To see the other types of publications on this topic, follow the link: Comparative and general Language.
Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Comparative and general Language'
Create a spot-on reference in APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and other styles
Consult the top 50 dissertations / theses for your research on the topic 'Comparative and general Language.'
Next to every source in the list of references, there is an 'Add to bibliography' button. Press on it, and we will generate automatically the bibliographic reference to the chosen work in the citation style you need: APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, Vancouver, etc.
You can also download the full text of the academic publication as pdf and read online its abstract whenever available in the metadata.
Browse dissertations / theses on a wide variety of disciplines and organise your bibliography correctly.
1
Ann, Jean. "Against [lateral]: Evidence from Chinese Sign Language and American Sign Language." Department of Linguistics, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 1990. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/227260.
Full textAbstract:
American Sign Language (ASL) signs are claimed to be composed of four parameters: handshape, location, movement (Sto]çoe 1960) and palm orientation (Battison 1974). This paper focuses solely on handshape, that is, the configuration of the thumb and the fingers in a given sign. Handshape is significant in ASL and Chinese Sign Language (CSL); that is, minimal pairs exist for handshape in each. Thus, the two ASL signs in (1) differ in one parameter: the handshapes are different, but the location, palm orientation and movement are the same. Similarly, the two CSL signs in (2) differ in one parameter: handshape. A logical next question asks if handshapes are further divisible into parts; more specifically, are handshapes composed of distinctive features? This question is not new; in fact, researchers have made many proposals for ASL handshape features (Lane, Boyes -Braem and Bellugi, 1979; Mandel, 1981; Liddell and Johnson, 1985; Sandler, 1989; Corina and Sagey, 1988 and others). This paper focuses on the proposal of Corina and Sagey (1988). In Section 2, I outline the proposed system for the distinctive handshapes of ASL, of which [lateral] is a part. Then using data from ASL and CSL, I give three arguments in support of the claim that there is not sufficient justification in ASL or CSL for the feature [lateral]. First, I show in Section 3 that the prediction which follows from the claim that [lateral] applies only to the thumb, namely that the thumb behaves differently from the other fingers, is not borne out by CSL data. Second, I argue in Section 4 that since other features (proposed by Corina and Sagey, 1988) can derive the same phonetic effects as [lateral], [lateral] is unnecessary to describe thumb features in either ASL or CSL. Third, in Section 5, I use ASL and CSL data to argue that the notion of fingers as "specified" or "unspecified ", although intuitively pleasing, should be discarded. If this notion cannot be used, the feature [lateral] does not uniquely identify a particular set of handshapes. I show that CSL data suggests that two other features, [contact to palm] and [contact to thumb] are independently needed. With these two features, and the exclusion of [lateral], the handshapes of both ASL and CSL can be explained. In Section 6, the arguments against [lateral] are summarized.
2
Petronio, Karen M. "Clause structure in American sign language /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/8418.
Full text
3
Umeda, Mari. "Second language acquisition of Japanese wh-constructions." Thesis, McGill University, 2008. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=112128.
Full textAbstract:
Note:This dissertation investigates the second language (L2) acquisition of Japanese wh-constructions by Chinese- and English-speaking learners. The focus of this study is twofold; first, it examines whether parameter resetting is possible in L2 acquisition, as both Chinese and English wh-constructions are parametrically different from Japanese wh-constructions. Second, it examines whether parameter resetting is affected by the learners' first language (Ll). Not only do Chinese and English wh-constructions differ from Japanese wh-constructions, but they also differ from each other. Chinese is, like Japanese, a wh-in-situ language, while English is a wh-movement language. Chinese wh-constructions, therefore, can be said to be more similar to Japanese wh-constructions than English wh-constructions. It is investigated whether the similarity between Chinese and Japanese and dissimilarity between English and Japanese affect the course and/or the ultimate attainment in the acquisition ofwh-constructions in Japanese.[...]
Cette dissertation enquete sur l’acquisition des constructions wh du japonais appris comme langue seconde (L2) par les anglophones et les sinophones. Le point de mire de cette etude est double. Dans un premier temps, elle cherche a savoir si le changement parametrique est possible en acquisition L2, puisque les constructions wh de l’anglais et du chinois sont parametriquement opposees a celles du japonais. Deuxiemement, elle cherche a savoir si le changement parametrique est affecte par 1a langue matemelle de l’apprenant. Non seulement les constructions wh de l’anglais et du chinois sont differentes de celles du japonais, elles different egalement l’une de l’autre. Le chinois, comme le japonais, est une langue wh-in-situ, alors que l’anglais est une langue a movement wh. Les constructions wh du chinois peuvent done etre decrites comme etant plus semblables a celles du japonais qu’a celles de l’anglais. Ce travail cherche a sa voir si la similarite entre le chino is et le japonais et la dissimilarite entre l’anglais et le japonais ont un effet sur le processus et/ou le resultat final de 1’acquisition de ces constructions en japonais.[...]
4
Seal, Amy. "Scoring sentences developmentally : an analog of developmental sentence scoring /." Diss., CLICK HERE for online access:, 2001. http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/ETD/image/etd12.pdf.
Full text
5
Müller, Torsten. "Football, language and linguistics time-critical utterances in unplanned spoken language, their structures and their relation to non-linguistic situations and events /." Tübingen : Narr, 2007. http://books.google.com/books?id=mlhiAAAAMAAJ.
Full text
6
Melvin, Catherine Eda. "Cross-cultural representations: The construction of "America" after September 11th in English Canadian, Quebec and French print media." Thesis, University of Ottawa (Canada), 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/26982.
Full textAbstract:
The cultural turn in Translation Studies is the name given to the shift from an inter-lingual approach to the study of translation to an inter-cultural one. Since the cultural turn, meaning is no longer considered to be reducible to the level of word, sentence or even text within a specific situation of utterance. Instead, culture as a whole is considered to be the prime locus of meaning. Translators, then, are not expected to be simply bilingual, but to be bi-cultural.
This thesis is a comparative discourse analysis that explores how pre-existing discourses in English Canada, Quebec and France affect the representation of the United States in print media coverage following terrorist attacks in New York and Washington on September 11th, 2001. More specifically, the impact of the discourse of counter-Americanism in English Canada is analyzed in a corpus of newspaper articles selected from five major Canadian dailies. Similarly, articles from Le Devoir and La Presse are analyzed in relation to the discourse of americanite in Quebec and articles from Le Monde are analyzed in relation to the discourse of anti-Americanism in France. In each case, the construction of an American identity can be traced to the specific geographical, historical, political and economic relationships of each country to the U.S. This means that representations of an American Other serve primarily to support representations of self, thus revealing the relative and constructed nature of national identity.
Drawing on scholars in both Cultural Studies and Communications, this study outlines how discourse constructs national identity. In addition, it illustrates how identity discourses affect the construction and interpretation of meaning, thus meriting attention in the field of Translation Studies. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
7
Alnwick, Marie. "Translating the Buffyverse: Examining French fan response to "Buffy contre les vampires"." Thesis, University of Ottawa (Canada), 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/27568.
