Current
Research
Keywords:
Syntax, morphology, argument structure,
theta roles, lexico-conceptual form. Slavic syntax, morphology, argument structure
and set theory in Linguistics, linking hypothesis, Exist.
Recently Completed Research
On the Logical Structure
of ‘Ready to Eat’ 1
On the Logical Structure
of ‘Ready to Eat’ 2
On One Reason for Not Deriving Kill from Cause to Die
On Agreement
Lexical
Argument Structure and Agreement
On Arguments, Adjuncts and Secondary
Complements
The Verbs of Exchange
A Theory of Counting and Existence
The Consonantal Verb Stems of Russian
On Existence
On Location
On Change
Evidence for the Internal Subject Hypothesis:
Russian Passive
In my paper on the Russian passive,
I argue that the Russian passive provides evidence for the internal subject
hypothesis. This works covers a lot of issues in Russian passive voice and
related syntactic constructions.
Tense and Space in Natural Language
In a short paper presented laster year
in Montreal, I laid out the groundwork for argument structure using space
and time as a model. This work has been modified in "The Argument Structure
of Tense and Aspect in Russian." (See below).
Proposition Structure and Linking
of Russian Tense and Aspect
In this paper prepared for the Bratislava
Conference in 1994, I show the proposition structure of the Russian verb
and sentence. The proposition structure includes tense, aspect, voice, and
mood. Only the declarative mood the active voice are considered in the paper.
Proposition
Structure of Russian Verbs and Linking.
The indirect object in English
In this short paper conference
I claim that the so-called English indirect object as in 'John
gave Mary some roses', 'Mary' is moved from an underlying PP
with a null P head and adjoined to V. This construction is compared
with intransitive prepositions that are moved and adjoined to
V resulting in complex verbs. I show that these constructions
are similar. And I provide an explanation why WH-extraction is
either impossible or very unacceptable. This derivation process
is similar to one in Arabic.
To view this paper open Adobe Acrobat Reader and open the file "Indirect object". Adobe Acrobat Reader is freeware and is available is most of the usual places. Be sure to open the bookmarks menu. It lists an informal table of contents and you can go directly to the section desired by clicking on the box. Indirect
Object.*
Current Project
The Argument Structure of Tense and Aspect in
Russian
In this paper I am proposing that propositional
(argument) structure fills the gap between a conceptual model of a sentence
and the syntax of the sentence. The model is both generative (encoding)
and interpretive (decoding). In this respect is differs from Chomsky's Minimalist
Program. Tense and Aspect are grammatical categories determined by the grammar.
A set of rules maps a conceptual model of tense and aspect into tense and
aspect features depicted in binary terms. In argument structure grammatical
categories have not been assigned a phonological form, nor have conceptual
eventualities and objects been assigned a lexical form.
This paper was read at the Slavic Linguistics
and Poetics Conference in Honour of Roman Jakobson's 100th Birthday in Sofia,
Bulgaria, 24-26th of May, 1996.
The organizers of the conference are
currently looking for funds to publish the proceedings. To view this paper
open the file Argument Structure
of Russian Tense and Aspect: short version.* There is a longer version
of this paper which develops the morphology of tense and aspect from the
argument structure. To read this file click on: ASRTA
long version..*
Determiners and Numerals in English.
This article contains an analysis of
quantifiers and determiners and their agreement with nouns in English. In
this paper features are developed. In some cases blank features are generated
which must be filled, in others they are generated
as inherent features. Features are checked for matching or clashing.
Determiner
and Quantifier Agreement in English
Research in Progress:
Linking
Theory (2002, colloquium paper)
Linking
Theory Continued (2002 follow up to the above.
Linking
Theory: Government and NP Agreement (2005, Power Point file)
Syntacticon
"Is
there a "Syntacticon?" (2002, colloquium paper)
"Is
there a "Syntacticon? Perhaps." (2002, follow up to the above)
On
Complements and Adjuncts (1998)
On
Nominal Complements and Adjuncts (1999)
The Configuration of Primary and Secondary Complements (2000)
2002:
On
the Argument Structure of Primary Complements (presented paper, 2002)
On
the Argument Structure of Primary Complements (published paper, 2002)
2003:
Is
Case an Independent Theory? (pdf. file. I argue against Case Theory
as an independent theory of grammar replacing it with government.
More
Issues on the Argument Structure of Primary Complements (presented
paper at Halifax, 2003). Deals more with argument structure and the possibility
that theta roles are not an independent notion of syntax. (See next item.)
More
Issues on the Argument Structure of Primary Complements (presented
paper at Simon Fraser University, 2003.) This version does not include
causatives, but it does include adjuncts. Also deals with theta roles
as in the above paper.
This page last updated 16 APR 2011
