In:Conceptual Semantics: A micro-modular approach
Urpo Nikanne
[Constructional Approaches to Language 23] 2018
► pp. vii–xii
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Published online: 3 September 2018
https://doi.org/10.1075/cal.23.toc
https://doi.org/10.1075/cal.23.toc
Table of contents
AcknowledgementsXIII
IntroductionXV
Part I.Foundations
Chapter 1.The rules of the game3
1.1The goals, background assumptions and methodological guidelines3
1.2Conceptual semantics as a scientific approach5
1.2.1Conceptual semantics in brief5
1.2.2Research goals5
1.2.3Background assumptions7
1.2.4Methodological guidelines11
1.3Summary14
Chapter 2.Towards micro-modularity17
2.1Introduction17
2.2Modular organization of generative grammar17
2.3Conceptual semantics architecture20
2.4Tiers22
2.5Micro-modularity23
2.6Combinatorial relations and the principle of asymmetry27
2.7Summary31
Part II.“Semantics”
Chapter 3.Argument structure and its ingredients: F-chain, argument level, thematic features, and action tier37
3.1Introduction37
3.2From constituency to dependency and from large representations to micro-representations37
3.3F-chain44
3.4Thematic features (th-features)45
3.4.1Hierarchical organization of thematic features45
3.4.2Feature sharing and M-units57
3.4.3Some words on the feature [M]60
3.4.4Some words on the functions that do not carry the feature [M]60
3.4.5The feature [DIM] as interface to spatial understanding63
3.4.6Summary of zones, features, and thematic roles64
3.4.7Comparison of the feature hierarchies to the formalism in Jackendoff (1990) 64
3.5Argument level70
3.6Action tier71
3.6.1Action tier formation71
3.6.2Functions AC and UN72
3.6.3A word on action tier and linking76
3.6.4Undergoer as beneficiary or malefacive: Linguistic meaning and contextual meaning78
3.7Summary80
Chapter 4.Temporal structure of situations83
4.1Introduction83
4.2Temporal structure as a network of tiers84
4.3Temporal tier and thematic features86
4.3.1States86
4.3.2Events88
4.3.3Events and inferred states90
4.4Complex temporal structures in a single situation: Causation92
4.5Deictic RP-elements96
4.6Temporal structure of complex sentences: Relating the temporal structure of two situations together100
4.7Summary103
Chapter 5.Semantic fields and the modal tier105
5.1Semantic field tier105
5.1.1Semantic fields linked to the f-chain functions of zone 1 and non-monadic functions of zone 2105
5.1.2Semantic fields linked to monadic functions of zone 2110
5.1.3Semantic fields linked to functions of zone 3126
5.1.4The domain of the semantic fields for the f-chain127
5.2Modal tier127
5.3Summary132
Part III.“Syntax”
Chapter 6.The lexicon and argument linking135
6.1The lexicon135
6.1.1General notes135
6.1.2Lexical entry136
6.1.3A word on inflection and derivation138
6.1.4The semantics in the lexical entries of predicates141
6.2Argument linking: Linking between argument tier and syntactic functions145
6.2.1Argument level, lexically determined arguments. and syntactic functions145
6.2.2Expressing an argument marked as implicit155
6.2.2.1Erasing the impliciteness index155
6.2.2.2Fill-in adjuncts157
6.2.3Exceptional DA-selection159
6.2.3.1Verbs meaning ‘get,’ ‘lose,’ and ‘have’159
6.2.3.2Constructions that license exceptional links between grammatical functions and direct arguments160
6.3A simple concrete example of argument linking: Possessive expressions in English and Finnish168
6.4Summary174
Chapter 7.Embedded sentences177
7.1Introduction177
7.2Infinite complements178
7.2.1Causative matrix verbs178
7.2.2Verbs of deciding, planning, refusing, starting and ending as matrix verbs183
7.2.3Verbs of desire and belief as matrix verbs184
7.2.4Modal verbs as matrix verbs186
7.2.5Other matrix verbs189
7.3Subordinate finite sentences190
7.3.1Subordinate conjunctions and relative pronouns in Finnish191
7.3.2Subordinate sentence in an argument position of a verb of communication194
7.3.3Subordinated clause as the complement of a modal or evaluative expression199
7.3.4Other subordinating conjunctions and their lexical entries206
7.3.5Relative clauses211
7.4Summary212
Chapter 8.The finite sentence213
8.1Introduction213
8.2Background: The finite sentence as a constituent structure with functional heads213
8.2.1Holmberg’s and Nikanne’s theory of the Finnish finite sentence214
8.2.2Problems with the analysis219
8.3A micro-modular analysis of finite sentence220
8.3.1A new look at the finite sentence of Finnish220
8.3.2Finite sentence morphology221
8.3.3Word order and information structure in tiers232
8.3.4Consequences of the suggested analysis235
8.4Sentence initial positions in Finnish proverbs236
8.4.1Proverbs as data236
8.4.2Syntactic variation in proverbs238
8.4.3The functions of the word se ‘it-nom’ in proverbs247
8.4.3.1Pronoun247
8.4.3.2Definiteness marker248
8.4.3.3Pseudoarticle248
8.4.3.4Expletive248
8.4.4A closer look at the expletive se
249
8.4.5Expletive se and focus carrying pronoun se
256
8.4.6Problematic topics259
8.4.7The position of the expletive se in the light of the whole proverb data261
8.5Summary261
Part IV.Conclusion
Chapter 9.Conclusion265
9.1The main properties of the micro-modular approach265
9.2Tiernet as a cognitively oriented approach to language265
9.3A new perspective on familiar phenomena267
9.4Challenges for the future: Language specific analyses267
Abbreviations269
References271
