Mengistu Amberber

Competition and variation in natural languages: the case for case

Publisher Summary This chapter deals with competition and variation among cases and case-marking devices in natural languages. A simple division of case-realizing languages into nominative-accusative and ergative-absolutive is insufficient. One cross-linguistic generalization is that the richer the case system, the more specific is the information conveyed by the case. In general, the morphological case reflects all kinds of semantic and pragmatic information—grammatical role being only one of them. This may seem obvious for all kinds of lexical or specific cases, but it holds for the core cases as well. The different uses of case markers are united by their roles in identifying and tracking the relationships among multiple participants involved in an event. A language can have a morphological inflectional-case system that is not completely congruent to its system of syntactic case relationships. Manifestations of case marking in expressions can be motivated in terms of maximization of contrasts to ease comprehension from the point of view of the hearer. If an object has a case separate from that of the subject, it is easier to determine what is what. On the other hand, minimization of the effort from the point of view of the speaker may lead to a reduction of morphological variability, hence a loss of case.Publisher Summary This chapter deals with competition and variation among cases and case-marking devices in natural languages. A simple division of case-realizing languages into nominative-accusative and ergative-absolutive is insufficient. One cross-linguistic generalization is that the richer the case system, the more specific is the information conveyed by the case. In general, the morphological case reflects all kinds of semantic and pragmatic information—grammatical role being only one of them. This may seem obvious for all kinds of lexical or specific cases, but it holds for the core cases as well. The different uses of case markers are united by their roles in identifying and tracking the relationships among multiple participants involved in an event. A language can have a morphological inflectional-case system that is not completely congruent to its system of syntactic case relationships. Manifestations of case marking in expressions can be motivated in terms of maximization of contrasts to ease comprehension from the point of view of the hearer. If an object has a case separate from that of the subject, it is easier to determine what is what. On the other hand, minimization of the effort from the point of view of the speaker may lead to a reduction of morphological variability, hence a loss of case.

Complex Predicates: Cross-linguistic Perspectives on Event Structure

Complex predicates usually are defined as predicates which are multi-headed; they are composed of more than one grammatical element (either morphemes or words), each of which contributes part of the information ordinarily associated with a head. I discuss phenomena that were used to motivate complex predicate analyses. For instance in many languages certain predicates form a cluster, i.e. a topological unit. In free constituent order languages, the dependents of the predicates in the cluster sometimes can be permuted as if they were dependents of a single head. The matrix predicate sometimes determines the case of a dependend of an embedded predicate. I sketch several analyses of these phenomena that were suggested in various frameworks.1. Introduction: complex predicates Mengistu Amberber, Brett Baker and Mark Harvey 2. Complex predicate formation Brett Baker and Mark Harvey 3. The light verb jungle: still hacking away Miriam Butt 4. Events and serial verb constructions William A. Foley 5. Cotemporal serial verb constructions in White Hmong Nerida Jarkey 6. Activity incorporates in some Athabaskan languages Keren Rice 7. Warlpiri verbs of change and causation: the thematic core Mary Laughren 8. Complex predicates in Wambaya: detaching predicate composition from syntactic structure Rachel Nordlinger 9. Compound verbs and ideophones in Wolaitta revisited Azeb Amha 10. The structure of the light verb construction in Amharic Mengistu Amberber Author index Language index Subject index.

Differential Subject Marking in Amharic

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the case and agreement systems of Amharic with particular reference to the phenomenon of differential subject marking (DSM). The chapter focuses on three interrelated issues: the semantic factors that determine DSM, the interaction between DSM and agreement on the verb, and the interaction between DSM and topicality. Amharic is a nominative or accusative language and exhibits a mixture of dependent- and head-marking. The Amharic verb is obligatorily marked for subject agreement. It can often optionally be marked for object and indirect object agreement. The subject is nonovertly marked for the nominative case and the object is marked for the accusative case if it is definite. The analysis presented in the chapter shows how non-canonical behavior is an artifact of an alternative way of encoding grammatical relations, which is predictable from a semantically homogeneous class of verbs.

