Adverb Placement
Adverb Placement

Author: Artemis Alexiadou

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing

Published: 1997-01-01

Total Pages: 267

ISBN-13: 902722739X

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This monograph investigates a number of central issues in the Syntax of Adverbs with special reference to Greek in the light of Kayne's (1994) Antisymmetry Hypothesis. It examines the conditions on the placement of the various adverb types, their licensing requirements, and their relation to adjectives. The author advances an analysis according to which adverbs are licensed as Specifiers of functional projections in the clausal domain. As such, they enter a matching relation with the relevant features of the respective functional head. Adverbs are either directly merged at the relevant functional projection (for instance Aspectual and Speaker Oriented adverbs) or alternatively they are moved to this position from the complement domain of the verb (for instance manner adverbs). Furthermore, the volume examines the phenomenon of Adverb Incorporation. It is proposed that Incorporation is obligatory for those VP internal Adverbs which are 'structuraly non-complex' in Chomsky's 1995 terms. Finally, the similarities and differences between adverbs and adjectives, clausal and nominal structure are investigated and a number of asymmetries between the two are highlighted.

Optimizing Adverb Positions
Optimizing Adverb Positions

Author: Eva Engels

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 362

ISBN-13: 9027255644

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Adverb positions vary within a single language as well as across diverse languages. Based on the study of adverbs in English, French and German, this monograph shows that the distribution of adverbs is influenced by various factors at distinct levels of linguistic representation – comprising semantics, syntax, phonology and information structure –, which interact in determining adverb positions. The results of the investigation are formulated within the theoretical framework of Optimality Theory, which captures the complex interaction of these factors by hierarchically ranked constraints, deriving cross-linguistic variation of adverb positions by differences in the language-specific constraint hierarchies. The book is divided into two parts: While Part I examines adverb positions in general, Part II investigates under which circumstances an adverb may attach to a phonetically empty constituent in the languages under discussion. The book appeals to a linguistic audience interested in Germanic and Romance languages as well as in theoretical syntax in general.

Adverbials
Adverbials

Author: Jennifer R. Austin

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing

Published: 2004-08-31

Total Pages: 358

ISBN-13: 9027295336

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Adverbials have become an important testing ground for research on the interfaces between syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. The articles selected for this volume present recent research on this topic. Among the issues addressed are the occurrence of adverbials in various domains of the sentence Mittelfeld, left and right periphery, adverbials in front of gaps, and the influence of the discourse context on the interpretation and position of adverbials. Particular classes of adverbials that are discussed include domain, locative, temporal, manner, transparent, and degree adverbials. Beyond the exploration of these topics, the volume reflects the current debate between proponents of semantic-driven approaches to the positioning of adverbials which assume adverbials to be adjuncts and approaches that claim a primacy of syntax in conceiving of adverbials as specifiers in a universally valid hierarchy of functional projections.

Approaches to Second Language Acquisition
Approaches to Second Language Acquisition

Author: Richard Towell

Publisher: Multilingual Matters

Published: 1994

Total Pages: 296

ISBN-13: 9781853592348

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Examines five central issues of second-language acquisition: transfer, staged development, cross-learner systematicity, incompleteness and variability.

Optimizing Adverb Positions
Optimizing Adverb Positions

Author: Eva Engels

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing

Published: 2012-02-08

Total Pages: 363

ISBN-13: 902728184X

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Adverb positions vary within a single language as well as across diverse languages. Based on the study of adverbs in English, French and German, this monograph shows that the distribution of adverbs is influenced by various factors at distinct levels of linguistic representation – comprising semantics, syntax, phonology and information structure –, which interact in determining adverb positions. The results of the investigation are formulated within the theoretical framework of Optimality Theory, which captures the complex interaction of these factors by hierarchically ranked constraints, deriving cross-linguistic variation of adverb positions by differences in the language-specific constraint hierarchies. The book is divided into two parts: While Part I examines adverb positions in general, Part II investigates under which circumstances an adverb may attach to a phonetically empty constituent in the languages under discussion. The book appeals to a linguistic audience interested in Germanic and Romance languages as well as in theoretical syntax in general.

Crosslinguistic Influence in Multilinguals
Crosslinguistic Influence in Multilinguals

Author: Wai Lan Tsang

Publisher: Multilingual Matters

Published: 2016-12-07

Total Pages: 151

ISBN-13: 178309690X

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This book reports on a research project conducted in multilingual Hong Kong, where Cantonese is the mother tongue (L1) of the majority of the population and learning different foreign languages is commonplace. In addition to English, which is usually the second language (L2), more and more people learn other languages, such as French (L3). Drawing on the notions of ‘interface’ and ‘reverse transfer’ in second language acquisition, this book addresses the possible role of L3 French in the acquisition of English as an L2 with two major concerns: firstly, the degree to which L3 acquisition will bring about a positive or negative transfer effect on L2 acquisition and secondly, the way in which an L3 interacts with an L2 and/or even an L1 on different interfaces as identified in second language acquisition. The study will appeal to researchers interested in second and third language acquisition, bi- and multilingualism and crosslinguistic influence.

Parameter Setting in Language Acquisition
Parameter Setting in Language Acquisition

Author: Dalila Ayoun

Publisher: A&C Black

Published: 2005-02-28

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 1847143369

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This book provides a broad overview of parameter-setting theory in first and second language acquisition and refines the theory by revisiting and challenging the traditional assumptions that underlie it, based on cross-linguistic language data that cover a range of syntactic and phonological phenomena. From an historical perspective on parameter-setting theory to an introduction to its role in computational linguistics, neurolinguistics, and language change, the reader will find a critique of the most commonly made arguments, as well as an index of all the syntactic, phonological, lexical, and morphological parameters presented in the literature to date. A closer look at the theory itself addresses the following questions: What does a parameter-setting approach to language acquisition entail? What are the underpinnings of the theory? What issues and problems remain to be solved? The empirical studies carried out to test the null subject parameter and verb movement parameter are reviewed to re-examine long-standing theoretical assumptions as well as the learnability implications for first and second language acquisition.

Phraseology in Foreign Language Learning and Teaching
Phraseology in Foreign Language Learning and Teaching

Author: Fanny Meunier

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 278

ISBN-13: 9789027232441

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This book addresses the key role of phraseology in second language acquisition and instruction. It is divided into three main sections: "Extracting and Describing Phraseological Units "investigates the role played by native and learner corpora in the extraction and description of multiword units, two initial and crucial steps in informing language pedagogy;" Learning Phraseological Units "deals with the learning aspect, an oft-neglected yet essential dimension of phraseology in second/foreign language pedagogy, this section also addresses issues in new literacies; and "Recording and Exploiting Phraseological Units" focuses on pedagogical tools, notably monolingual and bilingual dictionaries and textbooks. This stimulating collection presents cutting edge research in the field and identifies major avenues for future theoretical and applied work. It is of particular relevance to researchers and teachers interested in the patterned nature of language.