The Distribution of Multiple Subject Constructions in Korean

It has often been observed in the literature that multiple subject constructions(MSCs) are acceptable only with stative predicates. While the notion of stativity can play a role in accounting for the distribution of MSCs, the analysis based on verbal aspect sometimes leads to incorrect predictions. In this paper, it is argued that in order to explain the acceptability of MSCs consistently, sentential aspect rather than verbal aspect must be considered, and also contextual factors must be taken into account. It is also pointed out that those contextual factors can be subsumed by the notion of characterization in Jang (1998). Meanwhile, MSCs beginning with a subject associated with location need a special treatment since it can be regarded as a locative phrase as well as a subject, and hence a double subject construction can be licensed even if its predicate belongs to activity predicates or characterization relation does not hold

Exploring VP/vP Preposing in Multiple Nominative Constructions mm

This study investigates VP/vP preposing within the context of Multiple Nominative Constructions (MNCs). In Korean, a verbal constituent can be moved to the sentence-initial position. However, when an unbound trace is contained within the preposed constituent, it violates the Proper Binding Condition (PBC), rendering the sentence ungrammatical. The PBC effect has non-trivial implications for the structure of VP/vP. This paper investigates VP/vP preposing across diverse categories of MNCs in Korean to illuminate their structural characteristics. MNCs occur in various environments, broadly classified into Major Subject constructions and Nominative Object constructions (Kuno 1973). Previous literature classifies the two types of MNCs into several sub-types. An important question is concerned with the structure of the various MNCs. This paper explores whether previous analyses can adequately explain the (im)possibility of VP/vP preposing within each sub-type of MNCs. We show that the (im)possibility of VP/vP preposing in MNCs results from their unique structure, in combination with the PBC effect and many other syntactic principles.We thank the anonymous reviewers of this journal for many useful comments. This work was supported by the 2021 Yeungnam University Research Grant (Corresponding Author)

Multiple Subject Constructions in Korean Reconsidered

The 'multiple subject constructions' (=MSCs) in Korean and Japanese display peculiar language specific phenomena which can not be easily explained, either syntactically or semantically. These phenomena are syntactically interesting in that all NPs in MSCs have a unique syntactic case, namely nominative case. From the semantic point of view, it is also interesting to note that there are various semantic and pragmatic relationships between the NPs in MSCs. Until now we have seen no plausible explanation as to why there are MSCs in Korean and Japanese and why they are necessary. I propose in this paper that MSCs are derived due to the incompleteness of the meaning of the subject. If the subject is semantically incomplete, it requires another NP for semantic saturation. This process continues until no NP can be added upon past a certain point; at this stage the MSC has become semantically complete. I assume further that the nominative case of the NPs in MSCs is due to the case assignment of the AGR of INFL category in the underlying structure. This conflicts with the assumption of quite a few GB-grammarians, who treat the MSCs as a result of scrambling phenomena of NPs, i.e. via cyclic NP movement from the attribute position of the subject NP into the IP-adjunction position. Detailed descriptions of syntactic derivation and semantic interpretation of MSCs are given in this paper

The multiple subject construction in Arabic : evidence from subject doubling in Tunisian Arabic

Phd ThesisThis dissertation explores the syntax of set of subject constructions in Tunisian Arabic (TA) comprising a NP and a third person free-standing pronoun, known in the literature of Arabic grammar as an H-Form (Fassi Fehri 1993). The subject NP-H pair has three main realisations, each of which will be shown to have a distinct information structure: an NP-H sequence, where the NP is doubled by the H-form, conveying contrastive topic, an H-NP sequence, where the NP is again doubled by the H-form, expressing a thetic meaning, and an NP-H sequence conveying contrastive/exhaustive focus where the H-form is a nominal copula of a cleft construction. The two subject doubling sequences are analysed as realisations of the same syntactic structure, a multiple subject construction (MSC), but for the values of the syntactic information-structural features [Top(ic)] and [Foc(us)]. The NP-H sequence has the NP in the spec(ifier) of a Top head and the H-form in the spec of the head Fin(ite), specified for Focus. The combination of [+Top] and [+Foc] yields the contrastive topic reading. The H-NP sequence has the H in the spec of Top and the NP in the spec of Fin. The combination of the expletive H in spec of Top and the focused NP in spec of Fin yields the thetic reading. The parameter distinguishing between languages with subject doubling of the TA type and languages without, as English, is about the specification of Fin. In English Fin has an EPP feature attracting any subject, topic or focus or expletive. In TA, Fin is specified for [Foc EPP] only. Topic-marked subjects are attracted by a higher Top head, marked for [Top, EPP], where the latter can be satisfied by an expletive in the absence of a topical subject. It will be shown that Finnish and Icelandic have the same parameter specification as TA, therefore exhibiting a MSC with properties similar to the MSC in TA. The NP-H pair is base-generated as a Small Clause embedded in a so called ‘big DP’, where the NP is the subject and the H-pronoun the predicate. There is only partial agreement between the two terms; in particular there is no person agreement. The MSC is derived by separate movement of the NP and the H-pronoun