Full textAbstract:
Fictional texts represent a particular challenge for translators due to their use of expressive language. The translation of audiovisual texts in particular is complicated by various institutional and technical constraints. As such, assessing the quality of translated televisual fiction is a complex undertaking that requires an approach more flexible than that prescribed by proponents of textual-linguistic models.
This thesis looks at translation quality from another angle, that of audience reception. As a case study, this thesis investigates the reception of the French dubbed translation of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a popular American television show characterized by its frequent use of illocutionary elements, including wordplay, neologisms and cultural references. One interpretive community's response to the French dubbed translation is examined through the document analysis of a French chat room thread dedicated to the dubbed version of the show.
In order to check the legitimacy of fans' claims, a translated episode of Buff the Vampire Slayer is assessed, with posters' comments informing the evaluation criteria. In particular, the target text is evaluated according to its treatment of illocutionary strategies. The results of the document analysis and the translation evaluation are compared to give a multidimensional perspective on the quality of the target text. The evaluation highlights the prevailing tendency of the target text to omit illocutionary elements in favour of neutral paraphrase, and the document analysis suggests that this tendency may in part account for the chat viewers' largely negative response to Buffy the Vampire Slayer's French dubbed translation.
8
Randall, Janet H. "Morphological structure and language acquisition." New York : Garland, 1985. http://catalog.hathitrust.org/api/volumes/oclc/12237695.html.
Full text
9
Kilpatrick, Cynthia D. "The acquisition of ungrammaticality learning a subset in L2 phonotactics /." Diss., [La Jolla] : University of California, San Diego, 2009. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/ucsd/fullcit?p3369165.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2009.Title from first page of PDF file (viewed September 16, 2009). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 211-225).
10
Yeung, Ka-Wai, and 楊{213a79}慧. "Universal vs. language-specific properties of grammaticalized complementizers: two case studies in multi-functionality." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2003. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B29149769.
Full text
11
Prévost, Philippe 1966. "Truncation in second language acquisition." Thesis, McGill University, 1997. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=34766.
Full textAbstract:
In this thesis, I argue that early child second language (L2) grammars allow truncation, on a par with proposals by Rizzi (1993/1994) and Haegeman (1995) for first language (L1) acquisition. This account (the Truncation Hypothesis) holds that Rizzi's (1994) Root Principle, according to which root declaratives are CPs, is initially underspecified in L2 systems (for processing reasons). This means that the root of main declaratives will not systematically be CP. Instead, different types of roots should be projected, such as CP, IP or VP, with VP underlying root infinitives. If one further assumes that functional categories are present in early grammars, the possibility of truncation can thus account for optionality of verb-movement and finiteness in early SLA, and more generally for why such categories seem to be optionally projected initially (Vainikka & Young-Scholten, 1994; 1996; Eubank, 1992; 1993/1994; 1996).Predictions based on the Truncation Hypothesis were tested against longitudinal spontaneous production data from child and adult L2 learners. There were two child and two adult learners of L2 French (whose L1s were English and Arabic) and two child two adult learners of L2 German (native speakers of Romance pro-drop languages). The findings suggest that the distribution of finite and nonfinite verbs is structurally determined in L2 child grammar, i.e. tenseless verbs only appear when VP is the root, while finite verbs are found when functional categories are projected. This in turn means that children project truncated structures in early L2 acquisition. I argue that no other theory of the nature of early L2 grammars is able to account for the full range of properties of the child L2 data.
The adult data are less conclusive concerning the possibility of truncation in adult L2 grammars. In particular, the learners seem to use infinitival markers as substitutes for finite inflections, which means that nonfinite verbs are found in contexts which are not predicted by the Truncation Hypothesis. The difference between the child and adult learners is attributed to problems that adults may have in mapping the syntactic and morphological systems (Lardiere, 1996), and not to a discrepancy in syntactic knowledge.
12
Guo, Ling-Yu Tomblin J. Bruce Owen Amanda J. "Acquisition of auxiliary and copula BE in young English-speaking children." [Iowa City, Iowa] : University of Iowa, 2009. http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/370.
Full text
13
Hillard, Dustin Lundring. "Automatic sentence structure annotation for spoken language processing /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/6080.
Full text
14
Sekiguchi, Tomoko. "The syntax and interpretation of resultative constructions /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/8378.
Full text
15
Lim, Jayeon. "The developmental process of English simple past and present perfect by adult Korean learners /." view abstract or download file of text, 2003. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/uoregon/fullcit?p3080591.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2003.Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 180-186). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.
16
Miller, Amanda. "Language indexation : a syntactic constraint on code-mixing." Thesis, McGill University, 1993. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=68122.
Full textAbstract:
Code-mixing, defined as intra-sentential language alternation, is known to demonstrate structurally determined patterns of restriction. Universal constraints have been proposed to account for these structural restrictions (Poplack (1980), Woolford (1983), Di Sciullo, Muysken and Singh (1986)) but have had limited success in accounting for code-mixing between typologically diverse languages. This thesis examines the structural principles that apply universally to the interaction of languages in code-mixed sentences. We argue that systematic cross-linguistic restrictions on code-mixing can be accounted for by a syntactic constraint that is sensitive to the distinction between functional and lexical categories.We propose the constraint of Language Indexation, according to which (structurally) adjacent categories of like functional/lexical category status must be realised in the same language. We show how this proposal accounts for code-mixed data from a range of language pairs, including Tagalog/English, Moroccan Arabic/French, Swahili/English, Irish/English, Hindi/English, Spanish/English and French/English. A difference in the application of Language Indexation in nominal versus verbal projections is discussed with reference to Tagalog/English and Moroccan Arabic/French code-mixing. Finally, we briefly examine the implications of Language Indexation with respect to the code-mixing of aphasic bilinguals.
17
Rothstein, Susan Deborah. "The syntactic forms of predication." Bloomington, IN : Indiana University Linguistics Club, 1985. http://books.google.com/books?id=pWRiAAAAMAAJ.
Full text
18
Redd, Nicole. "Automated grammatical tagging of language samples from Spanish-speaking children learning English /." Diss., CLICK HERE for online access, 2006. http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/ETD/image/etd1276.pdf.
Full text
19
Coopmans, Peter. "Language types, continua or parameters? Taaltypen, continua of parameters? : (met een samenvatting in het Nederlands) /." Utrecht : Drukkerij Elinkwijk BV, 1985. http://catalog.hathitrust.org/api/volumes/oclc/54192013.html.
Full text
20
McPherson, Leslie M. (Leslie Margaret). "Identifying verbs early in language learning : the roles of action and argument structure." Thesis, McGill University, 1995. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=39964.
