Pseudo-Incorporated Antecedents and Anaphora in Persian: The Influence of Stereotypical Knowledge

There are different theories about the nature of pseudo-incorporated nouns (PINs), which feature a non-specific, number-neutral interpretation. For a proper analysis it is crucial to take their anaphoric potential into account. This paper investigates if and how PINs introduce discourse referents, with evidence from Persian, and which theory matches this behavior best. We report on experiments in which the stereotypical enrichment of the number-neutral interpretation was systematically varied with two types of biases — towards a singular or a plural interpretation — and in the neutral case, when such a bias is lacking. The results of the experiments are compatible with Krifka & Modarresi (2016), which considers PIN objects as dependent singular definites (similar to weak definites) within existential closure over an event variable

Anaphoric Potential of Pseudo-Incorporated Nominals in Comparison with Compounds and Implicit Objects

Contribution to Linguistic Evidence 202

Number Neutrality and Anaphoric Update of Pseudo-Incorporated Nominals in Persian (and Weak Definites in English)

Persian shows differential object marking. We argue that objects without the object marker rā are pseudo-incorporated in the verbal predicate. Specifically, we argue for an existential closure operator over the vP that binds the event variable of the verbal predicate, and that nominals within the vP are interpreted as dependent definites with respect to the event. We show that this results in an apparent number neutrality of such nominals, and a maximality interpretation of anaphoric uptakes typical of E-type pronouns. The semantic contribution of nominals within and outside of the vP is modeled in DRT. We also argue that weak definites in English make use of the same strategy as pseudo-incorporated nominals in Persian, and offer an explanation why they are restricted to readings referring to institutionalized activities

Molecular Analysis and Expression of bap Gene in Biofilm-Forming Multi-Drug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

Background: Acinetobacter baumanniiis commonly resistant to nearly all antibiotics due to presence of antibiotic resistance genes and biofilm formation. In this study we determined the presence of certain antibiotic-resistance genes associated with biofilm production and the influence of low iron concentration on expression of the biofilmassociated protein gene (bap) in development of biofilm among multi-drug-resistant A. baumannii (MDRAB). Methods: Sixty-five MDRAB isolates from clinical samples were collected. Molecular typing was carried out by random amplified polymorphism DNA polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR). Biofilm formation was assayed by the microtiter method. Results: The sequence of bap was determined and deposited in the GenBank database (accession no. KR080550.1). Expression of bap in the presence of low iron was analyzed by relative quantitative real time PCR (rqRT-PCR). Nearly half of the isolates belonged to RAPD-types A and B remaining were either small clusters or singleton. The results of biofilm formation revealed that 23 (35.4%), 18 (27.7%), 13 (20%), and 11 (16.9%) of the isolates had strong, moderate, weak, and no biofilm activities, respectively. ompA and csuE genes were detected in all, while bap and blaPER-1 were detected in 43 (66%) and 42 (64%) of the isolates that showed strong and moderate biofilm activities (p ≤ 0.05), respectively. Analysis ofbapexpression by rqRT-PCR revealed five isolates with fourfold bap overexpression in the presence of low iron concentration (20 µM). Conclusion: The results suggest thatbapoverexpression may influence biofilm formation in presence of low iron concentration

Für | For Manfred from his Students

Dieses Buch enthält Beiträge von Personen, die ihre Magister- oder Doktorarbeit unter der Betreuung von Manfred Krifka geschrieben haben. Es ist als kleines Abschiedsgeschenk für Manfred Krifka zum Ende seiner Amtszeit als Direktor des Leibniz-Zentrums für Allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft gedacht. Die Herausgeberin und der Herausgeber haben Beiträge zu sprachwissenschaftlichen und nicht-sprachwissenschaftlichen Themen in einer Vielzahl von Genres gesammelt. Diese Vielfalt spiegelt die Interessen und Forschungsthemen von Manfred Krifka wider. Sie spiegelt auch die Vielfalt der Menschen wider, denen Manfred Krifka geholfen hat

