Stéphane Polis

Réviser le codage de l’égyptien ancien. Vers un répertoire partagé des signes hiéroglyphiques

Based on an analysis of the 60 000 spellings found in the Ramses corpus, we show that the encoding scheme that is used for hieroglyphic texts, known as the Manuel de Codage (1988), is problematic for the development of text corpora in general. We consequently (1) argue in favour of basic principles that should be followed when encoding hieroglyphic texts in the framework of corpus projects, and (2) suggest guidelines for a new encoding scheme, especially with respect to the structure of the sign-list.

On the pragmatics of subjectification: The grammaticalization of verbless allative futures (with a case study in Ancient Egyptian)

In this paper, we argue that an expanded conception of the distinction between speaker-oriented and subject-oriented inferences is crucial for understanding the motivations and mechanisms of semantic change in grammaticalization and subjectification, on the one hand, and for clarifying the links between semantic change and reductive formal changes, on the other. Speaker-oriented inferences have significant consequences, leading to the relaxation of selectional restrictions on a construction. In turn, the relaxation of selectional restrictions can create conditions in which the type and token frequency of a construction can rise considerably. Furthermore, changes in the selectional restrictions on a construction can themselves catalyze semantic change by coercing listeners into new form–function pairings. This framework is applied to allative futures, a typological comparative concept developed in order to compare structurally diverse future tenses. Following the typological discussion, a diachronic case study of the emergence and grammaticalization of a verbless allative future in Ancient Egyptian is presented. Such verbless allative futures provide evidence against assumptions that purpose constructions as such are not grammaticalized as future tense constructions (Schmidtke-Bode 2009). Rather, they corroborate earlier hypotheses that it is the allative component of source constructions that crucially leads to intention meanings, and from intention to prediction (see, e.g., Bybee, Pagliuca, and Perkins 1994).

Teaching & Learning Guide for: The semantic map model: Teaching & Learning Guide for: The semantic map model. State of the art and future avenues for linguistic research

The semantic map model is relatively new in linguistic research, but it has been used intensively during the past three decades for studying a variety of cross‐linguistic and language‐specific questions. This method enables the capturing of regular patterns of semantic structure based on similarities of form‐meaning correspondence across languages. It has been fruitfully applied to the study of a variety of topics in linguistic typology, semantics, and historical linguistics and plays a prominent role in modern linguistic theory. This teaching and learning guide aims to provide readers with (a) key relevant works in the field, (b) additional information about online electronic resources and software solutions for graph visualization, and (c) material that can be used in order to introduce the semantic map model and its applications in the context of courses on linguistic typology, historical linguistics, and computational linguistics. Four modules are suggested for each course (two shared introductory modules and two specific modules). Alternatively, the eight modules can be clustered in the framework of a single seminar on semantic maps.

The semantic map model. State of the art and future avenues for linguistic research

The semantic map model is relatively new in linguistic research, but it has been intensively used during the past three decades for studying both cross-linguistic and language-specific questions. The goal of the present contribution is to give a comprehensive overview of the model. After introducing the different types of semantic maps, we present the steps involved for building the maps and discuss in more detail the different types of maps and their respective advantages and disadvantages, focusing on the kinds of linguistic generalizations captured. Finally, we provide a thorough survey of the literature on the topic, and we sketch future avenues for research in the field.