Full textAbstract:
This dissertation describes and evaluates a thesis about the means of identifying verbs early in learning a language, and a first language in particular. The thesis is presented briefly in the first section. The second section provides a critical review of theories about children's early part-of-speech identifications. Section 3 presents a new theory of verb identification. I argue that learners initially identify members of a category, predicator, that subsumes verbs and adjectives. Predicators have argument structures. Learners identify a predicator through an inference that the word must take noun-phrase arguments because the phrase containing the word is interpreted into a nonseparable phenomenon--a property or relation that exists or occurs only by virtue of one or more individuals (i.e., the bearers of the property, or the participants in the relation), the referent(s) of the argument(s). Actions are prototypical of that which is nonseparable (being dependent for their realisation upon one or more participants), and so words for actions will usually be identified as predicators. This tendency will be augmented when an unfamiliar predicator appears in an utterance with its one or more noun-phrase arguments, and the noun phrases are interpretable (by the learner) into the one or more individuals that are the participants in an ongoing action (or other nonseparable phenomenon); under these conditions, the learner should readily divine that the novel word is a predicator and the noun phrases are its arguments. These conjectures form the nonseparability hypothesis. To identify verbs in particular, a learner must first discover a distinction between verbs and adjectives, where it exists in a language, through distributional analyses within phrases. Subsequently, details of syntax and morphology will reveal to the learner a predicator's subcategory (verb or adjective). Section 4 contains reviews of literatures that provide support, in varying degree, for the theor
21
Te, Velde John R. "Coordination and German syntax /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 1988. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/9935.
Full text
22
Maruenda, Sonia B. "A minimalist approach to the compositionality of aspect in clauses of simple tenses in Spanish /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/8385.
Full text
23
Yu, Kyong-Ae. "A Linguistic study of culture-specific speech acts : politeness in English and Korean." St. Lucia, Qld, 2001. http://www.library.uq.edu.au/pdfserve.php?image=thesisabs/absthe16327.pdf.
Full text
24
Hayashi, Atsuko. "Lexicalization of motion events in Japanese /." view abstract or download file of text, 2002. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/uoregon/fullcit?p3072586.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2002.Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 161-165). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.
25
Taleghani-Nikazm, Carmen Masoomeh. "Politeness in native-nonnative speakers' interaction : some manifestations of Persian taarof in the interaction among Iranian speakers of German with German native speakers /." Digital version accessible at:, 1999. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/utexas/main.
Full text
26
Sharpe, Dean. "The acquisition of natural language negation : a logical resources approach." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1997. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp02/NQ44581.pdf.
Full text
27
McCarthy, Corrine Lee. "Morphological variability in second language Spanish." Thesis, McGill University, 2007. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=102837.
Full textAbstract:
Research on morphological variability in second language (L2) acquisition has focused on the syntactic consequences of variability: that is, whether or not morphological variability entails underlying syntactic deficits. The interrelationship between morphological features in their own right has been largely ignored. This thesis addresses the representation of L2 features by investigating the use of default morphology---the outcome of systematic substitution errors employed by speakers of L2 Spanish. It is hypothesized that underspecified features act as defaults; by assumption, those features that are unmarked are underspecified.Evidence to support this hypothesis comes from two sets of experiments conducted on intermediate- and advanced-proficiency L2 Spanish subjects (L1 English). The first set of experiments addresses verbal morphology, and consists of a spontaneous production experiment on person, number, tense, and finiteness, and a comprehension task on person and number. The second set of experiments addresses gender and number in nominal morphology, and consists of a spontaneous production experiment on determiners, an elicited production experiment on clitics and adjectives, and a picture-selection task on the comprehension of clitics. Across tasks and across verbal and nominal domains, errors involve the systematic substitution of underspecified morphology. The observation that morphological variability extends to comprehension, and is qualitatively similar to the variability found in production, counters the suggestion that variability is strictly a product of mere performance limitations on production. Finally, the systematicity of substitution errors suggests that the natural classes of features such as gender, number, tense, and person are acquirable in an L2, regardless of whether or not these features have been instantiated in the native language.
28
Russi, Cinzia. "The grammaticalization of Italian clitics /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/8410.
Full text
29
Cheng, Mei-yee Mickey. "The influence of L1 on the acquisition of English passives among Hong Kong secondary school students." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2008. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B40735217.
Full text
30
Sien, Nam-Cheol. "An autosegmental analysis of ideophones in Korean /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/8371.
Full text
31
Dlali, Mawande 1965. "Politeness theory and requests in Xhosa." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/52402.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates how politeness may be employed in requests in Xhosa. While numerous studies on speech act have been conducted in different languages, the investigation of speech acts in African Languages, particularly Xhosa, shows no such progress. This study attempts to fill this gap by examining the notions of politeness in requests as perceived among the Xhosas. With the study of speech acts, two instances of meaning have been identified. In the first meaning a speaker utters a sentence and means exactly and literally what he says. In the second meaning the speaker utters a sentence with an additional illocution with a different prepositional content. It has been established that various meanings playa role in the understanding of indirect requests. This finding is based on the theory of Brown and Levinson's (1987) face work of politeness. Scholars like Clark and Schunk (1980) argue that the politeness of response is governed by the attentiveness hypothesis which states that the more attentive the hearer is to all aspects of the speaker's request, within reason, the more polite he is. One of the most common motivations for politeness is a request. Brown and Levinson (1987) define politeness as the manifestation of respect for and recognition of another's face. They delineate face into two components: negative face and positive face. Positive face is the way a person wants to be regarded, admired, or approved by others and to be treated as a friend. On the other hand, negative face is the person's desire not to be imposed on by other people. A request threatens face in the sense that it imposes on the hearer, that is why in some cases requests call for mitigation, so as to compensate for their