Linguistics Commons^™

Non-Local Spirantization In Breton, Gregory Stump

Linguistics Faculty Publications

Among the most striking morphosyntactic characteristics shared by the Celtic languages are their elaborate consonant mutation systems. It is clear from the most cursory inspection that in such systems, the range of possible syntactic relations between mutation triggers and their targets is subject to principled limits. In a recent paper, Zwicky (1984) has hypothesized that trigger-target relations are universally restricted by the constraint in (1): (1) The trigger determining a rule feature for a morphophonemic rule must be adjacent to the affected word and c-command it (Zwicky, 1984:389).

Maithili Verb Agreement And The Control Agreement Principle, Gregory Stump, Ramawatar Yadav

Linguistics Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Anaphoric Indices And Inalienable Possession In Brazilian Portuguese, Daniel L. Everett

Work Papers of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, University of North Dakota Session

From the introduction: "In this squib, I want to draw attention to some previously unnoticed but intriguing facts about inalienably possessed NPs (INPs) in Brazilian Portuguese (BP). I argue that these differ from both pronouns and anaphors in that (i) they must always be c-commanded in their minimal Complete Functional Complex (CFC) by an argument with an independent θ-role and (ii) the Binding Theory (BT) applies to IPNPs algorithmically: first the BT attempts to treat them as anaphors; if successful, the BT is satisfied; if not, then it treats them as pronouns."

Clitics, Case And Word Order In Yagua, Daniel L. Everett

Work Papers of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, University of North Dakota Session

From the introduction: "[...] Clitics which double objects in Yagua are called Set II clitics. All other clitics are referred to as Set I clitics.

"In this paper, I argue that the relationship between Set I clitics and Set II clitics, and the effect of these clitics on word order, present some intriguing problems for theories of syntax, especially as seen in the phenomenon of clitic doubling, the co-occurrence of tautophrasal, coreferent clitic NP pairs associated with a single semantic or thematic (θ)-role. I argue that a careful study of Yagua clitic doubling makes at least the following contributions to …

Tabaru Phonology And Morphology, Edward A. Kotynski

Work Papers of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, University of North Dakota Session

From the introduction: "In this paper we examine the Tabaru language in light of recent phonological theory.

"First, we review the history of stress within various theories and discuss both strengths and weaknesses. After concluding that previous theories are not sufficiently predictive or restrictive in terms of general theory, we discuss metrical phonology (Harris 1983, Mohanan 1986) and apply that theory to the Tabaru language.

"Second, after reviewing the morphology of Tabaru, we discuss the notion of syllable and its structure within the theory of CV phonology (Clemonts and Keyser 1983). We then analyze the Tabaru syllable within this framework, …

The Phonology Of Kisi Ideophones, George Tucker Childs

Applied Linguistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The category of words which I consider in this paper performs a function often neglected in linguistic analyses, namely, the expressive function: the expression of one's own personal feelings towards the message, Besides expressing the personal feelings or attitudes of the Speaker, ideophones serve the poetic function as well. They add an extra dimension of artistry or play. Expressiveness typically occurs only in special types of discourse, such as in Nootka songs, and possesses a systematicity of its own (Sapir 1915 [1949-188]). Because of the special pragmatics of expressive language, it has often been neglected in more restricted analyses. This …

A Contextualized Grammar Proficiency Test Using Informal Spoken English, Sally Wellenbrock Hinrich

Dissertations and Theses

Intensive college-level ESL programs typically focus on building students' academic skills in English. Yet many ESL students leave the intensive programs only to find that they cannot sufficiently comprehend conversations with native English-speaking classmates or understand freshman-level lectures. While the students frequently perceive the problem as relating to the rapid speech tempo used by native speakers, an integral part of the comprehension problem is the pervasive use of modified forms of English, commonly called reductions, contractions, and assimilations.

The present research investigates whether comprehension of certain modified forms of spoken informal English can be used to measure students' level of …

Syntactic Complexity, Error And The Holistic Evaluation Of Esl Student Essays, John S. Sparks

Dissertations and Theses

This study was designed to test five hypotheses in order to answer the following general research questions: 1) Are measures of syntactic complexity valid indices of ESL writing quality as measured by the holistic rating of student essays? 2) Would a measure of frequency and seriousness of error reflect evaluators' perceptions of ESL writing quality?

The Test Of English As A Foreign Language Sample Test As A Measure Of Adolescent Language Ability, Paul Gardiner Osborn

Theses and Dissertations

Relative performance on the Test of English as a Foreign Language Sample Test (TOEFL-ST) was explored in sixty native English speaking high school students. Subjects also were administered the Fullerton Language Test for Adolescents and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test Revised. The TOEFL-ST was not difficult for this population, indicating that TOEFL tests taken by foreign speaking college students probably assess a level of native English competency well below the high school level. The three tests, including subtests, appear to measure a wide array of subdomains of language competency. The data do not support the conclusion that any of these …

Pronouns Of Address In The Book Of Mormon, Lyle L. Fletcher

Theses and Dissertations

The first section of this thesis is a diachronic examination of second person pronouns in English with special focus on variations in usage such as pronominal shifting between thou (and related forms) and ye (and related forms), as well as an examination of the second person pronoun usage in the English Bible (especially the King James Version) with a similar focus. From the thirteenth century on variations in usage have been common.

