The Role Of Processing Complexity In Word Order Variation And Change

Author : Harry Joel Tily
Publisher : Stanford University
Page : 205 pages
File Size : 43,5 Mb
Release : 2010
Category : Electronic
ISBN : STANFORD:sr587rm2997

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The Role of Processing Complexity in Word Order Variation and Change by Harry Joel Tily Pdf

All normal humans have the same basic cognitive capacity for language. Nevertheless, the world's languages differ in the kind and number of grammatical options they give their speakers to express themselves with. Sometimes, a language's grammatical constructions may differ in how easy they are for comprehenders to process or how readily speakers will choose them. It has been observed that languages which allow more difficult constructions also tend to allow easier ones, and when a language only allows one option, it tends to allow the easiest to process. This correlation is intuitive: languages tend to give their speakers options that they find easy to use. However, the causal process that underlies it is not well understood. How did the world's languages come to have this convenient property? In this dissertation, I discuss a family of evolutionary models of language change in which processing-efficient variants tend to be selected more frequently, and hence over time have the potential to displace less efficient variants, pushing them out of the language. I begin by showing that a psycholinguistic theory, dependency length minimization, accounts for word ordering preferences in data taken from Old and Middle English just as it does in Present Day English. I then discuss computer simulations of a model of language change which implements this bias, predicting observed word order changes in English. Finally, I present experimental studies of online comprehension in Japanese which not only display evidence for the dependency length bias, but also suggest that comprehenders encode it as part of their knowledge about language, using it to help understand the sentences they receive from their peers.

Author : Bettelou Los,Claire Cowie,Patrick Honeybone,Graeme Trousdale
Publisher : John Benjamins Publishing Company
Page : 359 pages
File Size : 53,6 Mb
Release : 2022-02-15
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 9789027258205

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English Historical Linguistics by Bettelou Los,Claire Cowie,Patrick Honeybone,Graeme Trousdale Pdf

This volume contains a set of articles based on papers selected from those delivered at the 20th International Conference on English Historical Linguistics (ICEHL, Edinburgh 2018). It focuses on cutting-edge research in the history of English, while reflecting the diversity that exists in the current landscape of English historical linguistics. Chapters showcase traditional as well as novel methodologies in historical linguistics (the latter made possible by the increasing quality and accessibility of digital tools), work on linguistic interfaces (between segmental phonology and prosody, and syntax and information structure) and work on mechanisms of language change (such as Yang’s Tolerance Principle, on the threshold for the productivity of linguistic rules in language acquisition). The volume will be of interest to those working on the historical phonology, morphology, syntax and pragmatics of English, language change, corpus linguistics, computational historical linguistics, and related sub-disciplines.

Author : Anonim
Publisher : BRILL
Page : 407 pages
File Size : 52,8 Mb
Release : 2022-08-29
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 9789004510579

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Studying Language Change in the 21st Century by Anonim Pdf

The volume brings together contributions by scholars working in different theoretical frameworks interested in systematic explanation of language change and the interrelation between current linguistic theories and modern analytical tools and methodology. Τhe integrative basis of all work is the special focus on phenomena at the interface of semantics and syntax and the implications of corpus-based, quantitative analyses for researching diachrony.

Author : Rosanna Sornicola,Erich Poppe,Ariel Shisha-Halevy
Publisher : John Benjamins Publishing
Page : 356 pages
File Size : 44,9 Mb
Release : 2000-12-21
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 9789027284716

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Stability, Variation and Change of Word-Order Patterns over Time by Rosanna Sornicola,Erich Poppe,Ariel Shisha-Halevy Pdf