impositive effect on the hearer. Various subcategories of requests within which negative politeness may appear have been established, as well as the various ways in which these subcategories of requests may be linguistically expressed in Xhosa. Three distribution types of request categories with negative politeness have been found: high frequency, No very regular and negligible. Requests with the highest frequency may be divided into three subcategories: compliance; information; and action. These subcategories demand non-threatening strategies: compliance demands obedience, action demand doing things with a desired result, and information demands knowledge from a person. These three are thus face-threatening acts, which demand respect for the hearer's antonomy. Such requests may seriously threaten the hearer's negative face. If no politeness strategy is attempted, these requests will be viewed as most threatening acts. The ten negative politeness strategies of Brown and Levinson did not apply to Xhosa because they have been developed for a Western language. In the place of these strategies, it has been found that negative politeness may be expressed in Xhosa through certain subcategories as above, but also through certain pragmatic functions by means of which negative politeness may be applied to avert a face-threatening act. Brown and Levinson (1987) list fifteen positive politeness strategies. In the case of the four Xhosa books, which were analyzed, only eight strategies for positive politeness were found. These strategies can be divided into two groups: high frequency and negligible. The most regular strategies are: seek agreement, give or ask for reasons, address forms, presupposition, and those, which include both speaker and hearer. An explanation for the high frequency of these strategies is to be found within positive politeness. Positive politeness forms emphasize closeness between speaker and hearer and it can be seen as a solidarity strategy. Thus, a face saving act, which is concerned with the person's positive face, will show solidarity.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek hoe beleeftheid aangewend kan word in Xhosa versoeke. Daar is verskeie studies oor spraakhandelinge in verskillende tale, maar die ondersoek na spraakhandelinge in die Afrikatale, veral Xhosa, toon nie sodanige vooruitgang nie. Hierdie studie poog om hierdie gaping te vul deur die begrip beleefdheid in versoeke by die Xhosa te ondersoek. In die studie van spraakhandelinge is twee instansies van betekenis geïdentifiseer. In die eerste betekenis uiter 'n spreker 'n sin en die betekenis is presies wat gesê word. In die tweede betekenis uiter die spreker 'n sin met 'n bykomende illokusie met 'n verskillende proposisionele indruk. Daar is vasgestel dat verskeie betekenisse 'n rol speel in die verstaan van indirekte versoeke. Hierdie bevinding is gebaseer op die teorie van Brown en Levinson (1987) se werk oor gesig in beleefdheid. Onder andere Clark en Schunk (1980) is van mening dat die beleefdheid van 'n respons op 'n versoek beheer word deur die attentheid hipotese waardeur aangedui word dat hoe meer aandagtig 'n hoorder is op alle aspekte van die spreker se versoek, hoe meer beleefd hy is. Een van die algemeenste motiverings vir beleefdheid is versoeke. Brown en Levinson (1987) definieer beleefdheid as die manifestasie van respek en erkenning van 'n ander se gesig. Hulle grens gesig af in twee dele: negatiewe gesig en positiewe gesig. Positiewe gesig is die wyse waarop 'n persoon beskou, bewonder of waardeer word deur ander en om soos 'n vriend behandel te word. Aan die ander kant, negatiewe gesig is 'n persoon se begeerte om nie bedrieg te word deur ander mense. 'n Versoek bedreig gesig in die sin dat dit misbruik maak van die hoorder. Dit is waarom in sommige gevalle daar versagting vir versoeke is om te vergoed vir die misbruikmaking op die hoorder. Verskeie subkategorieë van versoeke waarin negatiewe beleefdheid voorkom is onderskei, asook die verskillende wyses waarin hierdie subkategorieë van versoeke linguisties uitgedruk kan word in Xhosa. Drie spreidingstipes van versoek kategorieë met negatiewe beleefdheid is gevind: hoë frekwensie, nie baie reëlmatig en onbeduidend. Versoeke met die hoogste frekwensie kan verdeel word in drie subkategorieë: inskiklikheid, inligting en handeling. Hierdie subkategorieë vereis strategieë wat nie bedreiging inhou: inskiklikheid vereis gehoorsaamheid, handeling vereis dat iets gedoen moet word met 'n sekere resultaat, en inligting vereis kennis van 'n persoon. Hierdie drie is dus handelinge wat 'n bedreiging inhou vir gesig en wat respek vereis vir die hoorder se outonomie. Sulke versoeke kan 'n ernstige bedreiging inhou vir die hoorder se negatiewe gesig. As geen beleefdheidsstrategie gevolg word, kan hierdie versoeke beskou word as handelinge wat geweldig bedreigend is. Die tien negatiewe beleefdheidsstrategieë van Brown en Levinson (1987) is nie van toepassing in Xhosa nie, omdat dit ontwikkel is vir 'n Westerse taal. In die plek van hierdie strategieë is gevind dat negatiewe beleefdheid in Xhosa uitgedruk kan word deur sekere subkategorieë soos hierbo, maar ook deur sekere pragmatiese funksies waardeur negatiewe beleefdheid aangewend kan word om in handeling wat gesig bedreig af te weer. Brown en Levinson (1987) gee 15 strategieë vir positiewe beleefdheid. In die geval van Xhosa is agt (8) van hierdie strategieë gevind in die boeke wat geanaliseer is. Hierdie strategieë kan in twee groepe verdeel word: hoë frekwensie en onbeduidend. Die strategieë met die hoogste frekwensie is: soek ooreenstemming; gee of vra redes; aanspreekvorme, presupposisieen die wat beide spreker en hoorder insluit. 'n Verklaring vir die hoë frekwensie van hierdie strategieë kan gevind word in positiewe beleefdheid. Positiewe beleefdheid benadruk nabyheid tussen spreker en hoorder en dit kan gesien word as 'n solidariteitsstrategie. Dus, 'n handeling wat gesig red wat betrokke is by'n persoon se positiewe gesig sal solidariteit toon.
32
Glushak, Vasiliĭ Mikhaĭlovich. "Kognitive Grundlagen der Adjektive im Russischen, Deutschen und Litauischen." München : Utz Verlag Wissenschaft, 2002. http://catalog.hathitrust.org/api/volumes/oclc/55636718.html.
Full text
33
Au, Yeung Wai Hoo. "An interface program for parameterization of classifiers in Chinese /." View abstract or full-text, 2005. http://library.ust.hk/cgi/db/thesis.pl?HUMA%202005%20AU.
Full text
34
Jeong, Yongkil. "Clausal case marking in Korean /." Thesis, Connect to this title online; UW restricted, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/8437.
Full text
35
Gashi, Erelinda. "The English Language Syllabus in Sweden and Japan : A comparative study." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för språk (SPR), 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-54149.
Full textAbstract:
This independent paper compares the Swedish and the Japanese national syllabi for English. Making use of White’s (1988) Type A and Type B syllabus distinction, a number of dimensions are put forward to permit a comparison between the syllabus documents for the two countries. The methods used are hermeneutics and word counting. By counting content signal word frequencies and observing the context in which the words were found, the relative linguistic and pedagogical focuses of the two syllabi are illuminated. The results of the word counting procedures indicate that both countries are somewhat similar when the results were combined from all the Type A dimensions. When observing the word counting for the Type B on the other hand, Sweden has more than 70 % of a word frequency, while Japan has a bit below 30 %. One consequence of this could be the proficiency in the English language that each country has, and the attitude towards learning the language. The results put forward, suggest the basis for an automatized quantitative comparison between the national syllabi which could be implemented in the form of a computer application.
