Morphosyntax: Constructions of the World's Languages (Cambridge Textbooks in Linguistics)

Bringing together the results of sixty years of research in typology and universals, this textbook presents a comprehensive survey of Morphosyntax - the combined study of syntax and morphology. Languages employ extremely diverse morphosyntactic strategies for expressing functions, and Croft provides a comprehensive functional framework to account for the full range of these constructions in the world's languages. The book explains analytical concepts that serve as a basis for cross-linguistic comparison, and provides a rich source of descriptive data that can be analysed within a range of theories. The functional framework is useful to linguists documenting endangered languages, and those writing reference grammars and other descriptive materials. Each technical term is comprehensively explained, and cross-referenced to related terms, at the end of each chapter and in an online glossary. This is an essential resource on Morphosyntax for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, and linguistic fieldworkers. Half title Series page Title page Imprints page Dedication Contents Figures Tables Preface Acknowledgments A Note on Teaching Morphosyntax A Note on Language Examples Abbreviations Part I Introduction 1 Grammatical Constructions, Semantic Classes, and Information Packaging 1.1 What Is Morphosyntax? 1.2 Why Constructions? 1.2.1 Word Classes and Semantic Classes 1.2.2 Word Classes and Constructions 1.2.3 Constructions and the Organization of this Textbook 1.3 Why Information Packaging? 1.4 How Do We Compare Constructions within and across Languages? 1.5 How Do We Analyze the Structure of Sentences in a Particular Language? 1.6 Appendix – Interpreting Language Examples: Interlinear Morpheme Translations Terms Defined in this Chapter 2 Propositional Act Constructions 2.1 Propositional Acts: Semantic Classes and Information Packaging 2.2 The Major Propositional Act Constructions and their Structure 2.2.1 Anatomy of a Construction: Wholes and Parts, and Heads and Dependents 2.2.2 Types of Constructions: Phrases and Clauses 2.2.3 Noun, Verb, and Adjective as Comparative Concepts: Prototypical Constructions 2.2.4 More on the Structure of Propositional Act Constructions 2.2.5 Nonprototypical Propositional Act Constructions 2.3 Three Principles of the Mapping between Form and Function 2.4 Recruitment Strategies for Nonprototypical Constructions 2.5 Two Crosslinguistic Universals of Grammatical Strategies Terms Defined in this Chapter Part II Argument Phrase Structure 3 Reference and Referent Expressions 3.1 The Semantics of Referring Phrases: Reference and Referents 3.1.1 Semantics of Reference 3.1.2 Semantic Categories of Nouns and the (Extended) Animacy Hierarchy 3.1.3 Combined Means of Reference, and the Ontological Categories 3.2 The Information Status of Referring Phrases: Pronouns and Articles 3.3 Information Status: Identity Known to Speaker and Hearer 3.3.1 Accessibility and the Accessibility Scale 3.3.2 Referring Phrase Constructions at the Upper End of the Accessibility Scale 3.3.3 The Grammaticalization of Definite Constructions from Demonstrative Constructions 3.4 Information Status: Real Referents, but Unknown Identity 3.4.1 Pragmatic Specificity and the Theater Metaphor for Referents 3.4.2 Typology and Grammaticalization Paths of Referents: From Anaphoric to Nonspecific 3.5 Nonreal Referents: Indefinite Pronouns/Articles and the Semantic Map Model 3.6 Generic Reference Terms Defined in this Chapter 4 Modification 4.1 Information Packaging and Semantics of Modifiers 4.1.1 The Information Packaging Function of Modification 4.1.2 Property Concepts and Scalar Admodifiers: Sorting Referents into (Sub)Types 4.1.3 Numerals, Quantifiers, and Set-Member Modifiers: Selecting a Referent 4.1.4 Nominal (Object) Modification Constructions: Situating a Referent 4.1.5 Action Modification 4.2 Simple Encoding Strategies, and Word Order 4.3 Relational Encoding Strategies: Flags 4.4 Indexical Encoding Strategies 4.4.1 Person Indexation 4.4.2 Nonperson Indexation 4.4.3 The Classifier Strategy 4.4.4 Mismatches in Indexation Features and the Agreement Hierarchy 4.5 The Linker Encoding Strategy, and a Summary of Morphosyntactic Encoding Strategies Terms Defined in this Chapter 5 The Structure and Origin of Modification Constructions 5.1 Introduction 5.2 The Modification–Reference Continuum 5.2.1 Anchoring and Non-Anchoring Nominal Modification Constructions 5.2.2 Mensural and Quantifying Constructions 5.2.3 Inalienability Revisited 5.2.4 The Modification–Reference Continuum: Summary 5.3 Word Order and the Structure of Referring Expressions 5.4 Anaphoric-Head Constructions, Apposition, and the Origin of Referring Expressions Terms Defined in this Chapter Part III Clause Structure 6 Event Structure and Argument Coding 6.1 Semantics and Information Packaging in the Clause 6.1.1 Predication and Arguments, and Events and Participants 6.1.2 How Many Participants? How Are They Expressed? 