The issue of permanence and change of word-order patterns has long been debated in both historical linguistics and structural theories. The interest in this theme has been revamped by contemporary research in typology with its emphasis on correlation or ‘harmonies’ of structures of word-order as explicative principles of both synchronic and diachronic processes. The aim of this book is to stimulate a critical reconsideration of perspectives and methods in the study of continuities and discontinuities of word-order patterns. Bringing together contributions by specialists of various theoretical backgrounds and with expertise in different language families or groups (Caucasian, Hamito-Semitic, and — among Indo-European — Hittite, Greek, Celtic, Germanic, Slavonic, Romance), the book addresses issues like the notions of stability, variation and change of word-order and their interrelations, the interplay of syntactic and pragmatic factors, and the role of internal and external factors in synchronic and diachronic dynamics of word-order. The book contains a selection of papers presented at a workshop held at the XIII International Conference on Historical Linguistics (Düsseldorf, August 1997) and additonal invited contributions.

Author : Natalia Levshina
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 311 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 2022-11-30
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 9781108840798

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Communicative Efficiency by Natalia Levshina Pdf

Illustrated with rich examples, this book shows how language users can save effort by choosing efficient structures and word order.

Author : Kevin M. Ryan
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 304 pages
File Size : 53,9 Mb
Release : 2019-02-21
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 9780192550200

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Prosodic Weight by Kevin M. Ryan Pdf

This volume provides the most comprehensive treatment of phonological weight to date, bringing together traditional notions of categorical, rime-based weight and new developments in statistical prosodic phonology. The book demonstrates that while some systems treat weight as a simple (heavy vs. light) distinction, others treat it as a rich continuum of heaviness. Following an introduction to weight-sensitive systems in phonology, Kevin Ryan explores the range of phenomena that interact with prosodic weight. Chapters examine the analysis of scales in terms of prominence rather than moraic coercion; prosodic minimality in the context of larger prosodic constituents; syllable weight in metrics; and the relationship between prosodic end-weight and stress. Throughout, the analysis is based on a survey of weight systems both within and across the world's languages, which yields a number of valuable generalizations and points towards a universal theory of weight in human language.

Author : Susanne Winkler
Publisher : Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
Page : 378 pages
File Size : 46,8 Mb
Release : 2015-03-30
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 9783110403589

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Ambiguity by Susanne Winkler Pdf

This edited volume investigates the concept of ambiguity and how it manifests itself in language and communication from a new perspective. The main goal is to uncover a great mystery: why can we communicate effectively despite the fact that ambiguity is pervasive in the language that we use? And conversely, how do speakers and hearers use ambiguity and vagueness to achieve a specific goal? Comprehensive answers to these questions are provided from different fields which focus on the study of language, in particular, linguistics, literary criticism, rhetoric, psycholinguistics, theology, media studies and law. By bringing together these different disciplines, the book documents a radical change in the research on ambiguity. The innovation is brought about by the transdisciplinary perspective of the individual and co-authored papers that bridge the gaps between disciplines. The research program that underlies this volume establishes theoretical connections between the areas of (psycho)linguistics that concentrate on the question of how the system of language works with the areas of rhetoric, literary studies, theology and law that focus on the question of how communication works in discourse and text from the perspective of both production and perception. A three-dimensional Ambiguity Model is presented that serves as a theoretical anchor point for the analyses of the different types of ambiguities by the contributors of this volume. The Ambiguity Model is a hybrid model which brings together the different perspectives on how language and the language system work with respect to ambiguity as well as the question of how ambiguity is employed in communication and in different communicational settings. A set of specific features that are relevant for the description of ambiguity, such as whether the ambiguity arises in the production or perception process, and whether it occurs in strategic or nonstrategic communication, are defined. The research program rests on the assumption that both the production and the perception of ambiguity, as well as its strategic and nonstrategic occurrence, can only be understood by exploring how these factors interact with each other and a reference system when ambiguity is generated and resolved. The collection Ambiguity: Language and Communication constitutes a superb introduction to the workings of ambiguity in language and communication along with extensive analyses of many different examples from different fields. As such it is relevant for students of linguistics, literary studies, rhetoric, law and theology and at the same time there is sufficient quality analysis and new research questions to benefit advanced readers who are interested in ambiguity.