36
Nekhumbe, Mudivhani Gilbert. "Nominal inflectional categories of Tshivenda." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/52961.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (DLitt)--Stellenbosch University, 2002.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explores the four nominal inflectional categories which are identified in morphology, i.e. case, noun class, agreement and number in Tshiven~a. This study also examines Determiner Phrase, enclitics and definiteness with regard to Tshivenc1a noun phrases. Chapter one is the introduction of this study. It states the aim of the study which is, firstly, to establish whether case, noun class, agreement and number occur in Tshivencla, and secondly, to examine the form, syntactic distribution and semantics of these categories in Tshiven~a. This chapter also gives the morphological assumptions of the model of lexememorpheme base morphology by Beard (1995) and Aronoff (1994). The theory of lexical semantics of Pustejovsky (1996) and the Minimalist program of Chomsky (1995) are also discussed. Chapter two examines the Determiner Phrase in Tshiven~a. It concentrates on the structure of the OP in Tshivenda. Attention has been 41\ given to the functional categories within the OP such as DET and Agr as well as the various nominal modifiers within the OP. Chapter three explores Case in Tshiven~a. In Tshiven9_a there are seven cases, i.e. nominative, accusative, instrumental, locative, genitive, dative and vocative. This chapter concentrates on the assignment of these cases and their grammatical functions. Chapter four explores the noun class in Tshivenda. It examines the form 1\ and the contribution of the meaning of the noun class prefixes. The morphological structure of the Tshivenda noun is taken as the framework 1\ for this analysis. It has been found that Tshivend,a.. has seventeen noun classes which are still active in this language. These noun class prefixes have 24 different semantic features which contribute to the meaning of the noun. Chapter five discusses agreement and number in Tshivenda. In the case A. of agreement it has been found that it is both dependent and independent of noun class. Subjectival and objectival agreement appear as two functional categories within the inflection phrase. Specific attention has also been given to existential agreement, sentential pronouns, the infinitive as well as problems with agreement with coordinated NPs. Certain cases have also been highlighted where no agreement appears. Lastly, it has been shown that number is not an inflectional category in Tshivenda, but it A is a semantic category. Chapter six is concemed with definiteness in the interpretation of the noun in Tshivenda. In the first place, it has been shown in which cases a noun 1\ phrase may be interpreted as definite or indefinite. Secondly, the contribution of the nominal modifiers with regard to the definiteness of the noun phrase has been investigated. Lastly, it has been shown that proper names have to be interpreted as definite. Chapter seven investigated the three enclitics in Tshivenda, i.e. de, shu '" A and vho. Their meaning and distribution have been explored with regard to their presence on nouns, nominal modifiers and verbs. The distribution of these three enclitics is dependent on their meaning. The enclitic de which A refers to quantifiers may not appear on verbs. Enclitics which are interrogative in nature such as d,..e and shu may not appear with interrogative nominal modifiers.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die vier nominale infleksie kategorieë wat in die morfologie geïdentifiseer is nl. naamval, naamwoordklas, klasooreenstemming en getal in Tshivenqa. Hierdie studie gee ook aandag aan Bepalersfrase, enklitieke en bepaaldheid m.b.t. die Tshiven2a naamwoordgroepe. Hoofstuk een is die inleiding tot die studie. Dit gee die doelstellings van die studie: eerstens moet vasgestel word of naamval, naamwoordklas, klasooreenstemming en getal in Tshivenda voorkom, en tweedens moet die A vorm, sintaktiese distribusie en semantiek van hierdie kategorieë in Tshivenda bepaal word. Hierdie hoofstuk gee ook aandag aan die A morfologiese aannames van die lekseem-morfeem morfologie van Beard (1995) en Aronoff (1994). Die teorie van leksikale semantiek van Pustejovsky (1996) word ook bespreek sowel as die Minimalistiese program in sintaksis van Chomsky (1995). Hoofstuk twee ondersoek die Bepalersfrase in Tshivenda. Dit konsentreer A veralop die struktuur van die Bepalersfrase in Tshivenda. Aandag is veral A gegee aan die funksionele kategorieë binne die Bepalersfrase soos die bepaler en klasooreenstemming asook die verskillende nominale bepalers in die Bepalersfrase. Hoofstuk drie handeloor die naamval in Tshivenda. Sewe naamvalle is in A Tshivend,.a. onderskei nl. nominatief, akkusatief, instrument, lokatief, genitief, datief en vokatief. Hierdie hoofstuk konsentreer op die toekenning van hierdie naamvalle en hulle grammatikale funksies. Hoofstuk vier ondersoek die naamwoordklas in Tshivend,a.. Dit gee veral aandag aan die vorm van die naamwoordprefikse sowel as die bydrae van hierdie prefikse tot die betekenis van die naamwoord in Tshivenda. Hierdie '" analise is gedoen binne 'n raamwerk van die morfologiese struktuur van die naamwoord. Daar is gevind dat Tshivend,a. nog sewentien naamwoordklasse het wat aktief in die taal is. Daarby kon 24 verskillende betekeniskenmerke van hierdie naamwoordprefikse bepaal word. Hoofstuk vyf bespreek klasooreenstemming en getal in Tshivenda. In die A geval van klasooreenstemming is gevind dat dit beide afhanklik en onafhanklik van naamwoordklas is. Klasooreenstemming ten opsigte van die onderwerp en voorwerp is twee funksionele kategorieë binne die infleksiefrase. Verder is spesiale aandag gegee aan eksistensie, sinsvoomaamwoorde, die infinitief sowel as neweskikkende naamwoordgroepe. Daar is ook gevalle aangedui waarin geen klasooreensteming voorkom. Getal is 'n semantiese kategorie in Tshivenda " maar nie' infleksie kategorie nie. Hoofstuk ses handeloor bepaaldheid ten opsigte van die interpretasie van die naamwoord in Tshivend,a.. In die eerste plek is aangedui in welke gevalle naamwoordgroepe bepaald of onbepaald geïnterpreteer kan word, en tweedens is aandag gegee aan die bydrae van nominale bepalers ten opsigte van die bepaaldheid van die naamwoordgroep. Laastens is gewys op die voorkoms van bepaaldheid by eiename. Hoofstuk sewe het die drie enklitieke in Tshivenda ondersoek nl. de, shu ,. J\ en vho. Hul betekenis en distribusie is nagegaan ten opsigte van hul voorkoms by naamwoorde, nominale bepalers asook werkwoorde. Die distribusie van hierdie drie enklitieke is duidelik afhanklik van hul betekenis. So kan de wat verwys na kwantifiseerders bv. nie saam met werkwoorde optree n"ie. Enklitieke wat interprogatief van aard is soos d,..e en shu kan ook dus nie saam met interrogatiewe nominale bepalers voorkom nie.
37
Murphy, Victoria A. "Universal grammar and second language acquisition : the effect of modality of presentation on a grammaticality judgment task." Thesis, McGill University, 1993. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=69623.
