scispace - formally typeset
Search or ask a question

Showing papers on "Head (linguistics) published in 1988"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, an analysis of construct-state noun phrases in Modern Hebrew is presented, which argues for a strict parallelism between the internal structure of noun phrases and sentences, and the absence of prenominal definite articles is explained by the assumption that D is the noun-phrase counterpart of INFL.
Abstract: This paper proposes an analysis of construct-state noun phrases in Modern Hebrew which argues for a strict parallelism between the internal structure of noun phrases and sentences. Recent proposals to analyze the S(entence) as the maximal projection of INFL(ection) and the noun phrase as the maximal projection of D(eterminer) are exploited to extend the treatment of sentence subjects to subjects of noun phrases. This extension accounts for the relative position of genitives as well as the lack of overt genitive anaphors in the construct-state construction. In addition, the absence of prenominal definite articles in construct-state noun phrases is shown to follow from the assumption that D is the noun-phrase counterpart of INFL.

188 citations


Dissertation
01 Jan 1988
TL;DR: The thesis investigates the syntactic properties of head-movement processes as well as the structures of phrasal categories in Berber, in particular the Tarifit dialect spoken in the northern part of Morocco, based mainly on data from Berber.
Abstract: The thesis investigates the syntactic properties of head-movement processes as well as the structures of phrasal categories The discussions are based mainly, though not exclusively, on data from Berber, in particular the Tarifit dialect spoken in the northern part of Morocco The theoretical framework adopted is that of Government Binding (GB) as outlined by Chomsky (1981), (1982), (1986a), (1986b) and others The first chapter introduces the GB theory and its modules The second chapter discusses sentential structure and the properties of head-movement processes involved in the derivation of the surface forms of sentences The basic properties of the sentential clause in Berber are investigated in detail on the basis of the distribution of clitics and the order of the verbal affixes with respect to the verb the conclusion is reached that the Infl(ection) node needs to be fleshed out in such a way that each of the elements occupying it (AGR(eement), TENSE(TNS) and NEG(ation)) is attributed a full categorial status in the sense of X-bar theory It is demonstrated that the clausal structure that results from this revision differs with respect to the order of AGE and TNS according to whether the language In question is SVO or VSO The structures of infinitival clauses, both inflected and unfinflected, as well as small clauses are also investigated in the light of the conclusion mentioned above Finally, the structural properties of nominal and copular sentences in Berber and other languages are also subjected to an analysis in terms of the same conclusion The third chapter investigates the structures of nominal and prepositional phrases, and the head-movement processes involved in their derivation in Berber and other languages The structure of nominal phrases turns out to be strikingly similar to that of sentential clauses with the slight but significant difference that instead of TNS nominal phrases contain a NOM(inalisation) category Surface word order variations among languages are discussed In the light of this conclusion The structure of pre/postpositional phrases is found in some languages to contain an AGR element The chapter also incorporates an attempt to reclassify the existing categories In terms of a binary division which recognises only two categorial classes, verbal and nominal The fourth chapter investigates the processes of clitic-movement in Berber and Romance languages, and of preposition-movement in Berber On the basis of the properties of these movement processes and the conclusion reached in the second chapter with respect to the Infl node a unified analysis of morphological and non-morphological causatives Is suggested An analsyis of the so-called Restructuring constructions in Italian is also suggested where the process of restructuring is argued to be a movement process of the embedded verbal complex to C With respect to clitics they are argued to be head categories with an affixal nature, and their movement is argued to be governed by the ECP The process of preposition movement in Berber, on the other hand, is shown to share significant properties with the process of clitic-movement, a fact that is shown to provide significant support for the treatment of clitics as head categories