6.2 The Transitive Construction and the Prototypical Bivalent Event 6.2.1 The Transitive Construction as a Prototype Construction 6.2.2 Basic Argument Structure Encoding Strategies, including Basic Word Order 6.3 The Intransitive Construction, Monovalent Events, and Alignment Strategies 6.3.1 The Basic Alignment Strategies 6.3.2 ‘Subject’ and ‘Object’ as Comparative Concepts? 6.3.3 Active/Inactive Alignment, and S as a Comparative Concept 6.3.4 Causativity Terms Defined in this Chapter 7 Event Structure and Nonprototypical Argument Coding 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Reflexives/Reciprocals/Middles: Between Monovalent and Bivalent Events 7.3 Lower Transitivity: Less Prototypical Bivalent Events 7.3.1 Motion Events and the Talmy Typology 7.3.2 Contact and Material Verbs: Manner vs. Result Verbs 7.3.3 Other Less Prototypical Bivalent Events, and the Transitivity Hierarchy 7.4 Experiential Events: Perception, Cognition, Emotion, Sensation – and also Ingestion 7.5 The Ditransitive Construction: Trivalent Events, and Possession 7.5.1 Defining Ditransitive Argument Structure Constructions and Trivalent Events 7.5.2 Major Alignment Strategies for Ditransitive Constructions 7.5.3 The Indirect Object – Possessive Continuum 7.6 Appendix: Summary of Event Semantic Classes Terms Defined in this Chapter 8 Argument Coding and Voice 8.1 Discourse and Frequency Factors in Voice Choice 8.1.1 The Basic Voice Construction and Nonbasic Voice Constructions 8.1.2 Discourse Motivation for Ergative and Accusative Alignment, and Preferred Argument Structure 8.2 Information Packaging Strategies for Nonbasic Voice Constructions 8.3 Passive–Inverse Constructions: Constructions for More Salient Ps 8.4 Antipassive Constructions: Constructions for Less Salient Ps (including Noun Incorporation) Terms Defined in this Chapter 9 Argument Coding and Voice 9.1 The Expression of Obliques as Core Argument Phrases 9.2 Causative Constructions: Strategies and Functional Subtypes 9.3 Applicative Constructions 9.4 A Hierarchy of Overt Coding in Voice Constructions Terms Defined in this Chapter 10 Nonprototypical Predication and Nonpredicational Clauses 10.1 Introduction 10.1.1 Nonprototypical (“Nonverbal”) Predication 10.1.2 Predication and Nonpredicational Information Packaging in Clauses 10.2 Strategies for Prototypical and Nonprototypical Predication 10.3 Object Predication and Property Predication 10.4 Location and Possession Clausal Constructions: Predicational and Presentational 10.4.1 Location Clauses 10.4.2 Possession Clauses 10.4.3 Strategies for Presentational Constructions Terms Defined in this Chapter 11 Information Packaging in Clauses 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Topic–Comment Constructions 11.2.1 Function of Topic–Comment Constructions, and the Problem of Multiple Referents 11.2.2 Strategies for Topics that Are Not the Most Central Participant 11.2.3 Nonparticipant (Hanging) Topic Phrases 11.3 Thetic Constructions 11.3.1 Function of Thetic Constructions, and Contexts Typically Construed as Thetic 11.3.2 Strategies for Thetic Constructions 11.3.3 Weather Constructions as Thetics 11.4 Identificational Constructions 11.4.1 The Function of Identificational Constructions, and Contexts Typically Construed as Identificational 11.4.2 Strategies for Identificational Constructions 11.5 Summary Terms Defined in this Chapter 12 Speech Act Constructions 12.1 Introduction: Speech Act Constructions and Their Relation to Modality, Polarity, and Information Packaging 12.2 Polarity: Negation of Declaratives 12.3 Interrogative Constructions 12.3.1 Functional Types of Questions 12.3.2 Strategies for Interrogative Constructions 12.3.3 Strategies for Response Constructions 12.3.4 Identificational Constructions, the Expression of (Un)Certainty, and Their Relation to Interrogative Constructions 12.4 Imperative–Hortative Constructions 12.4.1 Person, Politeness, and Prohibitives 12.4.2 The Relation of Deontic Modality and Predication to Imperative–Hortative Constructions 12.5 Exclamative Constructions 12.5.1 Function and Strategies for the Exclamative Construction 12.5.2 The Relation of Mirativity and Thetic Constructions to Exclamative Constructions Terms Defined in this Chapter 13 Eventive Complex Predicates and Related Constructions 13.1 Introduction 13.1.1 Complex Predicates and Information Packaging 13.1.2 Semantics and Evolution of Complex Predicates 13.2 Eventive Complex Predicate Constructions 13.2.1 Semantics of Eventive Complex Predicates: One Event or Two? 13.2.2 Strategies for Eventive Complex Predicates: Serial Verbs and Related Strategies 13.3 Grammaticalization and Lexicalization of Eventive Complex Predicates 13.3.1 Grammaticalization into Argument Structure Constructions and Voice 13.3.2 Lexicalization of Eventive Complex Predicates 13.4 Grammaticalization of TAMP: Auxiliary Constructions 13.5 Support Verb Constructions: Between Grammaticalization and Lexicalization 13.6 Argument Complex Predicate Constructions: Verb + Argument “Idioms” 13.7 Summary Terms Defined in this Chapter 14 Stative Complex Predicates, including Manner 14.1 Stative Complex Predicates: Semantics 14.2 Strategies for Stative Complex Predicates 14.3 Stative Complex Predicates and the Modification–Predication Continuum 14.4 Ideophones and Stative Complex Predicates, and ‘Manner’ Revisited 14.5 Motion Events as Complex Predicates: The Talmy Typology Revisited Terms Defined in this Chapter Part IV Complex Sentences 15 Temporal and Causal Relations between Events 15.1 Complex Sentence Constructions 15.1.1 Discourse and Complex Sentences 15.1.2 Complex Sentences and the Main–Subordinate Clause Distinction 15.1.3 The Information Packaging of Coordinate vs. Adverbial Clause Constructions: A Gestalt Analysis 15.2 Coordinate Clause Constructions and Coordination in General 15.2.1 Functional Characterization 15.2.2 Strategies: Coordinators and Related Forms 15.2.3 Strategies: Balancing vs. Deranking 15.3 Adverbial Clause Constructions 15.3.1 Functional Characterization 15.3.2 Strategies: Balancing vs. Deranking, and Action Nominals vs. Converbs 15.4 Adverbial Clause Constructions, Coordinate Clause Constructions, and the Source of Conjunctions Terms Defined in this Chapter 16 Reference Tracking in Coordinate and Adverbial Clause Constructions 16.1 Introduction: Reference Tracking Systems 16.2 Balanced Reference Tracking Systems 16.3 Deranked Reference Tracking Systems 16.4 Switch-Reference Systems 16.5 Zero Expression of Arguments and the Predicate in Coordinate Constructions Terms Defined in this Chapter 17 Other Semantic Relations between Events 17.1 Introduction 17.2 Comparatives and Equatives 17.2.1 Semantics and Information Packaging of the Comparative Construction 17.2.2 Strategies for Comparative Constructions 17.2.3 Universals and Explanations for Comparative Strategies 17.2.4 Equative Constructions 17.3 Conditionals, Concessives, and Concessive Conditionals 17.3.1 Conditional Constructions 17.3.2 Concessive Constructions 17.3.3 Concessive Conditional Constructions 17.4 More Complex Constructions 17.4.1 Comparative Conditionals 17.4.2 The Let Alone Construction 17.5 The Formal Expression of Semantic and Pragmatic Relationships between Events Expressed in Complex Sentences Terms Defined in this Chapter 18 Events as Arguments 18.1 Introduction: Events as Arguments (Complement Clauses) and Events as Modifiers (Relative Clauses) 18.2 The Semantics of Complement Clauses 18.2.1 Introduction 18.2.2 Semantic Types of Complement-Taking Predicates 18.3 Strategies for Complement Clause Constructions 18.3.1 Balancing and Deranking Strategies, and the Binding Hierarchy 18.3.2 How to Avoid Complements, and How to Create Them 18.4 Argument Structure and Reference Tracking in Complement Clause Constructions 18.4.1 The Gradual Unification of Argument Structure in Complement Clause Constructions 18.4.2 Reference Tracking in Complement Constructions: Logophoric Systems Terms Defined in this Chapter 19 Events as Modifiers 19.1 The Semantics and Information Packaging of Relative Clause Constructions 19.2 Strategies for Relative Clause Constructions 19.2.1 Balancing and Deranking 19.2.2 Expression of the Shared Participant: The Externally Headed Strategy 19.2.3 Expression of the Shared Participant: Internally Headed, Adjoined, and Related Strategies 19.2.4 Noun Modifying Clause Constructions as a Relative Clause Strategy 19.3 The Semantic Role(s) of the Shared Participant and the Accessibility Hierarchy 19.4 Anaphoric-Head Relative Clauses and the Origin of Externally Headed Relative Clauses Terms Defined in this Chapter Epilogue References Glossary of Terms Author Index Language Index Subject Index "This textbook provides a general survey of the morphosyntactic constructions of the world's languages. The textbook is directed towards advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students studying syntax. At the University of New Mexico, I have taught this course as a one-semester course, following on an introductory undergraduate course in syntax where I present the same basic framework but apply it only to English until the second half of that course. However, a more leisurely journey through the material could be done in two semesters, or certain sections could be skipped or assigned as background reading in a one-semester course"-- Provided by publisher "This textbook provides a general survey of the morphosyntactic constructions of the world's languages. The textbook is directed towards advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students studying syntax. At the University of New Mexico, I have taught this course as a one-semester course, following on an introductory undergraduate course in syntax where I present the same basic framework but apply it only to English until the second half of that course. However, a more leisurely journey through the material could be done in two semesters, or certain sections could be skipped or assigned as background reading in a one-semester course"-- Información editorial