Author : John W. Schwieter,Zhisheng (Edward) Wen
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 1211 pages
File Size : 53,8 Mb
Release : 2022-07-21
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 9781108960502

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The Cambridge Handbook of Working Memory and Language by John W. Schwieter,Zhisheng (Edward) Wen Pdf

Bringing together cutting-edge research, this Handbook is the first comprehensive text to examine the pivotal role of working memory in first and second language acquisition, processing, impairments, and training. Authored by a stellar cast of distinguished scholars from around the world, the Handbook provides authoritative insights on work from diverse, multi-disciplinary perspectives, and introduces key models of working memory in relation to language. Following an introductory chapter by working memory pioneer Alan Baddeley, the collection is organized into thematic sections that discuss working memory in relation to: Theoretical models and measures; Linguistic theories and frameworks; First language processing; Bilingual acquisition and processing; and Language disorders, interventions, and instruction. The Handbook is sure to interest and benefit researchers, clinicians, speech therapists, and advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students in linguistics, psychology, education, speech therapy, cognitive science, and neuroscience, or anyone seeking to learn more about language, cognition and the human mind.

Author : Frederick J. Newmeyer,Laurel B. Preston
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
Page : 387 pages
File Size : 46,7 Mb
Release : 2014
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 9780199685301

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Measuring Grammatical Complexity by Frederick J. Newmeyer,Laurel B. Preston Pdf

This book examines the question of whether languages can differ in grammatical complexity and, if so, how relative complexity differences might be measured. Chapters approach the question from the point of view of formal grammatical theory, psycholinguistics, and neurolinguistics, and take phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics into account.

Author : Matthew W. Crocker,Gerhard Jäger,Gina Kuperberg,Hannah Rohde,Elke Teich,Rory Turnbull
Publisher : Frontiers Media SA
Page : 514 pages
File Size : 44,8 Mb
Release : 2022-03-25
Category : Science
ISBN : 9782889747658

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Rational Approaches in Language Science by Matthew W. Crocker,Gerhard Jäger,Gina Kuperberg,Hannah Rohde,Elke Teich,Rory Turnbull Pdf

Author : Brian Nolan,Elke Diedrichsen
Publisher : John Benjamins Publishing Company
Page : 464 pages
File Size : 44,6 Mb
Release : 2017-01-26
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 9789027266125

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Argument Realisation in Complex Predicates and Complex Events by Brian Nolan,Elke Diedrichsen Pdf

This book offers a comprehensive investigative study of argument realisation in complex predicates and complex events at the syntax-semantic interface across a wide variety of the world’s languages, ranging over languages such as German, Irish, Sicilian and Italian, Lithuanian, Estonian and other Finno-Ugric languages, Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara and Ngaanyatjarra from Australia’s Western Desert region, Japanese, Tepehua (Totonacan, Mexico), Cheyenne, Mexican Spanish, Boharic Coptic, and Persian. This volume examines the syntactic variation of complex events, complex predicates and multi-verb constructions within a single clause where the clause is view as representing a single event, studying their semantics and syntax within functional, cognitive and constructional frameworks, to arrive at a better understanding of their cross linguistic behaviour and how they resonate in syntax. These constructions manifest considerable variability in cross-linguistic comparisons of complex predicate formation. In European languages, for example, typically one of the verbs in a verb-verb construction highlights a phase of an underspecified event while the matrix verb specifies the actual event. In contrast, serial verbs require each verb to provide a sub-event dimension within a complex event that is viewed holistically as unitary in syntax. This book contributes to an understanding of complex events, complex predicates and multi-verb constructions across languages, their syntactic constructional patterns and argument realisation.

