188 research outputs found
Completability vs (In)completeness
In everyday conversation, no notion of âcomplete sentenceâ is required for syntactic licensing. However, so-called âfragmentaryâ, âincompleteâ, and abandoned utterances are problematic for standard formalisms. When contextualised, such data show that (a) non-sentential utterances are adequate to underpin agent coordination, while (b) all linguistic dependencies can be systematically distributed across participants and turns. Standard models have problems accounting for such data because their notions of âconstituencyâ and âsyntactic domainâ are independent of performance considerations. Concomitantly, we argue that no notion of âfull propositionâ or encoded speech act is necessary for successful interaction: strings, contents, and joint actions emerge in conversation without any single participant having envisaged in advance the outcome of their own or their interlocutorsâ actions. Nonetheless, morphosyntactic and semantic licensing mechanisms need to apply incrementally and subsententially. We argue that, while a representational level of abstract syntax, divorced from conceptual structure and physical action, impedes natural accounts of subsentential coordination phenomena, a view of grammar as a âskillâ employing domain-general mechanisms, rather than fixed form-meaning mappings, is needed instead. We provide a sketch of a predictive and incremental architecture (Dynamic Syntax) within which underspecification and time-relative update of meanings and utterances constitute the sole concept of âsyntaxâ
Dysfluencies as intra-utterance dialogue moves
Ginzburg J, FernĂĄndez R, Schlangen D. Dysfluencies as intra-utterance dialogue moves. Semantics and Pragmatics. 2014;7
Preliminary Validation of the Spanish Version of the Multiple Stimulus Types Ambiguity Tolerance Scale (MSTAT-II)
Despite widespread interest in ambiguity tolerance and other informationrelated individual differences, existing measures are conceptually dispersed and psychometrically weak. This paper presents the Spanish version of MSTAT-II, a short, stimulus-oriented, and psychometrically improved measure of an individualâs orientation toward ambiguous stimuli. Results obtained reveal adequate reliability, validity, and temporal stability. These results support the use of MSTAT-II as an adequate measure of ambiguity tolerance.A pesar del amplio interĂ©s en la tolerancia a la ambigĂŒedad y a otras diferencias individuales relacionadas con la informaciĂłn, las medidas existentes son conceptualmente dispersas y presentan deficiencias psicomĂ©tricas. El propĂłsito de este trabajo es presentar la versiĂłn española del MSTAT II, un instrumento de medida de las orientaciones de un individuo respecto a estĂmulos ambiguos con mejoras psicomĂ©tricas sustanciales, independiente del contexto y suficientemente corto para ser utilizado junto con otras medidas. Los resultados obtenidos en cuanto a consistencia interna, estabilidad temporal y validez son satisfactorios. Estos resultados apoyan el uso del MSTAT-II en su versiĂłn española como una medida adecuada de tolerancia a la ambigĂŒedad.Junta de AndalucĂa proyecto SEJ 267
Scientific modelling in generative grammar and the dynamic turn in syntax
In this paper, I address the issue of scientific modelling in contemporary linguistics, focusing on the generative tradition. In so doing, I identify two common varieties of linguistic idealisation, which I call determination and isolation respectively. I argue that these distinct types of idealisation can both be described within the remit of Weisbergâs (J Philos 104(12):639â659, 2007) minimalist idealisation strategy in the sciences. Following a line set by Blutner (Theor Linguist, 37(1â2):27â35, 2011) (albeit for different purposes), I propose this minimalist idealisation analysis for a broad construal of the generative linguistic programme and thus cite examples from a wide range of linguistic frameworks including early generative syntax (i.e. Standard Theory, Government and Binding and Principles and Parameters), Minimalism (Chomsky in The minimalist program, MIT Press, Cambridge, 1995), the parallel architecture (Jackendoff in Foundations of language: brain, meaning, grammar, evolution, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2002) and optimality theory (Prince and Smolensky in Optimality theory: constraint interaction in generative grammar, 1993/2004). Lastly, I claim that from a modelling perspective, the dynamic turn in syntax (Kempson et al. in Dynamic syntaxâthe flow of language understanding, Blackwell Publishers, Oxford, 2001; Cann et al. in The dynamics of language: an introduction, Elsevier, Oxford, 2005) can be explained as a continuation, as opposed to a marked shift (or revolution), of the generative modelling paradigm (despite radical theory change). Seen in this light, my proposal is an even broader construal of the generative tradition, along scientific modelling lines. Thus, I offer a lens through which to appreciate the scientific contribution of generative grammar, amid an increased resistance to some of its core theoretical posits, in terms of a brand of structural realism in the philosophy of science and specifically scientific modelling.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe
Linguistic Representation and Processing of Copredication
This thesis addresses the lexical and psycholinguistic properties of copredication. In particular, it explores its acceptability, frequency, crosslinguistic and electrophysiological features. It proposes a general parsing bias to account for novel acceptability data, through which Complex-Simple predicate orderings are degraded across distinct nominal types relative to the reverse order. This bias, Incremental Semantic Complexity, states that the parser seeks to process linguistic representations in incremental stages of semantic complexity. English and Italian acceptability data are presented which demonstrate that predicate order preferences are based not on sense dominance but rather sense complexity. Initial evidence is presented indicating that pragmatic factors centred on coherence relations can impact copredication acceptability when such copredications host complex (but not simple) predicates. The real-time processing and electrophysiological properties of copredication are also presented, which serve to replicate and ground the acceptability dynamics presented in the thesis
Recommended from our members
Dialogue Modelling and the Remit of Core Grammar
In confronting the challenge of providing formal models of dialogue, with its plethora of fragments and rich variation in modes of context-dependent construal, it might seem that linguists face two types of methodological choice: either (a) conversation employs dialogue-specific mechanisms, for which a grammar specific to such activity must be constructed; or (b) variation arises due to independent parsing/production systems which invoke a process-neutral grammar. However, as dialogue research continues to develop, there are intermediate possibilities, and in this paper we discuss the approach developed within Dynamic Syntax (DS, Kempson et al. 2001, Cann et al. 2005), a grammar framework within which, not only the parser, but indeed âsyntaxâ itself are just a single mechanism allowing the progressive construction of semantic representations in context. Here we take as a case study the set of phenomena classifiable as clarifications, reformulations, fragment requests and corrections accompanied by extensions, and argue that though these may seem to be uniquely constitutive of dialogue, they are grounded in the mechanisms of apposition equivalently usable in monologue for presenting reformulations, extensions, self-corrections etc
- âŠ