The second section is a synchronic examination of second person pronouns as used by Joseph Smith and some of his contemporaries, followed by an analysis of these pronouns …

Tutoring German Esl Students, Sabina Mussgnug

Masters Theses

Tutors of American university writing centers can be invaluable advisors for German ESL students who come to study in the United States. The tutors can directly assist German students in coping with their particular academic and cultural difficulties.

German students must adapt to the American academic conventions to become successful students at their U.S. universities. The tutors can point out to them the features of the American academic standard and show them effective methods for learning and studying in the American environment.

The American academic standard includes the students' almost perfect reading comprehension. Students must be prepared for heavy reading …

Script Effects And Reading Strategies : Ideographic Language Readers Vs. Alphabetic Language Readers In Esl, Minglang Zhou

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine script effects of the Chinese Language on Chinese ESL/EFL students· reading strategies, in comparison to those employed by ESL students from alphabetic orthographic backgrounds.

Penterjemahan Dan Evolusi Bahasa Malaysia: Satu Tinjauan Kecenderungan Kemasukan Unsur Bahasa Asing, Jovian Lee Lit Hong

Pre-2000 Student Works

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The Expression Of Politeness In Japan: Intercultural Implications For Americans, Emiko Tajikara Nelson

Dissertations and Theses

This descriptive study focuses on expressions of politeness in the Japanese language and their relevance to social structure and intercultural communication. The study is designed to help students of the Japanese language learn rules of politeness which fall outside the domain of grammatical rules.

Unravelling Murder And Mayhem: An Interdisciplinary Study Of A Wiru Divination Account, Papua New Guinea, John Michael Fullingim

Linguistics & TESOL Dissertations - Archive

The endeavor to understand another emic view of reality offers a conceptual challenge to any observer-analyst. This paper presents the author's reflections upon his encounter with another culture and language and his endeavor to understand the cognitive world view of the Wiru, a non-Austronesian language group in the Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea. The focus of the study is upon a divination rite during which a long pole, called yomo kopini, was ritually activated and through its subsequent "motions" retraced the steps of an assailant who had raped and murdered a young girl. The transcription of an eyewitness account …

Listening Comprehension: Adult Second Language Learners, Mary Karen Williams

Linguistics & TESOL Dissertations - Archive

The goal of this work is to discover information that will improve the selection and design of listening comprehension materials for adult second language learners. Chapter 1 treats adult versus child language learning and first versus second language learning, finding that: (1) due to the interdependence between neurological and linguistic development, adult language learning is inherently different from a child's acquisition of his primary language, nevertheless, (2) given fundamental properties common to all language use, processing strategies should be similar for first and second languages. Chapter 2 treats listening and reading as receptive (but not passive) skills. Here it is …

An Argument For The Lukan Authorship Of Hebrews, David Lewis Allen

Linguistics & TESOL Dissertations - Archive

The question of the authorship of the New Testament epistle to the Hebrews has provided scholars with fertile ground for speculation from the earliest days of Church history until the present time. The purpose of this dissertation is to propose and argue for the possibility of Luke the physician and traveling companion of the Apostle Paul as having been the independent author. After a survey of the major theories on authorship proposed from the times of the Church Fathers to the present, I briefly discuss the arguments pro and con for the possibility of the three leading candidates for authorship: …

Review Of "X-Bar Grammar: Attribution And Predication In Dutch" By F. C. Van Gestel, Donna Jo Napoli

Linguistics Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Pennsylvania Folklife Vol. 37, No. 1, Edward W. Chester, Nancy K. Gaugler, Ralph Connor, William T. Parsons, Roger W. Fromm, Hans F. Sennholz, Guy Graybill

Pennsylvania Folklife Magazine

• Franklin in Fact and Fiction: The Double Perspective of Leland Baldwin
• Jost Hite: From the Neckar to the Shenandoah
• The Migration and Settlement of Pennsylvania Germans in Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina and Their Effects on the Landscape
• Bethesda Evangelical Church in Farmers Mills: Fact and Folklore
• The Tourist Bureau Shuns Me!

Peter Bellwood's Review Of John Terrell's Prehistory In The Pacific Islands, Peter Bellwood

Pacific Studies

No abstract provided.

Pennsylvania Folklife Vol. 36, No. 4, Eric Kvarnes, Peter Schnore, William Becker, Veon Becker, Allan Johnson, Nora Johnson, Stephen C. Breininger, Phillip D. Gottshall, Martin Kessler, Bonnie Kessler, Geoffrey L. Mehl, A. Daniel Valois, Janice Berry, Bruce Stebner, Joseph G. Beck, William R. M. Ritter, Norman M. Ressler Jr.

