The Mandarin Chinese wh-pronouns ji-ge ‘how many-CL’ and duo-shao ‘a lot-a little’ can be roughly translated in English as 'how-many' and 'how-much', respectively. When these two wh-pronouns interact with the negation operator mei ‘not’, there derive similar but not identical readings: while the negative ji-ge structure conveys a ‘smallness’ in number (i.e., ‘small-number’), the negative duo-shao structure conveys a ‘smallness’ in quantity (i.e., ‘small-amount’). Huang and Crain (2014a) studied Mandarin-speaking children’s acquisition of the ‘small-number’ reading of the negative ji-ge structure. It was found that children undergo three developmental stages in the acquisition of the ‘small-number’ reading of the negative ji-ge structure, exhibiting the emergence of the full range of the meanings of ji-ge in the course of language development. The present study extends the inquiry of Huang and Crain (2014a) and investigates the acquisition of the ‘small-amount’ reading of the negative duo-shao structure. The experimental data exhibit two developmental stages, which are argued to reflect the development of the semantic and pragmatic properties of the wh-pronoun duo-shao. In short, the acquisition scenario of the negative duo-shao structure is different from that of the negative ji-ge structure, but both studies suggest that the semantic and pragmatic properties of Chinese wh-pronouns determine the acquisition of Chinese wh-pronouns in negative structures.
This squib sketches an analysis of the contribution of appositive constructions to metaphoric readings (Australia, the country with a passion for rugby). It is suggested that optional constructions can contribute the emergence of underlying metaphoric readings of sentences, depending on how they interact with other phrases and constituents. This analysis is based on a simple variant of the Type-Logical Syntax framework, enriched with a simple semantic algorithm that computes "local" source and target domains. As a test case, a discussion of a sub-set of appositives labelled as "spatial" appositives (Australia, the land where dreams come true) is discussed and accounted for.
The goal of this paper is to propose a unification of two strands of research within the semantics of spatial prepositions. The first strand focuses on the so-called modification problem, which can be stated as follows. Some, but not all spatial prepositions can be modified by measure phrases, such as ten meters (e.g. ten meters in front of the car). The second strand focuses on so-called prepositional aspect, in particular the fact that some but not all spatial prepositions can occur with the temporal adverbial phrase in one hour (e.g. to). A simple unified syntactic and semantic approach of aspect properties is offered, to account the data. This unified account is shown to explain and predict why telic/non-cumulative prepositions cannot combine with measure phrases (viz. *ten meters to the park). It is discussed whether prepositions that can combine with measure phrases, such as ten meters in front of the car and ten meters towards the car, have different lexical aspect properties, such as cumulativity and/or monotonicity. The answer is offered via a standard analysis of the distribution of these complex phrases with the temporal adverbs in one hour/for one hour. The consequences of the unified analysis are discussed in detail.
This paper presents a unified approach on two poorly understood problems of auxiliary selection in the Aquilan dialect. The first problem pertains to the distribution of an auxiliary verb that denotes the notion of “possession”, tene’. The second problem pertains to the distribution of a more standard auxiliary verb, ave´, which denotes the notion of “existence” in compound tenses, in suppletive distribution with esse. A proposed solution is that the distribution of both auxiliary verbs can be accounted via a simple analysis of Aquilan’s person-driven agreement: how a verb interacts with its arguments. This analysis is based on a formal (type-logical) representation of Distributed Morphology combined with Type-Logical calculi, and shown to correctly account and predict the distribution of these auxiliary verbs.
This article analyses the influence of David Bowie's work in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, a manga known for its wealth of references to western popular culture. It is argued that David Bowie's cultural reception can be attested via the presence of three narrative themes featuring in this manga series. The first theme is the exploration of diverse genres and an innovative, genre-defying attitude. The second theme is the use of avant-garde, flamboyant and gender-ambiguous aesthetics for its fictional characters. The third theme is a self-reflexive approach to the creation of fictional characters, intended as an awareness of the temporary, transient nature of their role as reluctant heroes in their own stories.
This paper presents data on auxiliary selection in Aquilan dialect. It focuses on the two auxiliary verbs esse and sta, which respectively express a permanent and temporary property that holds for a given predicate. The goals of the paper are twofold. A first goal is to offer data on the distribution of these auxiliary verbs, filling an empirical void in the literature. A second goal is to offer a formal syntactic and semantic treatment of these two auxiliaries. This treatment is shown to make several predictions on the properties of these auxiliaries, and their interaction with other parts of speech
In this paper we present an experimental study on native speakers’ access to lexicalrelations among spatial relations. Our main focus is a still poorly understood domain: thelexical relations that hold between (pairs of) directional spatial prepositions (from, to) andlocative prepositions (at). Two broad families of proposals exist in the literature. Onefamily suggests that the members of these two classes of prepositions are connected viathe entailment relation. Another family suggests that the overlap relation connectsdirectional and locative prepositions. These two proposals differ with respect to thepredictions they make on how speakers can accept and logically connect sentences thatinclude such pairs of prepositions. We offer an experimental study, based on a variant ofthe Truth-Value Judgment Task, which aims to adjudicate which family of proposalsmakes the correct predictions. Then, we discuss the theoretical import of the results.
