das categorias funcionais são ambíguas porque também podem ser interpretadas como evidências de acesso à UG (semelhante à aquisição de L1). Em geral, os resultados do nosso estudo constituem um argumento a favor da hipótese Full Transfer Full Access (Schwartz & Sprouse, 1994, 1996) da aquisição de L2. Contudo, os resultados do nosso estudo não apontam todos para uma aquisição com sucesso. Descobrimos que diferentes aspectos da gramática da L2 formam uma hierarquia de dificuldade de aquisição. Enquanto os aprendentes da L2 foram bem sucedidos na aquisição de propriedades como a restrição V2, a integridade V-V e as restrições de alternância causativas, não mostraram sensibilidade a restrições como a adjacência V-V, e nao foi detectado qualquer efeito de proficiência (entre o nível intermédio e o avançado). É possível que a refixação de parâmetros não garanta uma aquisição bem sucedida. Atribuímos as variações da gramática L2 a fatores como a reconfiguração de traços (Feature Reassembly Hypothesis, Lardiere, 2005, 2008, 2009a, b), dificuldades de processamento e a qualidade do input. O processo de aquisição da L2 é mais complicado do que apenas selecionar os valores corretos para os parâmetros. Os aprendentes também devem aprender como são configurados os traços na L2, nomeadamente, tendo em conta a Feature Reassembly Hypothesis. Além disso, uma vez que a frequência desempenha um papel importante na aquisição (veja-se Yang, 2010), a dificuldade de processamento e o input ambíguo podem tornar complexo o processo e diminuir a eficácia da aquisição. Quando a qualidade do input natural é deficiente, as instruções explícitas podem ajudar. Além disso, a Bottleneck Hypothesis (Slabakova, 2009, 2014, 2016, 2019) e a distinção entre macroparâmetros e microparâmetros (Baker, 2008; Slabakova, 2019; Tsimpli, 2014) também podem fornecer uma explicação: a aquisição de microparâmetros é mais difícil que a de macroparâmetros; a sintaxe e a semântica essenciais adquirem-se facilmente, mas a morfologia funcional impõe maiores dificuldades

A Morphological Analyzer for Filipino Verbs

PACLIC / The University of the Philippines Visayas Cebu College Cebu City, Philippines / November 20-22, 200

Talmy’s Dichotomous Typology and Japanese Lexicalization Patterns of Motion Events

Talmy‘s (1985) crosslinguistic typology of lexicalization patterns of motion events have been extensively used in second language acquisition (SLA) research as a means to examine how second language (L2) learners map form, meaning, and function. These studies have yielded some conflicting results regarding the learnability of L2 lexicalization patterns — arguably the oversimplification over and the overreliance on the dichotomous typological categorization of such patterns. The present corpus study seeks to illustrate how Japanese, which is classified as a V-language, may express motion events differently from what the typology typically suggests. The results showed that (1) Japanese elaborates on the Manner of motion via nouns, adjectives and adverbs, and that (2) Japanese verbs conflate Manner and Motion via Chinese loanwords and compound verbs. In order to shed light on what is learnable and why certain lexicalization patterns are (un)learnable for specific population groups in adult L2 acquisition, it is argued that, a deeper understanding of the nature of L2 input and learners‘ native languages (NL), especially in terms of input frequency, the complexity of form-meaning relationships, and the ease of processing of lexicalization patterns, would be indispensable

Argument structure in Mandarin Chinese: a lexical-syntactic perspective

Tesis doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, Departamento de Lingüística, Lenguas Modernas, Lógica y Fª de la Ciencia y Tª de la Literatura y Literatura Comparada. Fecha de lectura: 02-04-201

Contrastive grammar : a theory and practice handbook

En consonancia con los lineamientos del programa vigente de Gramática Contrastiva, materia incluida en el programa de estudios del Traductorado de Inglés de la Facultad de Lenguas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, el objetivo principal de Contrastive Grammar: A Theory and Practice Handbook es brindar a los estudiantes un manual que combine las gramáticas descriptivas del inglés y del español. No pretende ser una revisión completa de todas las diferencias lingüísticas existentes entre ambas lenguas: por el contrario, el objetivo del presente manual es combinar información teórica clave con prácticas variadas respecto de estructuras dispares que representan la fuente más frecuente de interferencia entre los dos sistemas.Fil: Gómez Calvillo, M. Natalia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Lenguas; Argentina.Fil: Meehan, Patricia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Lenguas; Argentina.Fil: Díaz, M. Josefina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Lenguas; Argentina.Fil: Rolfi, Laura. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Lenguas; Argentina

Typological parameters of genericity

Different languages employ different morphosyntactic devices for expressing genericity. And, of course, they also make use of different morphosyntactic and semantic or pragmatic cues which may contribute to the interpretation of a sentence as generic rather than episodic. [...] We will advance the strong hypo thesis that it is a fundamental property of lexical elements in natural language that they are neutral with respect to different modes of reference or non-reference. That is, we reject the idea that a certain use of a lexical element, e.g. a use which allows reference to particular spatio-temporally bounded objects in the world, should be linguistically prior to all other possible uses, e.g. to generic and non-specific uses. From this it follows that we do not consider generic uses as derived from non-generic uses as it is occasionally assumed in the literature. Rather, we regard these two possibilities of use as equivalent alternative uses of lexical elements. The typological differences to be noted therefore concern the formal and semantic relationship of generic and non-generic uses to each other; they do not pertain to the question of whether lexical elements are predetermined for one of these two uses. Even supposing we found a language where generic uses are always zero-marked and identical to lexical sterns, we would still not assume that lexical elements in this language primarily have a generic use from which the non-generic uses are derived. (Incidentally, none of the languages examined, not even Vietnamese, meets this criterion.

Talmyの認知的言語類型化が第二言語習得へ及ぼす影響 ―日本語話者と中国語話者による移動・状態変化事象の英語表現の習得に関する研究―

Tohoku University小野尚之課