Full textAbstract:
Typical experiments investigating the accessibility and/or role of principles of Universal Grammar (UG) in adult second language acquisition (SLA) use a written grammaticality judgment (GJ) task to infer knowledge of principles of UG. The present investigation examined whether subjects would judge sentences differently in the aural modality than the visual. It was hypothesized that subjects in the aural condition would be less accurate and slower at judging sentences violating the subjacency principle than subjects in the visual condition. Four language groups were tested: ESL (English second-language) FSL (French second-language), L1.E (English first language) and L1.F (French first language). Subjects were assigned to either an aural or a visual condition; the same sentences were presented via computer. The target sentences presented to the subjects were declarative sentences involving embedded questions, as well as ungrammatical wh-questions which violated subjacency. The presentation times for all sentences were matched across conditions. Accuracy and reaction time to grammaticality judgment were measured. The hypothesis that subjects would be slower and less accurate in the aural condition than the visual one was supported. Furthermore, subjects were less accurate and slower to judge violations of subjacency than other sentences, in both modalities. The detrimental effects of the auditory task on judgments was most pronounced for the L2 learners. These results are discussed in the context of the informativeness and validity of outcomes derived from GJ tasks, and the ways in which they are presented.
38
Sethuraman, Nitya. "The acquisition of verbs and argument structure constructions /." Diss., Connect to a 24 p. preview or request complete full text in PDF format. Access restricted to UC campuses, 2002. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/ucsd/fullcit?p3049671.
Full text
39
Ma, Xiujie. "An analysis of temporal relations in languages: a comparative study of Mandarin and isiXhosa." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003055.
Full textAbstract:
This study sought to investigate how temporal relations are expressed in Mandarin and isiXhosa. The objective was to compare how two typologically distinct languages, one isolating and the other agglutinating, cope with the encoding of situations that occur at different positions on the time line. Data was drawn from questionnaire responses from, and interviews with, isiXhosa speakers who provided translations of a wide range of sentences from English into isiXhosa. The study revealed that isiXhosa relies on the grammatical category – tense – to encode temporal relations, while Mandarin relies more on lexical and pragmatic devices – the use of temporal adverbials and the implication of aspectual markings – to locate a situation on the time line. Typically, each sentence in isiXhosa must be marked for tense: temporal adverbials are optional elements and used to more precisely locate the situation on the time line. By contrast, in Mandarin, temporal adverbials have a more central function in that they independently express different positions on the time line: without temporal adverbials, it is extremely difficult to locate a situation on the time line in some sentences. Another important difference between the two languages was revealed in this study: isiXhosa grammar allows speakers to talk about situations in terms of their distance (past or future) from the speech time whereas Mandarin grammar allows its speakers to talk about situations in terms of the internal properties (e.g. completed, ongoing, etc.) of those situations. The study revealed that isiXhosa and Mandarin are similar in one important respect: both languages have no formal properties, i.e. overt tense markers (isiXhosa) and compulsory temporal adverbials or other temporal devices (Mandarin) for marking the temporal location of present situations. The study also revealed that both languages encode ‘pastness’ in terms of whether or not the effects of the situation in question still remain at speech time.
40
Roto, Gcobani Lucas. "Uhlalutyo lwesemantiki yelekhisikoni yezenzi zentshukumo u-qengqeleka, -tshona, -jikeleza no -tyibilika." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/50210.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explores the lexical semantics of the motion verbs -qengqeleka, -tshona, jikeleza and -tyibilika in Xhosa. In Chapter 1 the aims of the study are stated. Properties about the lexical semantic analysis of the verbs -qengqeleka, -tshona, -jikeleza and -tyibilika as well as the generative lexicon theory posited by Pustejovsky (1996) are discussed. The theoretical framework as it relates to the analyses and the organisation of study are also outlined in this chapter. Chapter 2 addresses in more detail the type system for semantics. The generative theory of the lexicon postulated by Pustejovsky includes multiple levels of representation for different types of lexical information needed. Among such levels are argument structure, event structure, qualia structure and inheritance structure. Chapter 2 also represents in more detail the qualia structure and the role they play in distributing the functional behaviour of words and phrases in composition. Chapter 3 examines the lexical semantics of the verbs -qengqeleka, -tshona, -jikeleza and -tyibilika to account for the range of selectional properties of the NP subject arguments of the verbs -qengqeleka, -tshona, -jikeleza and -tyibilika and the various interpretations that arise in terms of composition with its complement arguments. The polysemous behaviour of the verbs -qengqeleka, -tshona, -jikeleza and -tyibilika is examined in sentence alternation construction with respect to event structure properties. The lexical representation in terms of argument structure and event structure of the verbs -qengqeleka, -tshona, -jikeleza and -tyibilika in different sentences is also investigated. Chapter 4 is the conclusion of the study, and presents a summary of the findings of the previous chapters on the lexical semantic analysis of the motion verbs -qengqeleka, -tshona, -jikeleza and -tyibilika in Xhosa.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die leksikale semantiek van die bewegingswerkwoorde -qengqeleka, -tshona, -jikeleza en -tyibilika in Xhosa. In Hoofstuk 1 word die doelstellings van die studie uiteengesit. Eienskappe van die leksikaal-semantiese analise van die werkwoorde -qengqeleka, -tshona, -jikeleza en -tyibilika word bespreek. Die raamwerk van die Generatiewe Leksikon teorie, soos gepostuleer deur Pustejovsky (1996) word ook bespreek. Die teoretiese raamwerk en organisasie van die studie word ook in hierdie hoofstuk uit een gesit. Hoofstuk 2 behandel in meer besonderhede die teorie van Generatiewe Leksikon, in die besonder die semantiese tipe sisteem. Die Generatiewe teorie van die Leksikon soos ontwikkel deur Pustejovsky bevat veelvuldige vlakke van representasie vir die verskillende tipes leksikale inligting benodig. Hierdie vlakke sluit in: Argumentstruktuur, Gebeurtenisstruktuur, Oualiastruktuur, en Leksikale erwingstruktuur. Hoofstuk 2 gee ook 'n meer gedetaileerde oorsig van die Oualia struktuur en die rol wat dit speel in die funksionele gedrag van woorde en frases in komposisie met mekaar. Hoofstuk 3 ondersoek die leksikale semantiek van die werkwoorde -qengqeleka, - tshona, -jikeleza en -tyibilika om 'n verklaring te gee vir die verskeidenheid seleksiebeperkings van hierdie werkwoorde en die verskeidenheid interpretasies wat na vore kom in terme van die komposisie van hierdie werkwoorde met hulle komplement argumente. Die polisemiese gedrag van hierdie werkwoorde word verder ook ondersoek met betrekking tot die gebeurtenisstruktuur ('event structure') eienskappe daarvan. Die leksikale representasie in terme van argumentstruktuur en gebeurtenisstruktuur van die werkwoorde -qengqeleka, -tshona, -jikeleza en -tyibilika in verskillende sinne word ondersoek. Hoofstuk 4 is die konklusie van die studie, en bied 'n opsomming van die hoofbevindinge van die voorafgaande hoofstukke oor die leksikaal-semantiese analises van die bewegingswerkwoorde -qengqeleka, -tshona, -jikeleza en -tyibilika.