61 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
Ur Shlonsky1
TL;DR: The analysis proposed for the Hebrew complementizer še in this paper may be taken as an argument in favor of the structure given in (20) above, and it is shown thatše fails to trigger complementizer-trace phenomena.
Abstract: I have tried to show that the complementizer se adjoins to or substitutes for an X0 category on its right. This process of syntactic movement vacates the head of the CP node. That is why se fails to trigger complementizer-trace phenomena. I have assumed in this paper the X-bar schemata proposed in Chomsky (1986). Specifically, I adopted the proposal that the X-bar convention carries over to the non-lexical projections of COMP and INFL. Under this view, S' is a projection of C(OMP), labelled CP and has the structure given in (20), with [SPEC/CP] being the landing-site of Whoperators and the head of CP, the node under which the complementizer is generated. Note, now that in a theory where COMP and S' are taken to be defective categories from the point of view of X-bar theory, the first because it does not project beyond its head, the second because it fails to have either a SPEC or a head, it is hard to motivate movement of a complementizer.13 If Wh-movement involves adjunction to COMP, as a number of theories have held, it is hard to see how movement of COMP itself, that is, the category to which Wh-elements adjoin, could be licensed. In the theory advanced in Chomsky (1986), movement of a complementizer is a sub-case of Head Movement, a perfectly licit and familiar sort of movement. The analysis proposed for the Hebrew complementizer se in this paper may thus be taken as an argument in favor of the structure in (20) above.

42 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article examined several aspects of Haitian Creole syntax in light of the recent proposal that a determiner can be the head of a minor maximal projection, and argued that an incorporation of this proposal into the analysis of several aspects, including clause structure, question formation, and relative-clause formation, can resolve several puzzling problems.
Abstract: In this paper we examine several aspects of Haitian Creole syntax in light of the recent proposal that a determiner can be the head of a minor maximal projection. We argue that an incorporation of this proposal into the analysis of several aspects of Haitian Creole syntax, including clause structure, question formation, and relative-clause formation, can resolve several puzzling problems. In addition, the paper adds to the theory of minor heads in that it shows that such heads must be considered to inherit major category features from their complements.

30 citations


Journal Article

29 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
Vivian Cook1
TL;DR: This paper studied the ability of language learners to extrapolate from the word order in one type of phrase to that in another, namely from the order in the verb phrase (VP) to the orders in the prepositional (PP) and noun phrases (NP) and from verb phrase order plus either the prepositionitional-phrase order or the nounphrase order to the other phrase type.
Abstract: This article is concerned with the ability of language learners to extrapolate from the word order in one type of phrase to that in another, namely from the order in the verb phrase (VP) to the orders in the prepositional (PP) and noun phrases (NP) and from the verb phrase order plus either the prepositional-phrase order or the noun-phrase order to the other phrase type. Such extrapolation relates both to the implicational universals of possible word orders in language described by Hawkins (1983) and to the head parameter of Government/Binding Theory (Chomsky, 1986a, 1986b, 1988). This article describes an experiment with eight Micro-Artificial Languages (MALs) that tested the ability of 409 secondary-school children to extrapolate in this way. The results showed that most learners (340) were highly consistent in ascribing word order and most (321) succeeded in learning the MALs. Four extrapolation strategies followed by the learners that are not covered by the syntactic analyses mentioned are preferences for (1) postpositions, whatever the VP order; (2) adjectives in the same position as objects in the VP; (3) prepositions the same side as adjectives in the NP and objects in the VP; and (4) adjectives before nouns if the VP order and the NP order are consistent. Further research is needed to see if such extrapolation strategies occur in real learning or if they are an artefact of the MAL approach.

