Linguistic diversity and language theories / / edited by Zygmunt Frajzyngier, Adam Hodges, David S. Rood

• Record Nr.: UNINA9910823242703321
• Pubbl/distr/stampa: Amsterdam ; ; Philadelphia, PA, : J. Benjamins Pub., c2005
• ISBN: 1-282-15690-X; 9786612156908; 90-272-9462-3
• Edizione: [1st ed.]
• Descrizione fisica: xi, 430 p. : ill
• Collana: Studies in language companion series, , 0165-7763 ; ; v. 72
• Altri autori (Persone): FrajzyngierZygmunt; HodgesAdam; RoodDavid S
• Disciplina: 410
• Soggetti: Linguistics; Language and languages
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Nota di bibliografia: Includes bibliographical references and index.
• Nota di contenuto: Linguistic Diversity and Language Theories -- Editorial page -- Title page -- LCC data -- Contents -- Introduction -- References -- 1. What are we typologists doing? -- Notes -- References -- 2. The canonical approach in typology -- Appendix: Criteria for Canonical Agreement -- Notes -- References -- 3. What is an empirical theory of linguistic meaning a theory of ? -- Notes -- References -- 4. Language processes, theory and description of language change, and building on the past -- Notes -- References -- 5. On the part played by human conscious choice in language structure and language evolution -- References -- 6. The challenge of polygrammaticalization for linguistic theory -- Notes -- References -- 7. On discourse frequency, grammar, and grammaticalization -- Acknowlegdements -- References -- 8. On the assumption of the sentence as the basic unit of syntactic structure -- References -- 9. Adpositions as a non-universal category -- Notes -- References -- 10. Understanding antigemination -- Notes -- References -- 11. What it means to be rare: The variability of person marking -- Appendix -- Notes -- References -- 12. The principle of Functional Transparency in language structure and in language ; evolution -- Abbreviations -- Notes -- References -- 13. The importance of discourse analysis for linguistic theory -- Notes -- References -- 14. Compounding theories and linguistic diversity -- References -- 15. Inalienability and possessum individuation -- Notes -- References -- 16. Resultativeness in English -- References -- Sources of data -- 17. Encoding speaker perspective: Evidentials -- Notes -- References -- 18. Distinguishing between referential and grammatical function in morphological typology -- Notes -- References -- Index -- the series Studies in Language Companion Series.
• Sommario/riassunto: From the refinement of general methodology, to new insights of synchronic and diachronic universals, to studies of specific phenomena, this collection demonstrates the crucial role that language data play in the evolution of useful, accurate linguistic theories. Issues addressed include the determination of meaning in typological studies; a refined understanding of diachronic processes by including intentional, social, statistical, and level-determined phenomena; the reconsideration of categories such as sentence, evidential or adposition, and structures such as compounds or polysynthesis; the tension between formal simplicity and functional clarity; the inclusion of unusual systems in theoretical debates; and fresh approaches to Chinese classifiers, possession in Oceanic languages, and English aspect. This is a careful selection of papers presented at the International Symposium on Linguistic Diversity and Language Theories in Boulder, Colorado. The purpose of the Symposium was to confront fundamental issues in language structure and change with the rich variation of forms and functions observed across languages.