Bare nouns in Persian

Diese Dissertation untersucht das variable Verhalten von sogenannten „bare nouns“ (Nominale ohne Artikel) im Persischen. Dieses Verhalten kann jedoch nicht verstanden werden ohne eine Reihe von entscheidenden Eigenschaften der persischen Satzstruktur zu betrachten. Dazu gehören Informationsstruktur, Prosodie und Wortstellung, sowie die semantischen und syntaktischen Funktionen verschiedener morphologischer Markierungen im Persischen. Die vorliegende Dissertation kann daher zum besseren Verständnis von satzinterner Syntax, Semantik und Prosodie des Persischen beitragen. Ich beginne meine Untersuchung mit dem Vergleich der BNs in verschiedenen Positionen mit Nominalen, die mit verschiedenen Morphemen gekennzeichnet sind. Die quasi-inkorporierten Nominale im Persischen scheinen zur Klasse der diskursintransparenten inkorporierenden Sprachen zu gehören. Doch dies scheint nicht immer zu stimmen, unter bestimmten Umständen zeigen persische BNs Diskurstransparenz. In Kapitel 3 untersuche ich daher, unter welchen Umständen BNs Diskurstransparenz zeigen und warum. In Kapitel 3 präsentiere ich einen Alternativvorschlag zu Farkas & de Swart, in dem ich darlege, dass ein BN tatsächlich einen neuen Diskursreferenten einführt. Aber der Numerus von BNs ist neutral (numerusneutralen Diskursreferenten).In der zweiten Hälfte der Dissertation wird die Interpretation von BNs in verschiedenen Positionen und mit unterschiedlichen grammatischen Funktionen diskutiert. Kapitel 4 konzentriert sich auf BNs in Objektposition. Wir stellen einen direkten Vergleich an zwischen BNs als tatsächliche BNs, d.h. Nominale, die nicht mit einem Morphem markiert sind, und Kontexten, in denen sie mit dem Morphem -ra auftreten. Ich werde argumentieren, dass -ra lediglich markiert, dass ein BN oder auch ein anderes Nominal nicht in seiner VP-internen Position interpretiert, sondern in eine VP-externe Domäne bewegt wird. Das bedeutet, das Morphem -ra ist ein syntaktisches Morphem auf Phrasenebene.This thesis explores the variable behavior of bare nouns in Persian. Bare singular nouns realize different grammatical functions, including subject, object and indirect object. They receive different interpretations, including generic, definite and existential readings. However, the task of understanding the reasons for, and limits on, this variation cannot be achieved without understanding a number of pivotal features of Persian sentential architecture, including Information Structure, prosody, word order, and the functions of various morphological markers in Persian. With respect to the discourse transparency of Incorporated Nominals, under certain circumstances, Persian bare nouns show discourse transparency. These circumstances are examined in chapter 3, and it is proposed that bare nouns do introduce a number neutral discourse referent. This proposal is phrased within Discourse Representation Theory. In the second half of the dissertation, the interpretation of bare nouns in different positions and with different grammatical functions are discussed. Under the independently supported hypothesis of position>interpretation mapping developed by Diesing (1992), we will see the role of the suffix -ra in indicating that an object has been moved out of VP. For subjects, there is no morphological marking corresponding to –ra on objects, and we have to rely on prosody and word order to determine how a VP is interpreted using theories of the interaction of accent and syntactic structure. It is proposed that both subject and object originate within the VP, and can move out to the VP-external domain. The motivation for these movements are informational-structural in nature, relating in particular to the distinctions between given and new information, and default and non-default information structure

A research on metamorphosis of symbols in Tahere Saffarzadeâs poems

AbstractSymbolization or symbolic language is an ancient and effective way to communicate among people. Understanding this symbolic language has shown new aspects of symbols in different literary works. In Europe it has formed a new doctrine of symbolism. Symbolism in Persian literature has not been as strong as Europe, but it can be seen in even oldest literary works of mythology. In mythological stories, symbols usually appear as unnatural people or objects. The best example of these symbols in Persian literature are mythologic symbols of Shahname by Ferdowsi like Rostam, Keikhosrow, Fereidun, Zahak and objects like Seven episodes of Rostam and Esfandiar and so on. In modern era of literature of Iran symbolism and symbolic literary language has been used a lot because of political and social causes. This various use of symbolism among contemporary writers has formed new symbols and also some metamorphosis of older symbols with new meanings. In a brief look, we can mention these causes to spread large use of symbolism in contemporary literature: A:  Suffocation and despotism of Pahlavi regime and its negative effect on literatureB:  Affection from world known doctrines line symbolismC:  Creation of ambiguity and deepening older meanings of symbolism to create new symbols from older onesD:  Enriching meaning and creation of polyphony of literature arts by symbolism (Khosravi Shakib, 1387:  p.148)Tahere Safarzade is one of the well-known poets of contemporary literature in symbolism which faced a new world by using symbols in a new and creative way. SAFFARZADEH uses multiple objects and characters to symbolism in her poems like mythological or ritual or even ordinary characters. Symbols in her poems that vary in meaning sometimes from a partial to full metamorphosis. In this Research we try to clarify symbolism of these characters and their metamorphosis concerning the majority of use of symbols in her work and understanding her literary language and also her world view. In a brief and overview we can divide symbolic characters of her books to religious, historical, mythological and ordinary characters.The outcome of this research shows that some symbolic characters of poem like religious characters are very bold, because of poet's religious world view, so sometimes they boldly effect poetsâ whole work sometimes and make it symbolic. One of the best examples of this type of symbolism is the long poem of "Safar Zamzam" in which poet has shown the main character as an outstanding symbol. As much of these religious characters has been used in poetsâ works, metamorphosis is not significant because of holiness of religious beliefs by the poet, but in other symbols we can follow the order of metamorphosis.Reading historic symbols also shows that there is no significant metamorphosis in symbols and itâs because of simultaneity of some of these characters with poet herself. About mythological characters in some symbols there are whole changes from a positive to negative character and in some symbols there are no changes. The most outstanding change in symbols metamorphosis is seen in ordinary characters and symbols. These symbols are used in her works widely and are mostly new symbols or new aspects of look to older ones. In other words it seems that poet has created a big list of private symbols in her art work to express her feelings and thoughts in special political and social condition of her era and endured Persian literature with these new symbols.Finally, by deliberation in her works we can deduce that Tahere Saffarzade is a poet who has preferred to create new symbols instead of creating metamorphosis in currently used symbols in Persian literature and made her own unique literary language

