John Benjamins Publishing Company
Categorial flexibility as an emergent phenomenon
Abstract
The present paper takes the view that categorial flexibility (CF, also called polycategoriality), i.e. having the “same” items function both as nouns and verbs, is not a possible substantial property of lexemes. Given the semantic quirks that often characterize such alternative uses (e.g. a tree vs. to tree), assuming CF leads one to posit roots endowed with general and vague meanings, the grammatical and cognitive reality of which appears highly dubious. Lexemes ought therefore to be viewed as rigidly categorized with precise meanings. CF is an emergent phenomenon that results when nouns and verbs share more or less loose semantic networks with the language-particular morphological property that they do not or minimally differ in their forms.
Abstract
The present paper takes the view that categorial flexibility (CF, also called polycategoriality), i.e. having the “same” items function both as nouns and verbs, is not a possible substantial property of lexemes. Given the semantic quirks that often characterize such alternative uses (e.g. a tree vs. to tree), assuming CF leads one to posit roots endowed with general and vague meanings, the grammatical and cognitive reality of which appears highly dubious. Lexemes ought therefore to be viewed as rigidly categorized with precise meanings. CF is an emergent phenomenon that results when nouns and verbs share more or less loose semantic networks with the language-particular morphological property that they do not or minimally differ in their forms.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
- Acknowledgments ix
- List of contributors xi
- Lexical Polycategoriality: Cross-linguistic, cross-theoretical and language acquisition approaches 1
-
Part I. Polycategoriality
- The flexibility of the noun/verb distinction in the lexicon of Mandinka 35
- Derivationally based homophony in French 59
- Categorial flexibility as an emergent phenomenon 79
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Part II. Polycategoriality across Amerindian languages
- Polycategoriality and hybridity across Mayan languages 101
- Polycategoriality and zero derivation 155
- What determines constraints on the relationships between roots and lexical categories? 175
-
Part III. Polycategoriality across Austronesian and Australian languages
- Lexical and syntactic categories in Nêlêmwa (New Caledonia) and some other Austronesian languages 207
- Two classes of verbs in Northern Australian languages 243
-
Part IV. Linguistic analysis in the light of acquisition data
- The ontology of roots and the emergence of nouns and verbs in Kuikuro 275
- Flexibles and polyvalence in Ku Waru 307
- Word class distinctiveness versus polycategoriality in Modern Hebrew 343
-
Part V. Lexical categories and polycategoriality in acquisition
- Noun and Verb categories in acquisition 381
- Semantic discrimination of Noun/Verb categories in French children aged 1;6 to 2;11 413
- The acquisition of action nouns in Yucatec Maya 443
- Author index 467
- Language index 473
- Subject index 475
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
- Acknowledgments ix
- List of contributors xi
- Lexical Polycategoriality: Cross-linguistic, cross-theoretical and language acquisition approaches 1
-
Part I. Polycategoriality
- The flexibility of the noun/verb distinction in the lexicon of Mandinka 35
- Derivationally based homophony in French 59
- Categorial flexibility as an emergent phenomenon 79
-
Part II. Polycategoriality across Amerindian languages
- Polycategoriality and hybridity across Mayan languages 101
- Polycategoriality and zero derivation 155
- What determines constraints on the relationships between roots and lexical categories? 175
-
Part III. Polycategoriality across Austronesian and Australian languages
- Lexical and syntactic categories in Nêlêmwa (New Caledonia) and some other Austronesian languages 207
- Two classes of verbs in Northern Australian languages 243
-
Part IV. Linguistic analysis in the light of acquisition data
- The ontology of roots and the emergence of nouns and verbs in Kuikuro 275
- Flexibles and polyvalence in Ku Waru 307
- Word class distinctiveness versus polycategoriality in Modern Hebrew 343
-
Part V. Lexical categories and polycategoriality in acquisition
- Noun and Verb categories in acquisition 381
- Semantic discrimination of Noun/Verb categories in French children aged 1;6 to 2;11 413
- The acquisition of action nouns in Yucatec Maya 443
- Author index 467
- Language index 473
- Subject index 475
