Time-counting expressions as aspectual complex numerals

We compare the syntactic and semantic properties of time-counting expressions to those of better studied counting systems, such as complex cardinal numerals (Kayne 2005, 2016; Ionin & Matushansky 2006; Stavrou & Terzi 2008; Di Sciullo 2012, 2015, a.o.). From a typological point of view, we will focus on Romance languages. We argue that time-counting expressions, as opposed to complex numerical expressions, may have specific aspectual properties. We observe first that time-counting expressions involve a “salient” reference time, henceforth SRT, on the basis of Italian and Spanish. We argue that this salient reference hour-time may denote either a time‑point or a time-interval. The time-point interpretation of the SRT gives rise to telic construals in some cases. The lack of SRT makes number phrases not interpretable as time denoting expressions. The telic construals usually involve locative or goal prepositions, such as a “to” in Italian, para “for” in Portuguese or to in English. On the other hand, time-interval interpretations of SRT are typical of time-counting expressions involving pseudo‑partitives in languages like Catalan. In these cases, the reference-time is not viewed as the endpoint of a telic interval. We also discuss telic cases similar to the pseudo-partitive ones in that they involve [quarter + minutes] constituents, but involving aspectual prepositional projections. We analyze time‑counting expressions in terms of extended prepositional projections including RelView categories, discussed in Cinque & Rizzi (2010) for the syntax-semantics of locative/directional prepositions, in order to formalize the spatial location of time. By doing so, we propose a unified account for the variety of Romance languages time-counting expressions

Syntactic microvariation and methodology: problems and perspectives

Variation in empirical data has been a perseverant problem for theoretical linguistics, especially syntax. Data inconsistencies among authors allegedly analyzing the same phenomenon are ubiquitous in the syntactic literature (e.g., literature on focus-raising in Hungarian; É. Kiss 1987 vs. Lipták 1998), and partly result from the highly informal methodology of data collection. However, even if adequate controls are used to exclude potential biases, variation might remain. The general practice in syntactic research has been to ignore these „microvariations”-mainly in the lack of any systematic empirical method to detect them. The present paper shows that this practice leads to serious theoretical problems and proposes a new empirical method, cluster analysis, to discover, explore and systematize these variations. It also illustrates how this richer empirical basis gives rise to a more fine-grained theoretical analysis

Acquiring Number Specification on L2 Spanish Quantifiers : Evidence against the Rich Agreement Hypothesis

"There is a debate in second language (L2) acquisition on the relationship between the acquisition of overt morphology and the acquisition of underlying morphosyntactic properties, such as functional categories, features, and feature strength (see White 2003a)

Guía clínica para la resección mucosa endoscópica de lesiones colorrectales no pediculadas.

This document summarizes the contents of the Clinical Guidelines for the Endoscopic Mucosal Resection of Non-Pedunculated Colorectal Lesions that was developed by the working group of the Spanish Society of Digestive Endoscopy (GSEED of Endoscopic Resection). This document presents recommendations for the endoscopic management of superficial colorectal neoplastic lesions