11 citations



Patent
26 Apr 1988
TL;DR: In this paper, the unknown words in a KANJI (Chinese character)-KANA (Japanese syllabary) Japanese sentence are accurately determined by assuming that the unknown wards are equal to independent words.
Abstract: PURPOSE:To accurately decide the unknown words in a HIRAGANA (cursive form of Japanese syllabary) character string by supposing that the unknown wards are equal to independent word when the unknown words are processed in analysis of the morpheme of a KANJI (Chinese character)-KANA (Japanese syllabary) Japanese sentence. CONSTITUTION:If the head character of an unknown word part is HIRAGANA, the types of characters other than HIRAGANA are searched out of those characters following the head one. When a character type other than HIRAGANA is detected, a word is extracted from said detected character. Then the characters covering the head one through the detected one are defined as an unknown word. If a character type other than HIRAGANA is not detected, a word is extracted successively at and after the character following the head one. When a candidate word equal to an independent word is detected, a word is extracted at and after the character right after said independent word. Then the characters covering the head one through the one right before an independent word when just a single candidate word is detected.

4 citations



Patent
24 Nov 1988
TL;DR: In this paper, the output character is discriminated to be a punctuation or not, and if it is not the head of the clause as a result, a rule- prohibition processing is executed.
Abstract: PURPOSE:To shift a word or a clause to either line when the word or the clause extends for two lines and to output a character string which is easy to be read by discriminating whether an output character is positioned in the head of the clause or the head of the word. CONSTITUTION:When there is an output request from an output request part 1 in a Japanese processing, the output character is discriminated 2 to be the head of the line or not. If it is, the output character is discriminated 3 to be a punctuation or not. If it is not the head of the clause as a result, the output character is discriminated 4 whether it is positioned in the head of the clause, and if it is not the head of the clause as a result, the output character is discrim inated 5 to be the head of the word. If it is not the head of the word, a rule- prohibition processing 6 is executed. Namely, the word or the clause extending for two lines is shifted to either line and it is processed lest it should extend for two lines. If there is the output request of Tokyo and its neighbourhood, for example, a shift is executed from the head of a second line to the end of a first line and the character string which is easy to be read can be outputted.

4 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper argued that the head of an affi~ed word is the most external affix of a word, and that affix rules apply only to bare stems and not to words with affixes.
Abstract: Morphological processes in Kwawu are argued to be governed by a condition which states that words are morphologically analyzable only in terms of properties of the head of the word. The head of an affi~ed word is the most external affix. Certain rules apply only to bare stems and not to words with affixes. A verb formed by reanalyzing adjacent verbs as a single morphological word is accessible to these rules if its head is a stem; non-head roots in the reanalyzed verb are inaccessible to all morphological rules, as predicted.

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Aug 1988-Headache



Patent
19 Jan 1988
TL;DR: In this paper, the conversion of a description string of compound words into a string of abbreviated words with a simple operation by designating the description to be converted into an abbreviated string of words and replacing the compound words with abbreviated word by a due converting instruction is given.
Abstract: PURPOSE:To convert a description string of compound words into that of abbreviated words with a simple operation by designating the description to be converted into a string of abbreviated words out of a string of compound words and replacing the compound words with abbreviated words by a due converting instruction. CONSTITUTION:The description to be converted into a description string of abbreviated words is designated out of the description string where the abbreviated words are registered. Then an instruction is given for conversion of abbreviated words. Thus a description string where the designated descriptions are arranged, the number of description strings, and the reading form of each description of the description string are read out of the reading tables 91-93. Then the arranged reading strings and the number of said reading strings are stored into the abbreviated word record tables 101-104. At the same time, the description strings corresponding to the head and end phrases and a phrase held between said two phrases out of those phrases including the designated description are obtained out of the description control tables 81-84 which store a display range for description strings for each phrase, the storing position for head of the description string and the number of description strings and replaced with the description strings stored in the tables 101-104 for storage and display.