This paper aims to explore how the relation between language and cognition is used as a complex trope in the 1994-2000 comic The Invisibles (Morrison et al.). The Invisibles features a secret language that different characters can access and use to manipulate how other characters can cognize reality. Although this secret language seems to posit the existence of a universal ability of humans to access an enriched understanding of reality, such secret language is also used as a tool of ultimate cognitive manipulation. Thus, language and cognition act as a complex trope that Morrison employs to explore themes of freedom and control, as well as different views on the mind/external world problem. We address this complex trope by discussing which scientific theories of language and cognition appear to be implemented in the story, and how they are used as tropes in the narrative.
The goal of this paper is to propose a novel compositional analysis of literal and metaphoric readings in spatial prepositions and prepositional phrases. It is shown that these types of readings emerge as the result of prepositions interacting with other parts of speech, such as verbs, DPs and temporal adverbs (e.g., in one hour). Two types of understudied data are discussed. The first set of data involves the interaction of literal and metaphoric readings with lexical aspect, including their distribution with temporal adverbs (e.g., in one hour/for one hour). The second set of data involves the co-existence of literal and metaphoric readings for prepositions in coordinated structures (e.g., under the table and through the briefing). The account suggests that both readings emerge as types of possible relations that spatial prepositions can denote, as part of a complex semantic domain that includes distinct semantic dimensions.
This paper presents an account of how literal and metaphoric readings of spatial prepositions in so-called “Boolean Phrases” can arise. The account aims to explain how metaphoric and literal readings can interact, when two (spatial) prepositional phrases are the arguments of one phrase headed by Boolean connectives and and or (e.g. in front of the car and over his problems). It is shown that these phenomena can receive a more thorough compositional analysis by assuming that both types of readings are part of a larger semantic domain for spatial prepositions, logical connectives and their combinations thereof.
This chapter tackles an important question that cognitive semiotics can answer about cross-modal relations among meanings, and the systems that produce them. The answer consists of an account of the relation between the cognitive systems underpinning object recognition in vision and NP interpretation in language. The analysis is based on the notion of “infomorphism”: two systems governed by the same underlying principles exchange information in regular ways. We show that, once we apply this account to classify the properties of each system, we can also model their possible connections. We discuss three phenomena (lexical variation, reference patterns, and semantic memory patterns) that can be modeled via this account.
This paper presents a Distributed Morphology approach to the morphology and semantics of spatial prepositions (in front of) and anaphors (here), complete with a situation semantics interpretation. The proposal is shown to account both known and recalcitrant data, such as anaphoric relations between elements of the two categories. Ideal follow-up to the "Borealis" paper.
This paper offers an account of toponyms (e.g. London, Shanghai, Roma, Kulosaari), in four languages on a cline of increasing morphological complexity: English, Mandarin, Italian and Finnish. The common morphological processes that underlie these four sets of toponyms are connected to their syntactic distribution and semantic interpretation. An account is thus offered within a minimal version of Type-Logical syntax, coupled with a simple semantic analysis.
This paper offers a unified approach to Italian spatial prepositions, such as di fronte a 'in front of', verso 'towards', in 'in', dietro a 'behind', and nel mezzo di 'in the middle of'. Three assumptions play a key role. First, Italian spatial prepositions can differ sensibly in their morphological structure, but share the same syntactic properties. Second, their sentential distribution is in part context-sensitive, thus based on the categories with which they combine. Third, their semantic contribution is layered, in the sense that it includes the meaning dimensions of both aspectual boundedness and specificity. The main result is a generalised theory on the structure and semantic interpretation of these prepositions.
The goal of this chapter is to outline a theory of punk culture and its constituting principles that allow us to individuate punk comics. We focus on one specific aspect: the “Do It Yourself” (henceforth DYI) philosophy, usually defined as the desire to modify and design objects, possessions and parts of the environment (Wolf and McQuitty 1-2). Although certainly not specific to the punk movement, this philosophy played a key role in the evolution of punk culture. With respect to its use in comics, we address a central question about the role of this philosophy/principle: whether and how the DYI philosophy, acting as a core principle of punk culture, can crucially individuate “punk comics.” The chapter is organized as follows. Section 2 introduces core theoretical notions. Section 3 presents a discussion of comics that acted as “precursors” to the genre. Section 4 presents a discussion of punk comics, while section 5 discusses “contemporary” works in this genre. Section 6 concludes.
