| A Theory of Predicates: Volume 76 Contributor(s): Ackerman, Farrell (Author), Webelhuth, Gert (Author) |
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ISBN: 1575860864 ISBN-13: 9781575860862 Publisher: Center for the Study of Language and Informat OUR PRICE: $29.70 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: June 1997 Annotation: When studying linguistics, it is commonplace to find that information packaged into a single word in one language is expressed by several independent words in another language. This observation raises an important question: how can linguistics research represent what is the same among languages while accounting for the obvious differences between them? In this work, two linguists-Farrell Ackerman and Gert Webelhuth-from different theoretical paradigms develop a new general theory of natural language predicates. This theory is capable of addressing a broad range of issues concerning (complex) predicates, many of which remain unresolved in previous theoretical proposals. The book focuses on cross-linguistically recurring patterns of predicate formation. It also provides a detailed implementation of Ackerman and Webelhuth's theory for German tense-aspect, passive, causative, and verb-particle predicates. In addition, a discussion of the extension of these representative analyses to the same predicate construction in other languages is presented. Beyond providing a formalism for the analysis of language-particular predicates, the authors demonstrate how the basic theoretical mechanism they develop can be employed to explain universal tendencies of predicate formation. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Language Arts & Disciplines | Linguistics - Semantics - Language Arts & Disciplines | Grammar & Punctuation |
| Dewey: 415 |
| LCCN: 97028186 |
| Series: Lecture Notes |
| Physical Information: 0.86" H x 6.02" W x 8.97" (1.26 lbs) 500 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: When studying linguistics, it is commonplace to find that information packaged into a single word in one language is expressed by several independent words in another language. This observation raises an important question: how can linguistics research represent what is the same among languages while accounting for the obvious differences between them? In this work, two linguists-Farrell Ackerman and Gert Webelhuth-from different theoretical paradigms develop a new general theory of natural language predicates. This theory is capable of addressing a broad range of issues concerning (complex) predicates, many of which remain unresolved in previous theoretical proposals. The book focuses on cross-linguistically recurring patterns of predicate formation. It also provides a detailed implementation of Ackerman and Webelhuth's theory for German tense-aspect, passive, causative, and verb-particle predicates. In addition, a discussion of the extension of these representative analyses to the same predicate construction in other languages is presented. Beyond providing a formalism for the analysis of language-particular predicates, the authors demonstrate how the basic theoretical mechanism they develop can be employed to explain universal tendencies of predicate formation. |
Contributor Bio(s): Ackerman, Farrell: - Farrell Ackerman is professor of linguistics and director of the Human Development Program at the University of California, San Diego. |