Patent
22 Apr 1988
TL;DR: In this paper, a single monaural sound-recording/reproducing substrate is integrated, and as for a sound-reproducing head, that of stereo is used.
Abstract: PURPOSE:To easily generate a tape for singing while listening a phrase of lyrics before a start of its melody by an earphone, by searching between the head and the head of the melody by a pause button, and sound-recording fast the phrase while switching a track. CONSTITUTION:A single monaural sound-recording/reproducing substrate is integrated, and as for a sound-recording/reproducing head, that of stereo is used. In case of listening to a rhythm melody (hereinafter called a melody) sound-recorded previously, the input of the substrate is switched and connected to a melody side track reproducing side. (a reproducing button ON) In case of sound-recording a lyrics phrase, a microphone is connected to the input of the monaural substrate, and when the output of the substrate is provided together with a phrase side, namely, sound-recording side track bias current, the melody is inaudible only in case of sound-recording the phrase, but its tape can be made easily by a pause button without being influenced by the mutual interference of the head (stereo) inside. (a sound-recording button ON).

Journal ArticleDOI
02 Dec 1988-Science

Journal ArticleDOI
22 Oct 1988-BMJ
TL;DR: A system where any scientist or surgeon who wants to try the experiment in America, on either animals or humans, will need to consult three independent review panels that already exist at every university: animal care committees, which control experiments on animals; institutional review boards, which must approve experiments on human subjects; and institutional biosafety committees, who control genetic engineering experiments.
Abstract: In his review of my book (3 September, p 629) Professor T J Hamblin stated, \"In [Fleming's] view a device to perfuse a human head might lead to horrific consequences, and so he has developed a fiendish plan to prevent one being developed.\" That is incorrect. As stated in the book, the technology for perfusing a severed head has important potential advantages, for research and for prolonging life in a conscious and communicative state with, probably, less pain than many dying people suffer today. The difficult question is whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and dangers. Therefore, instead of trying to stop this research, I proposed a system where any scientist or surgeon who wants to try the experiment in America, on either animals or humans, will need to consult three independent review panels that already exist at every university: animal care committees, which control experiments on animals; institutional review boards, which must approve experiments on human subjects; and institutional biosafety committees, which control genetic engineering experiments. Some review panels are likely to approve such proposals, since perfusing intact heads will allow researchers to study the brain and sensory organs in ways that cannot be accomplished otherwise. This strategy will force the issues up to the surface for open debate, moderated and judged by impartial experts who have nothing to gain personally from the research. The reviewer also suggested that only one experiment had been done to keep a severed head alive. In fact, many such experiments have been reported in scientific journals. In the experiments by White et al transplanted monkey heads remained fully conscious for 36 hours.' They died because of heparin overuse, a problem which can be overcome today using an extracorporeal heparin remover. Research is being done today on intact brains which continue to generate brain waves after the sensory organs and the skull have been cut away. It is far more difficult to obtain a prophetic patent in America than Professor Hamblin suggests. Such patents usually must be limited to mechanical systems, since mechanical components are more predictable than chemical reactions or experimental drugs. Every component must be publicly available and the inventor must describe explicitly how to assemble and use them. If I hadn't been a patent attorney specialising in biochemistry and medical technology and if I hadn't spent hundreds of hours researching each component and consulting surgeons and biochemists I couldn't have obtained the patent. Your reviewer asks: Would anyone want the operation? I have been contacted by half a dozen people who want to know how soon the operation will be available and how much it will cost. Some are dying; others are paralysed. Most said that if the mind remains clear and the head can still think, remember, see, read, hear, and talk and if the operation leads to numbness rather than pain below the neck then they would want it.





Patent
02 Feb 1988

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper argued that no such notion is needed to describe them and showed that agreement and case marking do not require the recognition of the notion "head" in Oromo dependency grammar.
Abstract: Traditionally dependency grammar recognizes heads and dependents as primitive elements [Tesniere 1959, Robinson 1970, Hudson 1984]. I have suggested [Owens 1984b, 1985a] that these notions are dispensable ones and in this paper support this point with data from nominal relations (NP relations) in Oromo. In the first part of the paper I describe the basic theoretical model, and in the second I consider two phenomena that have often been assumed to require the recognition of the notion 'head' (e.g. Zwicky [1985], namely agreement and case marking. I argue that no such notion is needed to describe them.