This paper presents an experimental study on the interpretation of the spatialpreposition at in adult speakers, based on a variant of the Truth ValueJudgment Task. It is shown that speakers can interpret at as denoting a spatialrelation that stands in the “lexical entailment” relation with other spatial prepositions(e.g. inside, in front of, on top of, behind). For instance, if multiplelocated entities are involved in this relation, then they may occupy locationsthat can be “internal”, “external”, or placed on different verses of the samedirection, e.g. in front or behind a certain landmark object. It is discussed whichsemantic hypothesis correctly predicts these findings, and what the implicationscould be, for a theory of spatial prepositions and their Semantics.
This thesis by publication presents a study on English adpositions (e.g. to, in, at, from, in frontof, through). It attempts to offer a solution to the following three outstanding problems, whichare presented in each of the three parts making up the thesis, preceded by a general introduction(chapter 1) and followed by the general conclusions (chapter 7). The first part includes chapter2, and discusses the problem of What is the relation between adpositions and the non-linguistic,visual content they represent. The second part includes chapters 3 and 4, and discusses theproblem ofwhat is a proper compositional theory of the Syntax and Semantics of adpositions.The third part includes chapters 5 and 6, and discusses the problem of what is the psychologicalreality of this theory, regarding adults and children’s data.The following three solutions are suggested. First, the relation between adpositions and theircorresponding visual information is an isomorphism: adpositions capture how we “see” possiblespatio-temporal relations between objects, at a flexible level of fine-grainedness. Second, aproper compositional treatment of adpositions treats each syntactic unit (in front, of ) as offeringa distinct semantic contribution, hence spelling out a restricted instance of a spatio-temporalpart-of relation. Third, this compositional treatment of adpositions can also stand as a theory ofon-line interpretation in adults and a theory of their acquisition in children.These three answers are couched within a single theoretical approach, that of Discourse Representation Theory, and offer a unified solution to three apparently distinct problems regardingspatial adpositions and their linguistic properties.
The goal of this paper is to offer a unified analysis of the morphological structure of spatial adpositions and spatial case markers in three languages: English, Spanish, and Finnish. This analysis combines Distributed Morphology assumptions with a Type-Logical formal treatment. Two key results emerge from this unified morpho-syntactic analysis. First, spatial adpositions (behind, encima, laelta) can be accounted as the result of merging different “types” of spatial morphemes, including spatial case markers and particles. Second, cross-linguistic syntactic phenomena involving these categories (e.g. argument demotion) can also be accounted for straightforwardly, via our analysis. We suggest that these results also support a “morphology all the way up” view of Distributed Morphology.
This article discusses the interaction between themes, narrative structure and focalization points employed in Shingeki no Kyojin ('attack on Titan', Isayama 2009-ongoing), a manga featuring the desperate battle of humankind against the mysterious Titans. Following a narratological approach, the article explores how the themes underpinning the narrative, especially the 'control' theme, act as information filters on both narrative structure and background knowledge of Shingeki no Kyojin. The resulting interplay of these themes with a focalization point are explored in detail, and connected to ongoing discussions on focalization in comics and other media.
In this paper we offer a study on the interpretation of plural definites in discourse (‘the tank engines’) and their interaction with spatial adpositions (‘to’ and ‘at’). The novel empirical findings in the paper support the following assumptions on the contribu-tion of spatial adpositions to the interpretation of plural definites. First, the interpre-tation of plural definites can be influenced by the lexical aspect type of adpositions. While ‘to’ as ‘telic’ predicate can license both a ‘collective’ and a ‘distributive’ reading for plural definites, ‘at’ as an ‘atelic’ predicate only licenses a ‘collective’ reading. Second, the precise lexical content of adpositions determines which interpretation is accessed. It is claimed that ‘at’ denotes a ‘general location’ relation between locatum and landmark object, and thus licenses a collective reading for plural definites.
The goal of this paper is to investigate the polysemy of Spanish spatial prepositions (a, en, de, among others), and offer a syntactic and semantic treatment of this phenomenon. The core idea behind this account is that these prepositions can denote sets of possible locations that are involved in spatial relations. Consequently, the compositional interaction of polysemous prepositions with other parts of speech can determine which specific sense emerges in a sentence. The analysis is couched in a Type-Logical Grammar approach. It addresses data that have not previously been analysed in the literature, involving so-called Boolean constructions (e.g. en la estación y la calle). Also, the paper shows that a single treatment can capture all the relevant data. Therefore, the analysis shows that polysemy is a grammar phenomenon that is better accounted for in architectures with a distinct syntactic/derivational component (e.g. Distributed Morphology), than in architectures lacking this component (e.g. Cognitive Linguistics approaches). Consequences for a theory of grammar are discussed.
This paper sketches a theory, based on the notion of infomorphism, on the ontological structures that underlie two related cognitive processes within vision and language: object recognition and noun interpretation. It is suggested that such a proposal can shed notion on at least three phenomena (reference, lexical variation, and “thinking-for speaking”).