Why prefixes?

A variety of explanations have been offered for the observed cross-linguistic preponderance of suffixes over prefixes. Many are couched in terms of synchronic advantages, such as the cognitive simplicity of cross-category harmony between syntax and morphology, and preferences for processing the lexical meaning in stems before the grammatical material in affixes. But hypotheses about functional advantages cannot constitute explanations in themselves without accounts of the mechanisms by which the advantages are translated into grammatical structure. Here it is shown that the numerous exceptions to such hypotheses can be explained when the individual histories of the affixes are considered, including both their sources and the steps by which they develop

The data and the examples: Comprehensiveness, accuracy, and sensitivity

Good grammars are read by diverse audiences with a wide variety of interests. One might not write a reference grammar in exactly the same way for all potential users, but particularly in the case of under-documented and endangered languages, it is likely that whatever is produced now will be consulted for answers to questions beyond those originally anticipated. A good grammar can provide more than descriptions of patterns the grammarian has noted at the time of writing; the examples it contains can provide a basis for future discoveries and new uses. It thus makes sense to consider the types of data that might best meet the needs of current and future readers, some of which we cannot even imagine at present. For some purposes, sensitive, typologically-informed elicitation is necessary, while for others, material drawn from unscripted connected speech is crucial. Here the potential contributions of examples of each type are considered for descriptions of phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, discourse, prosody, language change, and language contact.National Foreign Language Resource Cente

When Speakers Write

Proceedings of the Eleventh Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society (1985), pp. 259-27

When Zero Isn't There

Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society (1986), pp. 195-21

Historical Linguistics and Linguistic Theory: Reducing the Arbitrary and Constraining Explanation

Proceedings of the Fifteenth Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society (1989), pp. 391-40

How to Avoid Subordination

Proceedings of the Tenth Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society (1984), pp. 493-50

The Grammatical Nature and Discourse Power of Demonstratives

Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society (1987), pp. 184-19

Prosodic Determinants of Syntactic Form: Central Pomo Constituent Order

Proceedings of the Nineteenth Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society: Special Session on Syntactic Issues in Native American Languages (1993