Author : Sam Featherston,Yannick Versley
Publisher : Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
Page : 240 pages
File Size : 45,9 Mb
Release : 2016-07-25
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 9783110401929

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Quantitative Approaches to Grammar and Grammatical Change by Sam Featherston,Yannick Versley Pdf

The newly-emerging field of theoretically informed but simultaneously empirically based syntax is dynamic but little-represented in the literature. This volume addresses this need. While there has previously been something of a gulf between theoretical linguists in the generative tradition and those linguists who work with quantitative data types, this gap is narrowing. In the light of the empirical revolution in the study of syntax, even people whose primary concern is grammatical theory take note of processing effects and attribute certain effects to them. Correspondingly, workers focusing on the surface evidence can relate more to the concepts of the theoreticians, because the two layers of explanation have been brought into contact. And these workers too must account for the data gathered by the theoreticians. An additional innovation is the generative analysis of historical data – this is now seen as psycholinguistic theory-relevant data like any other. These papers are thus a snapshot of some of the work currently being done in evidence-based grammar, using both experimental and historical data.

Author : John A. Hawkins
Publisher : OUP Oxford
Page : 320 pages
File Size : 43,8 Mb
Release : 2014-02-28
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 9780191642869

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Cross-Linguistic Variation and Efficiency by John A. Hawkins Pdf

In this book John A. Hawkins argues that major patterns of variation across languages are structured by general principles of efficiency in language use and communication. Evidence for these comes from languages permitting structural options from which selections are made in performance, e.g. between competing word orders and between relative clauses with a resumptive pronoun versus a gap. The preferences and patterns of performance within languages are reflected, he shows, in the fixed conventions and variation patterns across grammars, leading to a 'Performance-Grammar Correspondence Hypothesis'. Hawkins extends and updates the general theory that he laid out in Efficiency and Complexity in Grammars (OUP 2004): new areas of grammar and performance are discussed, new research findings are incorporated that test his earlier predictions, and new advances in the contributing fields of language processing, linguistic theory, historical linguistics, and typology are addressed. This efficiency approach to variation has far-reaching theoretical consequences relevant to many current issues in the language sciences. These include the notion of ease of processing and how to measure it, the role of processing in language change, the nature of language universals and their explanation, the theory of complexity, the relative strength of competing and cooperating principles, and the proper definition of fundamental grammatical notions such as 'dependency'. The book also offers a new typology of VO and OV languages and their correlating properties seen from this perspective, and a new typology of the noun phrase and of argument structure.

Author : Terttu Nevalainen,Elizabeth Closs Traugott
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 984 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 2012-10-10
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 9780199996384

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The Oxford Handbook of the History of English by Terttu Nevalainen,Elizabeth Closs Traugott Pdf

The availability of large electronic corpora has caused major shifts in linguistic research, including the ability to analyze much more data than ever before, and to perform micro-analyses of linguistic structures across languages. This has historical linguists to rethink many standard assumptions about language history, and methods and approaches that are relevant to the study of it. The field is now interested in, and attracts, specialists whose fields range from statistical modeling to acoustic phonetics. These changes have even transformed linguists' perceptions of the very processes of language change, particularly in English, the most studied language in historical linguistics due to the size of available data and its status as a global language. The Oxford Handbook of the History of English takes stock of recent advances in the study of the history of English, broadening and deepening the understanding of the field. It seeks to suggest ways to rethink the relationship of English's past with its present, and make transparent the variety of conditions and processes that have been instrumental in shaping that history. Setting a new standard of cross-theoretical collaboration, it covers the field in an innovative way, providing diachronic accounts of major influences such as language contact, and typological processes that have shaped English and its varieties, as well as highlighting recent and ongoing developments of Englishes--celebrating the vitality of language change over the centuries and the many contexts and processes through which language change occurs.

Author : John Bowers,John S. Bowers
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 307 pages
File Size : 55,6 Mb
Release : 2018-04-19
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 9781107096752

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Deriving Syntactic Relations by John Bowers,John S. Bowers Pdf

This book proposes that the fundamental building blocks of syntax are relations between words rather than constituents formed from words.