Unmarked transitivity
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Ina Bornkessel-Schlesewsky
Abstract
Recent experimental evidence suggests that a prototypical concept of transitive events (“unmarked transitivity”), which has proven a useful descriptive notion in language typological research, also plays a crucial role during real time language comprehension. In this chapter, we review neurocognitive evidence for unmarked transitivity from both a neuroanatomical (spatial) and neurophysiological (temporal) perspective. We further show how unmarked transitivity, which we characterise as the default realisation of a more general requirement for argument distinctness, can be integrated into a comprehensive model of cross-linguistic language comprehension. Finally, we discuss possible consequences of the comprehension findings for theoretical characterisations of language architecture, with a particular focus on Role and Reference Grammar.
Abstract
Recent experimental evidence suggests that a prototypical concept of transitive events (“unmarked transitivity”), which has proven a useful descriptive notion in language typological research, also plays a crucial role during real time language comprehension. In this chapter, we review neurocognitive evidence for unmarked transitivity from both a neuroanatomical (spatial) and neurophysiological (temporal) perspective. We further show how unmarked transitivity, which we characterise as the default realisation of a more general requirement for argument distinctness, can be integrated into a comprehensive model of cross-linguistic language comprehension. Finally, we discuss possible consequences of the comprehension findings for theoretical characterisations of language architecture, with a particular focus on Role and Reference Grammar.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors ix
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Part I. Introduction by the Editor
- Editor's introduction xv
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Part II. Verbs, argument structure and transitivity
- "Saying" verbs in Spanish 3
- Split intransitivity in Japanese revisited 23
- Reintroducing inverse constructions in Japanese 37
- Transitivity in Kabardian 59
- Ditransitive constructions: Towards a new Role and Reference Grammar account? 75
- Fluid transitivity and generalized semantic roles 101
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Part III. Syntactic and morphological categories
- Unification and separation in a functional theory of morphology 119
- Modality in RRG 147
- RPs and the nature of lexical and syntactic categories in Role and Reference Grammar 161
- “Floating plurals”, prodrop and agreement – an optimality-based RRG approach 179
- Where is the precore slot? Mapping the layered structure of the clause and German sentence topology 203
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Part IV. Syntax, pragmatics and prosody
- A prosodic projection for Role and Reference Grammar 227
- Is Role and Reference Grammar an adequate grammatical theory for punctuation? 245
- The interplay of focus structure and syntax 263
- How missing is the missing verb? 285
- Predication and reference in specificational sentences – functions of English noun phrases 305
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Part V. The analysis of complex sentences
- Alternative expressions of 'want' complements 321
- An RRG approach to French complementation patterns 337
- Complementizer-gap phenomena 359
- Wari’ Intentional State Constructions 381
-
Part VI. Neurolinguistic and computational aspects of RRG
- Unmarked transitivity 413
- Parsing for Role and Reference Grammar 435
- A Role-Lexical Module (RLM) for Biblical Hebrew 455
- Index of languages 479
- Index of subjects 481
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors ix
-
Part I. Introduction by the Editor
- Editor's introduction xv
-
Part II. Verbs, argument structure and transitivity
- "Saying" verbs in Spanish 3
- Split intransitivity in Japanese revisited 23
- Reintroducing inverse constructions in Japanese 37
- Transitivity in Kabardian 59
- Ditransitive constructions: Towards a new Role and Reference Grammar account? 75
- Fluid transitivity and generalized semantic roles 101
-
Part III. Syntactic and morphological categories
- Unification and separation in a functional theory of morphology 119
- Modality in RRG 147
- RPs and the nature of lexical and syntactic categories in Role and Reference Grammar 161
- “Floating plurals”, prodrop and agreement – an optimality-based RRG approach 179
- Where is the precore slot? Mapping the layered structure of the clause and German sentence topology 203
-
Part IV. Syntax, pragmatics and prosody
- A prosodic projection for Role and Reference Grammar 227
- Is Role and Reference Grammar an adequate grammatical theory for punctuation? 245
- The interplay of focus structure and syntax 263
- How missing is the missing verb? 285
- Predication and reference in specificational sentences – functions of English noun phrases 305
-
Part V. The analysis of complex sentences
- Alternative expressions of 'want' complements 321
- An RRG approach to French complementation patterns 337
- Complementizer-gap phenomena 359
- Wari’ Intentional State Constructions 381
-
Part VI. Neurolinguistic and computational aspects of RRG
- Unmarked transitivity 413
- Parsing for Role and Reference Grammar 435
- A Role-Lexical Module (RLM) for Biblical Hebrew 455
- Index of languages 479
- Index of subjects 481