Quasi noun incorporation in Persian

Abstract. This paper investigates the status of Persian bare nouns (BNs), which coexist in Persian with an indefinite marker-i, in the framework of Chierchia 1998. We claim that Persian BNs may undergo Quasi Noun Incorporation (Quasi-NI) in the object position, and propose that this process involves the semantic operation Restrict (introduced in Chung & Ladusaw 2004) followed by the Existential Closure (EC) in the domain of VP. We show that this mechanism accounts for the fact that the verb can compose with 1) another bare noun 2) an argument marked with the direct object suffix-ro. 1 BNs and an indefinite marker-i1 Both BNs and nouns marked by –i can occur in direct object positions (Persian is an SOV language) and both allow for existential reading: (1) Ketab kharid-am Book buy.PAST-1SG ‘I bought books.’ (2) Ketab-i kharid-am Book-IND buy.PAST-1SG ‘I bought a book.’ We analyze –i marker in (2) as an existential quantifier in line with the treatment of indefinite articles in Chierchia 1998. As a BN functions as an argument in (1) we might be tempted to conclude that there is a covert type-shifting operation of the type ∃ creating generalized quantifiers out of properties (Chierchia 1998). Then the function of –i would be the same as that of null morphology on BNs: in both cases the application of ∃ is enforced. In the following sections we will show why this is problematic for the semantic paradigm developed in Chierchia 1998 and how the contradiction can be resolved. 1 Persian has yet another indefinite marker, ye(k) ‘one’, as another use for –i. The numeral yek ‘one ’ is used as a marker of indefiniteness. Yek can also co-occure with –i or replace it. We are not concerned here with the differences between the two which is an interesting subject in itself

A research on metamorphosis of symbols in Tahere Saffarzade’s poems

AbstractSymbolization or symbolic language is an ancient and effective way to communicate among people. Understanding this symbolic language has shown new aspects of symbols in different literary works. In Europe it has formed a new doctrine of symbolism. Symbolism in Persian literature has not been as strong as Europe, but it can be seen in even oldest literary works of mythology. In mythological stories, symbols usually appear as unnatural people or objects. The best example of these symbols in Persian literature are mythologic symbols of Shahname by Ferdowsi like Rostam, Keikhosrow, Fereidun, Zahak and objects like Seven episodes of Rostam and Esfandiar and so on. In modern era of literature of Iran symbolism and symbolic literary language has been used a lot because of political and social causes. This various use of symbolism among contemporary writers has formed new symbols and also some metamorphosis of older symbols with new meanings. In a brief look, we can mention these causes to spread large use of symbolism in contemporary literature: A:  Suffocation and despotism of Pahlavi regime and its negative effect on literatureB:  Affection from world known doctrines line symbolismC:  Creation of ambiguity and deepening older meanings of symbolism to create new symbols from older onesD:  Enriching meaning and creation of polyphony of literature arts by symbolism (Khosravi Shakib, 1387:  p.148)Tahere Safarzade is one of the well-known poets of contemporary literature in symbolism which faced a new world by using symbols in a new and creative way. SAFFARZADEH uses multiple objects and characters to symbolism in her poems like mythological or ritual or even ordinary characters. Symbols in her poems that vary in meaning sometimes from a partial to full metamorphosis. In this Research we try to clarify symbolism of these characters and their metamorphosis concerning the majority of use of symbols in her work and understanding her literary language and also her world view. In a brief and overview we can divide symbolic characters of her books to religious, historical, mythological and ordinary characters.The outcome of this research shows that some symbolic characters of poem like religious characters are very bold, because of poet's religious world view, so sometimes they boldly effect poets’ whole work sometimes and make it symbolic. One of the best examples of this type of symbolism is the long poem of "Safar Zamzam" in which poet has shown the main character as an outstanding symbol. As much of these religious characters has been used in poets’ works, metamorphosis is not significant because of holiness of religious beliefs by the poet, but in other symbols we can follow the order of metamorphosis.Reading historic symbols also shows that there is no significant metamorphosis in symbols and it’s because of simultaneity of some of these characters with poet herself. About mythological characters in some symbols there are whole changes from a positive to negative character and in some symbols there are no changes. The most outstanding change in symbols metamorphosis is seen in ordinary characters and symbols. These symbols are used in her works widely and are mostly new symbols or new aspects of look to older ones. In other words it seems that poet has created a big list of private symbols in her art work to express her feelings and thoughts in special political and social condition of her era and endured Persian literature with these new symbols.Finally, by deliberation in her works we can deduce that Tahere Saffarzade is a poet who has preferred to create new symbols instead of creating metamorphosis in currently used symbols in Persian literature and made her own unique literary language