This thesis will examine the question ‘why are natural languages ambiguous?’ by discussing the function of ambiguity in natural language. Formal linguistic approaches such as the Chomskian approach...Show moreThis thesis will examine the question ‘why are natural languages ambiguous?’ by discussing the function of ambiguity in natural language. Formal linguistic approaches such as the Chomskian approach consider ambiguity as a fault in language design. This view is challenged by functional linguistic approaches, which recognize that ambiguity has a communicative function. Ambiguity can create greater communicative efficiency (Piantadosi, Tily & Gibson, 2012); it enables us to say more with fewer words and to keep information vague if we want the listener or reader to decide what we mean (Chen, 1992). I will discuss which of the two approaches is on the right track by analysing several cases of ambiguity, such as the structurally ambiguous Elizabeth saw the man with the binoculars. In chapter 1 I will define the notions ambiguous and ambiguity. I will contrast ambiguity with similar linguistic phenomena and discuss different subtypes of ambiguity. In chapter 2 the two linguistic approaches to ambiguity will be discussed: Chomsky’s formal approach and several functional approaches. In chapter 3 I will put these approaches to the test by analysing three different instances of structural ambiguity.Show less
This thesis examines the status of whether in Generative Grammar. There is no consensus in the existing literature on the syntactic status of whether. Some linguists (Haegeman, 2006; Huddleston ...Show moreThis thesis examines the status of whether in Generative Grammar. There is no consensus in the existing literature on the syntactic status of whether. Some linguists (Haegeman, 2006; Huddleston & Pullum, 2002; Van Gelderen, 2013; among others) argue that whether is a complementiser, on a par with that and if. The example in (1) illustrates this position: (1) I don’t know whether/if I’ll go to the party. Other linguists (Newson et al, 2006; Radford, 1997, 2004, 2009; among others) have posited that whether is a wh-phrase, on a par with who and when. The example in (2) illustrates this position: (2) I don’t know whether/when I’ll go to the party. In this thesis, I aim to find out which of these positions is to be preferred: is whether a complementiser or a wh-phrase? I will attempt to answer this question through synchronic and diachronic research, using data from the existing literature. I will analyse the present-day syntactic behaviour of whether, its historical development and its morphology and critically evaluate the evidence for the two positions as presented in the existing literature.Show less
Some French prepositions may be used without an (overt) complement. A first question is answered based on the literature : what does happen in the syntax when a preposition is used without any...Show moreSome French prepositions may be used without an (overt) complement. A first question is answered based on the literature : what does happen in the syntax when a preposition is used without any overt complement ? A second question is still open : why can some prepositions be used without complement and some others cannot. After the analysis of the different hypotheses of the syntactic phenomenon, the focus is set on the prepositions expressing time. Each preposition has been tested to check if it can or cannot be used without complement. From these observations, some generalizations are made concerning the behavior of the prepositions; eventually, the hypothesis from Adler is studied to answer to the second question.Show less
In this thesis I have researched the lexical influence the Dutch language has had on the Japanese language during the Edo period (1603-1868). To do this I have analyzed several sources which...Show moreIn this thesis I have researched the lexical influence the Dutch language has had on the Japanese language during the Edo period (1603-1868). To do this I have analyzed several sources which document this influence and I have used the framework of Johanson (2001) for this analysis. From this analysis I have concluded that the lexical influence of Dutch on Japanese is mostly limited to words related to trade or science, and that these words are mostly copied globally or combinationally and that whether they are copied globally or combinationally depends on whether they are compound words consisting of words of the native language or not.Show less
To produce a sentence, speakers must first prepare a preverbal message and then encode it linguistically. First a speaker has an intention to utter a communicative statement, which than has to...Show moreTo produce a sentence, speakers must first prepare a preverbal message and then encode it linguistically. First a speaker has an intention to utter a communicative statement, which than has to become a decision about what information to express (Levelt,1999). When all the syntactic properties, the lexical selection and phonological and phonetic encoding have been planned, the speaker can utter its intended statement. The aim of the present project is to investigate the preparation of utterances within particular discourse context, i.e. utterances which provide new information to the preceding context, defined here as informational focus and sentences with corrective focus.Show less
Analisi del cambiamento del dialetto di Cervara di Roma, attraverso lo studio di "Fonologia del dialetto della Cervara in provincia di Roma" di Clemente Merlo (Roma 1922) e la raccolta di nuovi dati.
Bachelor thesis | Nederlandse taal en cultuur (BA)
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Een beschrijving van de weg-constructie en zijn plaats in de constructiegrammatica, alsmede de rol van aspectualiteit met betrekking tot het doelelement van de weg-constructie.
