The feature of tense at the interface of morphology and semantics
-
Anna Kibort
Abstract
In this paper I discuss the properties of tense as a grammatical feature, understood as a set of values and the methods of their realization on linguistic elements. I outline the criteria for recognizing various featural dependencies: agreement, government, and different types of multirepresentation of a feature value in a domain. I examine more closely three instances of tense-aspect-mood-polarity (TAMP) marking which have been put forward as candidates for agreement in tense: multirepresentation of TAMP in a verbal group/complex; multirepresentation of TAMP among elements bearing verbalizing case in Kayardild; and the modal cases of Kayardild which participate in TAMP marking. I argue that none of these arise as a result of syntactic agreement or government, but are due to the choice of a particular (semantic) value of TAMP for the clause. Hence, all these known instances of tense are morphosemantic, rather than morphosyntactic: syntax is not sensitive to the tense value of the verb.
Abstract
In this paper I discuss the properties of tense as a grammatical feature, understood as a set of values and the methods of their realization on linguistic elements. I outline the criteria for recognizing various featural dependencies: agreement, government, and different types of multirepresentation of a feature value in a domain. I examine more closely three instances of tense-aspect-mood-polarity (TAMP) marking which have been put forward as candidates for agreement in tense: multirepresentation of TAMP in a verbal group/complex; multirepresentation of TAMP among elements bearing verbalizing case in Kayardild; and the modal cases of Kayardild which participate in TAMP marking. I argue that none of these arise as a result of syntactic agreement or government, but are due to the choice of a particular (semantic) value of TAMP for the clause. Hence, all these known instances of tense are morphosemantic, rather than morphosyntactic: syntax is not sensitive to the tense value of the verb.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors vii
- Preface ix
- Introduction 1
-
Part 1. Interfaces with syntax and phonology
- Case conflict in Greek free relatives 21
- There are no special clitics 57
- Inflectional morphology and syntax in correspondence 97
- At the boundary of morphology and syntax 137
-
Part 2. Interfaces with semantics and the lexicon
- The feature of tense at the interface of morphology and semantics 171
- The aspectual properties of nominalization structures 195
- Determiner and Noun phrase coordination in modern Greek 221
- The pre-conditions for suppletion 239
- Archi morphology from a lexicographic perspective 267
-
Part 3. Interfaces in psycholinguistics and language acquisition
- Morphology and syntax dissociation in SLA 291
- The role of morphology in grammatical gender assignment 321
- Index 351
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors vii
- Preface ix
- Introduction 1
-
Part 1. Interfaces with syntax and phonology
- Case conflict in Greek free relatives 21
- There are no special clitics 57
- Inflectional morphology and syntax in correspondence 97
- At the boundary of morphology and syntax 137
-
Part 2. Interfaces with semantics and the lexicon
- The feature of tense at the interface of morphology and semantics 171
- The aspectual properties of nominalization structures 195
- Determiner and Noun phrase coordination in modern Greek 221
- The pre-conditions for suppletion 239
- Archi morphology from a lexicographic perspective 267
-
Part 3. Interfaces in psycholinguistics and language acquisition
- Morphology and syntax dissociation in SLA 291
- The role of morphology in grammatical gender assignment 321
- Index 351