Competition and Variation in Natural Languages

Publisher Summary This chapter deals with competition and variation among cases and case-marking devices in natural languages. A simple division of case-realizing languages into nominative-accusative and ergative-absolutive is insufficient. One cross-linguistic generalization is that the richer the case system, the more specific is the information conveyed by the case. In general, the morphological case reflects all kinds of semantic and pragmatic information—grammatical role being only one of them. This may seem obvious for all kinds of lexical or specific cases, but it holds for the core cases as well. The different uses of case markers are united by their roles in identifying and tracking the relationships among multiple participants involved in an event. A language can have a morphological inflectional-case system that is not completely congruent to its system of syntactic case relationships. Manifestations of case marking in expressions can be motivated in terms of maximization of contrasts to ease comprehension from the point of view of the hearer. If an object has a case separate from that of the subject, it is easier to determine what is what. On the other hand, minimization of the effort from the point of view of the speaker may lead to a reduction of morphological variability, hence a loss of case.Publisher Summary This chapter deals with competition and variation among cases and case-marking devices in natural languages. A simple division of case-realizing languages into nominative-accusative and ergative-absolutive is insufficient. One cross-linguistic generalization is that the richer the case system, the more specific is the information conveyed by the case. In general, the morphological case reflects all kinds of semantic and pragmatic information—grammatical role being only one of them. This may seem obvious for all kinds of lexical or specific cases, but it holds for the core cases as well. The different uses of case markers are united by their roles in identifying and tracking the relationships among multiple participants involved in an event. A language can have a morphological inflectional-case system that is not completely congruent to its system of syntactic case relationships. Manifestations of case marking in expressions can be motivated in terms of maximization of contrasts to ease comprehension from the point of view of the hearer. If an object has a case separate from that of the subject, it is easier to determine what is what. On the other hand, minimization of the effort from the point of view of the speaker may lead to a reduction of morphological variability, hence a loss of case.

Complex Predicates: Frontmatter

Complex predicates usually are defined as predicates which are multi-headed; they are composed of more than one grammatical element (either morphemes or words), each of which contributes part of the information ordinarily associated with a head. I discuss phenomena that were used to motivate complex predicate analyses. For instance in many languages certain predicates form a cluster, i.e. a topological unit. In free constituent order languages, the dependents of the predicates in the cluster sometimes can be permuted as if they were dependents of a single head. The matrix predicate sometimes determines the case of a dependend of an embedded predicate. I sketch several analyses of these phenomena that were suggested in various frameworks.1. Introduction: complex predicates Mengistu Amberber, Brett Baker and Mark Harvey 2. Complex predicate formation Brett Baker and Mark Harvey 3. The light verb jungle: still hacking away Miriam Butt 4. Events and serial verb constructions William A. Foley 5. Cotemporal serial verb constructions in White Hmong Nerida Jarkey 6. Activity incorporates in some Athabaskan languages Keren Rice 7. Warlpiri verbs of change and causation: the thematic core Mary Laughren 8. Complex predicates in Wambaya: detaching predicate composition from syntactic structure Rachel Nordlinger 9. Compound verbs and ideophones in Wolaitta revisited Azeb Amha 10. The structure of the light verb construction in Amharic Mengistu Amberber Author index Language index Subject index.

Complex Predicates: List of contributors

Complex predicates usually are defined as predicates which are multi-headed; they are composed of more than one grammatical element (either morphemes or words), each of which contributes part of the information ordinarily associated with a head. I discuss phenomena that were used to motivate complex predicate analyses. For instance in many languages certain predicates form a cluster, i.e. a topological unit. In free constituent order languages, the dependents of the predicates in the cluster sometimes can be permuted as if they were dependents of a single head. The matrix predicate sometimes determines the case of a dependend of an embedded predicate. I sketch several analyses of these phenomena that were suggested in various frameworks.1. Introduction: complex predicates Mengistu Amberber, Brett Baker and Mark Harvey 2. Complex predicate formation Brett Baker and Mark Harvey 3. The light verb jungle: still hacking away Miriam Butt 4. Events and serial verb constructions William A. Foley 5. Cotemporal serial verb constructions in White Hmong Nerida Jarkey 6. Activity incorporates in some Athabaskan languages Keren Rice 7. Warlpiri verbs of change and causation: the thematic core Mary Laughren 8. Complex predicates in Wambaya: detaching predicate composition from syntactic structure Rachel Nordlinger 9. Compound verbs and ideophones in Wolaitta revisited Azeb Amha 10. The structure of the light verb construction in Amharic Mengistu Amberber Author index Language index Subject index.

Complex Predicates: Index

Complex predicates usually are defined as predicates which are multi-headed; they are composed of more than one grammatical element (either morphemes or words), each of which contributes part of the information ordinarily associated with a head. I discuss phenomena that were used to motivate complex predicate analyses. For instance in many languages certain predicates form a cluster, i.e. a topological unit. In free constituent order languages, the dependents of the predicates in the cluster sometimes can be permuted as if they were dependents of a single head. The matrix predicate sometimes determines the case of a dependend of an embedded predicate. I sketch several analyses of these phenomena that were suggested in various frameworks.1. Introduction: complex predicates Mengistu Amberber, Brett Baker and Mark Harvey 2. Complex predicate formation Brett Baker and Mark Harvey 3. The light verb jungle: still hacking away Miriam Butt 4. Events and serial verb constructions William A. Foley 5. Cotemporal serial verb constructions in White Hmong Nerida Jarkey 6. Activity incorporates in some Athabaskan languages Keren Rice 7. Warlpiri verbs of change and causation: the thematic core Mary Laughren 8. Complex predicates in Wambaya: detaching predicate composition from syntactic structure Rachel Nordlinger 9. Compound verbs and ideophones in Wolaitta revisited Azeb Amha 10. The structure of the light verb construction in Amharic Mengistu Amberber Author index Language index Subject index.