Emergent phonology

To what extent do complex phonological patterns require the postulation of universal mechanisms specific to language? In this volume, we explore the Emergent Hypothesis, that the innate language-specific faculty driving the shape of adult grammars is minimal, with grammar development relying instead on cognitive capacities of a general nature. Generalisations about sounds, and about the way sounds are organised into meaningful units, are constructed in a bottom-up fashion: As such, phonology is emergent. We present arguments for considering the Emergent Hypothesis, both conceptually and by working through an extended example in order to demonstrate how an adult grammar might emerge from the input encountered by a learner. Developing a concrete, data-driven approach, we argue that the conventional, abstract notion of unique underlying representations is unmotivated; such underlying representations would require some innate principle to ensure their postulation by a learner. We review the history of the concept and show that such postulated forms result in undesirable phonological consequences. We work through several case studies to illustrate how various types of phonological patterns might be accounted for in the proposed framework. The case studies illustrate patterns of allophony, of productive and unproductive patterns of alternation, and cases where the surface manifestation of a feature does not seem to correspond to its morphological source. We consider cases where a phonetic distinction that is binary seems to manifest itself in a way that is morphologically ternary, and we consider cases where underlying representations of considerable abstractness have been posited in previous frameworks. We also consider cases of opacity, where observed phonological properties do not neatly map onto the phonological generalisations governing patterns of alternation

Repetition avoidance in human language

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Linguistics and Philosophy, 2007.Includes bibliographical references (p. 208-225).Repetition is avoided in countless human languages and at a variety of grammatical levels. In this dissertation I ask what it is that makes repetition so bad. I propose that at least three distinct biases against repetition exist. First, repetition of articulatory gestures is relatively difficult. This difficulty results in phonetic variation that may lead to categorical phonological avoidance. I call this set of claims the Biomechanical Repetition Avoidance Hypothesis (BRAH), and support it with evidence from cross-linguistic patterns in repetition avoidance phenomena, articulatory data from music performance, and a series of phonetic experiments that document the proposed types of phonetic variation. Based on these data, I give an evolutionary account for antigemination in particular. The second anti-repetition bias is a perceptual deficit causing speakers not to perceive one of a sequence of repeated items, of any conceptual category. This bias is already well-documented, as are the grammatical effects (primarily haplology). I provide here the evidence of gradient variation in production bridging the two, from avoidance of homophone sequences in English corpora. The third factor is a principle disallowing the repetition of syntactic features in certain configurations within a phase domain. I document categorical effects of it in Semitic syntax of possession and relativization. These elicit repair strategies superficially similar to those of phonology (specifically, deletion and epenthesis/insertion). Repetition effects, then, are traceable to a variety of independent, functional biases. This argues against a unitary, innate constraint against repetition. Rather, multiple anti-repetition biases result in particular avoidance patterns, with their intersection producing additional asymmetries. Possible categorical repairs are further constrained by the nature of the formal grammatical system.by Mary Ann Walter.Ph.D

Development of small-scale fluidised bed bioreactor for 3D cell culture

Three-dimensional cell culture has gained significant importance by producing physiologically relevant in vitro models with complex cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. However, current constructs lack vasculature, efficient mass transport and tend to reproduce static or short-term conditions. The work presented aimed to design a benchtop fluidised bed bioreactor (sFBB) for hydrogel encapsulated cells to generate perfusion for homogenous diffusion of nutrients and, host substantial biomass for long-term evolution of tissue-like structures and “per cell” performance analysis. The sFBB induced consistent fluidisation of hydrogel spheres while maintaining their shape and integrity. Moreover, this system expanded into a multiple parallel units’ setup with equivalent performances enabling simultaneous comparisons. Long term culture of alginate encapsulated hepatoblastoma cells under dynamic environment led to proliferation of highly viable cell spheroids with a 2-fold increase in cellular density over static (27.3 vs 13.4 million cells/mL beads). Upregulation of hepatic phenotype markers (transcription factor C/EBP-α and drug-metabolism CYP3A4) was observed from an early stage in dynamic culture. This environment also affected ERK1/2 signalling pathway, progressively reducing its activation while increasing it in static conditions. Furthermore, culture of primary human mesenchymal stem cells was evaluated. Cell proliferation was not observed but continuous perfusion sustained their viability and undifferentiated phenotype, enabling differentiation into chondrogenic and adipogenic lineages after de-encapsulation. These biological readouts validated the sFBB as a robust dynamic platform and the prototype design was optimised using computer-aided design and computational fluid dynamics, followed by experimental tests. This thesis proved that dynamic environment promoted by fluidisation sustains biomass viability in long-term cell culture and leads 3D cell constructs with physiologically relevant phenotype. Therefore, this bioreactor would constitute a simple and versatile tool to generate in vitro tissue models and test their response to different agents, potentially increasing the complexity of the system by modifying the scaffold or co-culturing relevant cell types