ISISHWANKATHELO Esi sifundo siphonononga uhlalutyo Iwesemantiki yelekhisikoni yezenzi zentshukumo - qengqeleka, tshona, jikeleza notyibilika. UMongo wesifundo uxeliwe kwisahluko 1. Iziphumo zohlalutyo Iwesemantiki yelekhisikoni yezenzi u- qengqeleka, tshona, jikeleza notyibilika ngokunjalo nengcingane yelekhisikoni evelisayo ngokuka Pustejovsky (1996) zixoxiwe. Ubume bengcingane kunye nolungiselelo Iwesifundo zikwaxoxiwe kwesi sahluko. Isahluko 2 siyila indlela emisiweyo yohlobo Iwesemantiki yethu. Ingcingane evelisayo yelekhisikoni iquka imigangatho emininzi yenkcazelo ngokwentlobo ezahlukeneyo ezifuna ulwazi Iwesemantiki. Eminye yale migangatho lulwakhiwo Iwe-adyumenti, ulwakhiwo Iwesiyaneko, ulwakhiwo Iwekhwaliya kunye nolwakhiwo loêalo. Isahluko 2 sikwabonisa ngokucace kakhulu ngolwakhiwo Iwekhwaliya ngendima edlaliweyo ekusasazeni impatho yomsebenzi wamagama namabinzana kwindibaniso. Isahluko 3 sivavanya uhlalutyo Iwesemantiki yelekhisikoni yezenzi u- qengqeleka, tshona, jikeleza notyibilika ngokwengcaciso yodweliso Iweempawu ezikhethiweyo zeadyumenti yebinzana lesibizo esiyintloko sezenzi u- qengqeleka, tshona, jikeleza notyibilika kunye notoliko olwahlukeneyo oluvela ngokwamagama endibaniso ngokweadyumenti yemfezekiso. Impatho yentsingiselo ezininzi zezenzi u- qengqeleka, tshona, jikeleza notyibilika ivavanyiwe kulwakhiwo lotshintshwano Iwezivakalisi ngokuhlomela iimpawu zolwakhiwo Iwesiganeko. Inkcazelo yelekhisikoni ngokwamagama olwakhiwo Iwe-adyumenti kunye nolwakhiwo Iwesiganeko sezenzi u- qengqeleka, tshona, jikeleza notyibilika kwiziVakalisi ezahlukeneyo zikwaphengululiwe. Isahluko 4 sisiqukumbelo, esishwankathela iziphumo zezahluko ezingaphambili kwesi sifundo kuhlalutyo Iwesemantiki yelekhisikoni yezenzi zentshukumo u- qengqeleka, tshona, jikeleza notyibilika kwisiXhosa.
41
Taylor, Joanne M. "Internal generation of the morphological priming effect?" Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2000. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp03/MQ59207.pdf.
Full text
42
Cai, Guanjun 1964. "A Chinese rhetorical tradition? Case studies in the history of Chinese rhetorical theory and practice." Diss., The University of Arizona, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/288824.
Full textAbstract:
This dissertation investigates rhetorical theories and practices in Chinese cultural history. I examine the rhetorics that are explicit and implicit in Chinese philosophical, political, and academic theories and practices. Based on my case studies in Chinese history, I argue that rhetoric is a social, cultural, and historical construct, and rhetoric in the Chinese context is better understood as the study and practice of putting philosophy into social action for practical purposes. These case studies also illustrate that since assumptions about rhetoric are integrally related to particular cultural assumptions, the conventions of "good writing" are also culture-specific. I begin by refuting the notions that rhetoric is entirely Western and that Western rhetoric is universal. Rhetoric is better understood as having a cultural dimension. In the succeeding chapter, I examine the rhetorical expositions and implications of Han Fei-tzu's (c. 298-233 BCE) legalist philosophy. A concept of rhetoric, I argue, is explicitly developed in Han's theories of quan-fu or the art of speaking to convince and shui-shu or the art of advising. I also explore the conceptions of rhetoric that is implicit in his legalist theories of fa, shu, shi, which assume that persuasion and coercion are used simultaneously to preserve social order. In Chapter 3, I argue that the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) provides a good example of how ideology functions as a system of rhetoric. I analyze The Little Red Book as an exemplary ideological discourse to show that the Thought of Mao Zedong, which was the dominant ideology of the Cultural Revolution, determined what was discursive, what was possible, and what was acceptable. In Chapter 4, I argue that Chinese academic writing has always served clearly defined sociopolitical purposes that have historically adapted with changes in political ideology. My analyses in the preceding chapters should give readers an historically grounded sense of Chinese rhetorics. With my case studies as points of reference, I conclude by exploring the implications of this project for the theories of rhetoric and comparative rhetoric. I examine how theories of comparative rhetoric can be developed with historical research on rhetorical conventions, cultural assumptions, and social practices. I also show how such an historically informed comparative rhetoric can be applied to teaching students to negotiate cultural differences in their writing.
43
Muthige, Azwifarwi Gladys. "Tsenguluso ya u shumiswa ha luambo lwa u nyefula kha lushaka lwa Vhavenda." Thesis, University of Limpopo, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10386/1292.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (MA. (African Languages)) -- University of Limpopo, 2014This research focuses on the use of derogative language in Tshivenḓa discourse. Derogative language is the language used in a society in showing critical or disrespectful attitude. In each and every society, people use derogative language or words in addressing different unacceptable behaviours. Derogative language is used in schools, churches, homes, to mention but a few places. There are factors compelling Vhavenḓa people to use derogative language. In this regard, one may mention social, political, and economic factors. For instance, hardworking people who have amassed wealth through their efforts are sometimes labelled scornful names such as madyavhathu (cannibals) and keepers of maḓuxwane (zombies). Ultimately, the use of derogatory language affects people socially and psychologically.
44
Noonan, Máire B. "Case and syntactic geometry." Thesis, McGill University, 1992. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=39372.
Full textAbstract:
The first part of this thesis addresses the following questions: where in the syntactic tree, and at what representational level is an NP Case-checked. To this end, it presents converging data from French, Welsh and Irish, which suggest (i) that Case-checking may be accomplished under a variety of functional projections (subject to parametric variation); and (ii) that Case positions are--at least partially--independent of the A/A$ sp prime$-distinction. It furthermore presents evidence from Irish and Welsh--VSO languages in which NPs typically raise to their Case position only at LF--that NPs are, under certain conditions, Case-checked at S-structure.Chapter 2 investigates word order and cliticisation in Standard French and Quebec French interrogatives and proposes a typology of interrogatives. Chapter 3 and 4 account for complementizer variation, pre-verbal particles and agreement patterns in Welsh and Irish under a Case-theoretic approach.
The second part of this thesis concerns the conditions on the availability of structural accusative Case. A theory of structural Case is proposed according to which accusativity is a configurational rather than a lexical property--i.e., resulting from syntactic geometry and not from lexical feature specifications on verbs. To this end, a comparison between the syntactic mapping of stative and perfective predicates in Irish and English is undertaken.