Complex Predicates: List of figures and tables

Complex predicates usually are defined as predicates which are multi-headed; they are composed of more than one grammatical element (either morphemes or words), each of which contributes part of the information ordinarily associated with a head. I discuss phenomena that were used to motivate complex predicate analyses. For instance in many languages certain predicates form a cluster, i.e. a topological unit. In free constituent order languages, the dependents of the predicates in the cluster sometimes can be permuted as if they were dependents of a single head. The matrix predicate sometimes determines the case of a dependend of an embedded predicate. I sketch several analyses of these phenomena that were suggested in various frameworks.1. Introduction: complex predicates Mengistu Amberber, Brett Baker and Mark Harvey 2. Complex predicate formation Brett Baker and Mark Harvey 3. The light verb jungle: still hacking away Miriam Butt 4. Events and serial verb constructions William A. Foley 5. Cotemporal serial verb constructions in White Hmong Nerida Jarkey 6. Activity incorporates in some Athabaskan languages Keren Rice 7. Warlpiri verbs of change and causation: the thematic core Mary Laughren 8. Complex predicates in Wambaya: detaching predicate composition from syntactic structure Rachel Nordlinger 9. Compound verbs and ideophones in Wolaitta revisited Azeb Amha 10. The structure of the light verb construction in Amharic Mengistu Amberber Author index Language index Subject index.

Complex Predicates: Contents

Complex predicates usually are defined as predicates which are multi-headed; they are composed of more than one grammatical element (either morphemes or words), each of which contributes part of the information ordinarily associated with a head. I discuss phenomena that were used to motivate complex predicate analyses. For instance in many languages certain predicates form a cluster, i.e. a topological unit. In free constituent order languages, the dependents of the predicates in the cluster sometimes can be permuted as if they were dependents of a single head. The matrix predicate sometimes determines the case of a dependend of an embedded predicate. I sketch several analyses of these phenomena that were suggested in various frameworks.1. Introduction: complex predicates Mengistu Amberber, Brett Baker and Mark Harvey 2. Complex predicate formation Brett Baker and Mark Harvey 3. The light verb jungle: still hacking away Miriam Butt 4. Events and serial verb constructions William A. Foley 5. Cotemporal serial verb constructions in White Hmong Nerida Jarkey 6. Activity incorporates in some Athabaskan languages Keren Rice 7. Warlpiri verbs of change and causation: the thematic core Mary Laughren 8. Complex predicates in Wambaya: detaching predicate composition from syntactic structure Rachel Nordlinger 9. Compound verbs and ideophones in Wolaitta revisited Azeb Amha 10. The structure of the light verb construction in Amharic Mengistu Amberber Author index Language index Subject index.

Chapter 1 – Competition and Variation in Natural Languages: The Case for Case

Publisher Summary This chapter deals with competition and variation among cases and case-marking devices in natural languages. A simple division of case-realizing languages into nominative-accusative and ergative-absolutive is insufficient. One cross-linguistic generalization is that the richer the case system, the more specific is the information conveyed by the case. In general, the morphological case reflects all kinds of semantic and pragmatic information—grammatical role being only one of them. This may seem obvious for all kinds of lexical or specific cases, but it holds for the core cases as well. The different uses of case markers are united by their roles in identifying and tracking the relationships among multiple participants involved in an event. A language can have a morphological inflectional-case system that is not completely congruent to its system of syntactic case relationships. Manifestations of case marking in expressions can be motivated in terms of maximization of contrasts to ease comprehension from the point of view of the hearer. If an object has a case separate from that of the subject, it is easier to determine what is what. On the other hand, minimization of the effort from the point of view of the speaker may lead to a reduction of morphological variability, hence a loss of case.Publisher Summary This chapter deals with competition and variation among cases and case-marking devices in natural languages. A simple division of case-realizing languages into nominative-accusative and ergative-absolutive is insufficient. One cross-linguistic generalization is that the richer the case system, the more specific is the information conveyed by the case. In general, the morphological case reflects all kinds of semantic and pragmatic information—grammatical role being only one of them. This may seem obvious for all kinds of lexical or specific cases, but it holds for the core cases as well. The different uses of case markers are united by their roles in identifying and tracking the relationships among multiple participants involved in an event. A language can have a morphological inflectional-case system that is not completely congruent to its system of syntactic case relationships. Manifestations of case marking in expressions can be motivated in terms of maximization of contrasts to ease comprehension from the point of view of the hearer. If an object has a case separate from that of the subject, it is easier to determine what is what. On the other hand, minimization of the effort from the point of view of the speaker may lead to a reduction of morphological variability, hence a loss of case.