The role of morphology in grammatical gender assignment
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Spyridoula Varlokosta
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate native speakers’ ability to predict gender on the basis solely of morphological information carried by the noun suffix by testing the speakers’ assignment of gender to novel nouns. Results indicated that native speakers use morphology, specifically the information carried by the noun suffix to predict gender in the absence of semantic information in the noun as well as in the absence of any phrasal information that would help them to determine gender based on agreement. This result confirms both Ralli’s (2002; 2003) and Anastasiadi-Symeonidi & Cheila-Markopoulou’s (2003) claim that morphology plays an important role in the assignment of gender to Greek nouns. It is also compatible with findings of earlier psycholinguistic research on gender marking (Tucker, Lambert, & Rigault, 1977; Mills, 1986), suggesting that formal assignment rules determine gender marking to a great extend and are part of the native speakers’ linguistic competence.
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate native speakers’ ability to predict gender on the basis solely of morphological information carried by the noun suffix by testing the speakers’ assignment of gender to novel nouns. Results indicated that native speakers use morphology, specifically the information carried by the noun suffix to predict gender in the absence of semantic information in the noun as well as in the absence of any phrasal information that would help them to determine gender based on agreement. This result confirms both Ralli’s (2002; 2003) and Anastasiadi-Symeonidi & Cheila-Markopoulou’s (2003) claim that morphology plays an important role in the assignment of gender to Greek nouns. It is also compatible with findings of earlier psycholinguistic research on gender marking (Tucker, Lambert, & Rigault, 1977; Mills, 1986), suggesting that formal assignment rules determine gender marking to a great extend and are part of the native speakers’ linguistic competence.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors vii
- Preface ix
- Introduction 1
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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
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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
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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