Pennsylvania Folklife Magazine

• The Art of Glass Blowing
• Portrait Painting
• The Ox Roast
• Herbal Soap-Making
• Fly-Fishing and Fly-Tying
• Chalkware
• Silversmithing
• Festival Focus
• Festival Programs
• Coopering
• Knife Making
• Corn Husk Dolls
• Salt Glaze Pottery
• Blacksmithing and Iron Working
• Bird Carving
• Soft Pretzels

Stress Assignment In English, Said Abdessamad

English Theses & Dissertations

The aim of this thesis is an examination of some aspects of word stress assignment in English. A survey of the literature shows that there has been controversy regarding the status of the phonological cycle as a mode of rule application as well as the role of suffixes in stress placement. To shed some light on this controversy, various hypotheses about the phonological cycle and the rule of suffixes are presented, among other related issues.

In regard to the phonological cycle, this paper is limited to an exposition of the different hypotheses about the validity of the cycle as a …

Pennsylvania Folklife Vol. 36, No. 3, Michael Colby, Donald Graves, Monica Pieper, William T. Parsons, Helen Urda Smith

Pennsylvania Folklife Magazine

• Die Farbarei: Bethlehem's 18th Century Dye House
• Daniel Sudermann, Schwenkfelder Hymn Writer
• The Pernicious Effects of Witness upon Plain-Worldly Relations
• Traditional Slovak Courtship and Wedding Customs
• Aldes un Neies / Old & New

Language: A Few Observations From A Biblical Perspective, Case J. Boot

Pro Rege

No abstract provided.

Extraction From Complement Clauses In Koine Greek, Stephen A. Marlett

Work Papers of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, University of North Dakota Session

From the introduction: "It is evident that, despite a certain amount of word order freedom in Ancient Greek, there are also severe constraints on where words may occur. In this brief paper I present one such constraint and show how it affects the understanding of two verses which seem to be counterexamples to it (1 Cor 14:12 and 1 John 5:16)."

From Meaning To Text: Semantic Representation In The Meaning-Text Linguistic Theory And A New Type Of Monolingual Dictionary, Igor A. Mel'Čuk

Work Papers of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, University of North Dakota Session

From the introduction: "The Meaning-Text Theory (MTT) is not simply another of numerous linguistic theories, which proliferate to such an extent nowadays that there are almost as many theories as there are practicing linguists. The MTT is truly different in that is puts quite a new emphasis on "sprachlich" meaning, taking it as a cornerstone of language description as a whole; accordingly, semantics is declared and, most importantly, actually treated as the central linguistic discipline (which, among other things, underlies syntax and morphology).

"The Meaning-Text Theory is by no means a novelty. It was launched in 1965, in Moscow, by …

Basic Configurations Of Pragmatic Structuring, Robert A. Dooley

Work Papers of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, University of North Dakota Session

From the introduction: "In this paper, I will be making a small exploration into the question: What variety is present in human languages in regard to a basic, unmarked pragmatic configuration? After presenting some preliminary notions (Sect. 2) and the evidence for Topic-Comment in Mbyá Guaraní, Comment-Topic in Hixkaryana, and Focus-Presupposition in Xavante (Sect. 3-5), I will discuss the problem of V-only languages (Sect. 6), and then some considerations regarding a universal framework for the study of pragmatic configurations (Sect.7)."

Pennsylvania Folklife Vol. 36, No. 2, Barbara Knox Homrighaus, Terry G. Jordan, Matti Kaups, Richard M. Lieffort, Ned D. Heindel, Dennis Barone, A. Day Bradley

Pennsylvania Folklife Magazine

• Immigration and Ethnicity in the Anthracite Region: The Peter Kowker Story
• Diamond Notching in America and Europe
• The Centennial of a First-Class Trip on Pennsylvania Canals: The Voyage of the Molly-Polly-Chunker
• Journey Home: Pennsylvania German Ethnicity in Wallace Stevens
• Quakers in the Lancaster Gaol, 1778

The Syllable Structure Of Seri, Stephen A. Marlett

Work Papers of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, University of North Dakota Session

From the introduction: "[M]y main objective is to provide a comprehensive understanding of Seri syllable structure and facts which are relevant to it. In some cases I argue that certain data support a particular structure over another, but in some cases alternative treatments may also be compatible with the facts. These facts are relevant to a number of issues, including the sonority hierarchy, the internal structure of syllables (especially the nucleus), the representation of long vowels, the representation of round consonants, the CV tier, the relationship of stress to syllabification, and the distinction between the syllable structure of inflected words …

A Comparison Of Norm-Referenced, Traditional, And Computer-Assisted Language Assessments, Michel P. Helmke

Masters Theses

Current literature in the field of communication disorders suggests that traditional norm-referenced tests may yield erroneous or misleading information regarding a child's level of language acquisition. Additional research suggests that the most valid and reliable technique for determining a client's level of linguistic expertise is language sampling and analysis. Language sampling and analysis has traditionally been rejected as a means of evaluation, especially for the school-age child, due to the length of time necessary to complete such analyses. In recent years, language sampling and analysis techniques have been redesigned as computer software application programs. Computer software application programs may significantly …