45
Wynne, Terence Stewart. "The present perfect : a corpus-based investigation." Thesis, University of Stirling, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/1893/3472.
Full textAbstract:
On the basis of an investigation of a corpus of 5.5 million words, this thesis analyses the use of the present perfect in modem American and British English. The investigation traces the development of the present perfect from its origins as a structure with adjectival meaning to its modern-day use as an aspectual verb form. A frequency analysis tests the claims of various writers that the present perfect is losing ground against the preterite and is less frequent in American than in British English. Neither claim is supported by the results of this analysis. A temporal specifier analysis investigates the co-occurrence of a large number of adverbials with the various verb forms. It finds that certain groups of specifiers which have hitherto been considered markers for the present perfect are in fact very poor indicators. Specifiers indicating a period of time lasting up to the moment of utterance, however, are found to be very reliable indicators. With one exception no significant difference was found between the British and American corpora in this respect. A functional-semantic analysis examines the various theories of the present perfect against the background of the results of the empirical investigation and finds them to be insufficient in one or more respects. In the final chapter the division between tense and aspect is shown to be artificial and a model of the present perfect is presented which is based on the idea of multilayered aspectual values. The model is centred on the unifying concept of phragmatisation - the closing of the event time-frame. According to this model, discourse topics involving the present perfect are perceived to describe an event which takes place in a time frame which is not closed to the deictic zero point at the moment of utterance. The final section describes which factors are operative in the phragmatisation or closing of event time frames.
46
Millet, Deborah. "Automated grammatical tagging of language samples from children with and without language impairment /." Diss., CLICK HERE for online access:, 2001. http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/ETD/image/etd35.pdf.
Full text
47
Judson, Carrie Ann. "Accuracy of Automated Developmental Sentence Scoring Software." Diss., CLICK HERE for online access, 2006. http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/ETD/image/etd1448.pdf.
Full text
48
Kanda, Kosuke. "Effects of the First Language on Japanese ESL Learners' Answers to Negative Questions." PDXScholar, 2014. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/1704.
Full textAbstract:
This study investigates how Japanese learners of English respond to English negative questions. Previous research has reported that Japanese learners of English make errors in yes/no responses to English negative questions due to the first language (L1) influence (Kang & Lim-chang, 1998; Takashima, 1989). From the perspective of L1 influence, there are two learning pitfalls: different functions of the yes/no response and different interpretations of negative questions. Both of these influences were examined in this study.
This study involved 8 Japanese learners of English, 4 females and 4 males, attending Portland State University (PSU). In order to elicit data that reflect the effect of Japanese English Language Teaching (ELT), the subjects were chosen so that at the time of data elicitation, they had less than 6 months of experience in an English-speaking environment. In addition, all the participants had English instruction in Japan at least through high school.
In order to see how the L1 influenced their yes/no answers to negative questions, I used two data elicitation methods: an oral interview with a native speaker and a retrospective protocol analysis of the interview. The results indicated the following: First, the participants appeared to respond to English negative questions fairly consistently with the English norm. Deviation was observed only when a negative question had a negative expected answer. Particularly, the stronger the expectation for a negative answer was, the more likely it was that the negative question elicited an incorrect yes/no response. Secondly, the participants interpreted the polarity of the expected answer based on the Japanese norm. With the help of context, they usually interpreted the stimulus sentence correctly. However, when an expected answer was ambiguous for any reason, the participants interpreted the stimulus sentence as having a negative expected answer, which is the default interpretation for Japanese negative questions.
This study shows that the influence of the L1 on answers to negative questions requires complex analysis. That is, superficially the participants appeared to answer questions correctly, but a deeper analysis revealed that they still relied on an L1 interpretation norm.
49
Moomo, David O. "The meaning of the biblical Hebrew verbal conjugation from a crosslinguistic perspective." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/53773.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (DLitt)--Stellenbosch University, 2004.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: One of the questions that have challenged scholars of BH for many years is whether the language should be regarded as a tense, aspectual or modal language. In this thesis, I argue that the lack and application of a metacategory for describing any language in general, and BH in particular, has been the main problem of the debate. A sound methodology is needed in order to be able to make an argument that can be tested empirically. The present study presents such a viable methodological approach. Using Bhatian parameters for tense, aspect and modal prominent languages, crosslinguistic metacategories of tense, aspect and mood were developed. These were applied to BH and the outcome was the hypothesis that BH is an aspect-prominent language. After formulating the above-mentioned hypothesis for BH, a corpus had been selected in the light of which the hypothesis was tested. The result demonstrates that BH consistently maintains perfective and imperfective aspectual distinctions. It was found that even where aspectual distinctions are extended to modal categories, the distinction in meanings between the perfective and the imperfective forms of the BH verb are not neutralised. From these observations, it has been concluded that there is the need to revisit the semantics of Proto Semitic. A model like the one used in this study could be replicated in the study of Proto Semitic. Such a revisit, it is hypothesised, may give fresh insights into the verbal system of Proto Semitic in general and BH in particular
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Een van die vrae wat reeds vir baie jare vir kenners van Byblese Hebreeus (=BH) In uitdaging is, is of die taal 'n tempustaal, 'n aspektuele taal of 'n modale taal is. In hierdie tesis voer ek aan dat die gebrek aan die toepassing van 'n metakategorie vir die beskrywing van tale in die algemeen, en BH in die besonder, die hoof probleem in die debat is. 'n Deeglike begronde metodologie is nodig om 'n hipotese daar te stel wat empiries getoets kan word. Hierdie studie wil so 'n metodologie formuleer. Deur gebruik te maak van Bhat se parameters vir tale waarvan die tempus, aspek en modaliteit prominent is, is kruislinguistiese metakategorieë vir tempus, aspek en modaliteit ontwikkel. Hierdie metakategorieë is op BH toegepas en die resultaat daarvan was die hipotese dat BH 'n aspek-prominente taal is. Nadat die bogenoemde hipotese vir BH geformuleer is, is 'n korpus geselekteer in die lig waarvan hierdie hipotese getoets kon word. Die resultaat demonstreer dat BH konsekwent die perfektiewe en imperfektiewe aspektuele onderskeid handhaaf. Daar is gevind dat selfs wanneer aspektuele onderskeidings uitgebrei is na modale kategorieë, die onderskeid tussen die perfektiewe en die imperfektiewe vorme van die BH werkwoord nie geneutraliseer word me. Vanuit hierdie waarnemings is tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat dit nodig is om weer te gaan kyk na die semantiek van Proto-Semities. 'n Model soos die een wat in hierdie studie gebruik is, kan ook in die studie van Proto-Semities bebruik word. Die hipotese is dat so 'n hernude ondersoek nuwe insigte kan gee in die werkwoordsisteem van Proto-Semities in die algemeen en BH in die besonder.
50
Chan, Mei-kuen Elaine. "Expression of modality in the language of the mass media." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1999. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B21160375.
Full text