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Abstract: Cartographic approach to syntax models strict universal word orders with a universal hierarchy of functional projections. For example, universal order of adjectives [Adjs] (cf. Hetzron 1978, Sproat & Shih 1991, etc.), supposedly comes from a universal hierarchy of FPs which host specific types of Adjs (Scott 2002). Adopting this as a premise, we explore the origin of this hierarchy, i.e., the origin of the specific ordering of individual FPs in the functional hierarchy and thus the origin in which Adjs end up being linearized.
Found in: ključnih besedah
Summary of found: ...functional projections. For example, universal order of adjectives [Adjs] (cf. Hetzron 1978, Sproat & Shih 1991,...
Keywords: adjectives, cartography, universal hierarchy of functional projections, general cognition, experimental syntax, cognitive foundations of syntax
Published: 16.10.2020; Views: 1906; Downloads: 0
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Found in: ključnih besedah
Keywords: adjectives, complex noun phrase, adjective order restrictions, cartography
Published: 07.06.2018; Views: 3145; Downloads: 0
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Abstract: In this talk we will focus on the universal hierarchy of functional projections that host specific types of adjectives and the source of this hierarchy. To achieve this, the talk will consist from two parts. In the first part, the relevant background on the cartographic approach and the order of attributive adjectives will be given. In the second part of the talk, the focus will be on experiments which were conducted to establish if cognition can be taken as a source of the universal hierarchy of functional projections. Specifically, we will first consider the cartographic approach to syntax. Cartography suggests that phrases consist from lexical heads which are dominated by hierarchies of functional projections. Crucially, these hierarchies are argued to be universal, see a. o. Cinque & Rizzi (2008) for an overview of the cartographic program. This also holds for the noun phrase in which functional projections host, among other material, adjectives. This view then gives a natural explanation for the order of attributive adjectives which was said to be universal as well, see for example Hetzron (1978), Cinque (1994), Scott (2002). That is, the order of adjectives is universal because adjectives are hosted by functional projections which appear in a universal hierarchy. The second part of the talk will focus on the source of the universal word order and the functional hierarchy that dictates it. Following Cinque & Rizzi (2008) and Ramchand & Svenonius (2014), we will consider general cognition as one possible source of the universal hierarchy of functional projections. Specifically, I will report on a series of experiments which are a result of joint work with Rok Žaucer and Franc Marušič and are a part of an ongoing project "Probing the cognitive basis of the cartographic hierarchy of functional projections in the noun phrase" financed by the Slovenian Research Agency and conducted at the University of Nova Gorica. Crucially, these experiments are conducted to test the hypothesis that if the universal hierarchy is dictated by general-cognition restrictions, then the order of projections hosting adjectives should be reflected in various non-linguistic cognitive processes. To test this prediction, we are focusing on adjectives for size, color, and shape which seem to universally come in the order size > shape > color. In the talk, I will report on the results of the experiments as well as our future plans.
Found in: ključnih besedah
Keywords: adjectives, cartography, functional hierarchy, cognition
Published: 28.02.2019; Views: 2598; Downloads: 0
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Abstract: The talk focuses on several experiments which were conducted during the ongoing project Probing the cognitive basis of the cartographic hierarchy of functional projections in the noun phrase (J6-7282, financed by the Slovenian Research Agency and conducted at the University of Nova Gorica) and which were intended to establish whether cognition can be taken as a source of the universal hierarchy of functional projections in the noun phrase. The experiments are largely based on the findings of the cartographic approach to syntax, see for example Cinque & Rizzi (2008) for an overview. Specifically, we observe the functional hierarchy of projections which host attributive adjectives in the noun phrase. Under cartography, the existence of such a hierarchy is responsible for the strict word order of adjectives which seems to be, just like the hierarchy itself, universal (see for example Hetzron 1978, Sproat and Shih 1991, etc.). Put differently, the order of adjectives is universal because adjectives are hosted by functional projections which appear in a universal hierarchy (Cinque 1994, Scott 2002). And while much of the cartographic work tries to answer (i) how many functional projections there are and (ii) in which order they come, we focus on the source of the hierarchy of functional projections. Different sources have been suggested in the past, with some authors arguing that the order of adjectives is a consequence of Universal Grammar (Scott 2002), however, we investigate general cognition as a possible source of the universal hierarchy of functional projections, as proposed by Cinque & Rizzi (2008) and Ramchand & Svenonius (2014). To test the hypothesis that the universal hierarchy is dictated by general-cognition restrictions we have created tasks to observe whether the order of projections, which host adjectives, is reflected in various non-linguistic cognitive processes. If a bias is detected, it could be taken as indication that universal hierarchies of functional projections are based on properties of general cognition. To address this prediction, we only consider three types of properties: size, shape and color. These are encoded in adjectives for size, shape and color (for example, adjective red is related to the property of being red) which universally come in the order size > shape > color. Specifically, we expect to find a larger bias towards color, followed by shape and finally by size. This prediction was tested with two different tasks performed by adult subjects and with a sorting task which was tested with the help of subjects aged 18 to 36 months.
Found in: ključnih besedah
Keywords: adjectives, cartography, functional hierarchy, cognition
Published: 15.05.2019; Views: 2387; Downloads: 0
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Abstract: Following Greenberg’s generalization 20 prenominal adjectives follow numerals. In this paper we discuss a group of adjectives that appear in unexpected positions: adjectives preceding numerals prenominally. We argue that these adjectives violate cross-linguistic generalizations only apparently, as the noun phrases with such adjectives actually contain additional covert structure – structure that is not realized phonologically/phonetically.
Found in: ključnih besedah
Keywords: Greenberg’s generalization 20, adjectives, numerals, noun phrase, Slovenian syntax
Published: 05.11.2019; Views: 1983; Downloads: 0
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