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In:On Understanding Grammar: Revised edition
T. Givón
[Not in series 213] 2018
► pp. vii–xii

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Published online: 7 March 2018
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https://doi.org/10.1075/z.213.toc

Table of contents

Foreword to the 1979 edition xiii
Preface to the 1979 edition xv
Preface to the revised edition xix
Chapter 1Fact, method and explanation: On the recalcitrant legacy of structuralism 1
1.1Orientation 1
1.2Saussure’s firewall 2
1.3Structuralism and the philosophy of science 4
1.4The three dogmas of structuralism 7
1.4.1Arbitrariness 7
1.4.2Idealization: Langue vs. parole 8
1.4.3Segregation: Synchrony vs. diachrony 8
1.5Latter-day structuralism 10
1.6Explanatory biology: Aristotle revisited 11
1.7Synchrony as diachrony 14
1.7.1Example: The diachronic typology of passive constructions 15
1.7.2The diachronic provenance of synchronic structural properties 19
1.7.3Grammatical relations in the passive clause 21
1.8Closure 22
Abbreviations of grammatical terms 24
Chapter 2Toward a discourse definition of syntax: The communicative correlates of grammar 25
2.1Antecedence 25
2.2The role of grammar in human information processing 27
2.2.1Overview: The functional organization of language 27
2.2.2The conceptual lexicon 28
2.2.3Propositional information 29
2.2.4Multi-propositional discourse 29
2.2.5The interaction between words, propositions and discourse 29
2.3The communicative function of grammar 32
2.3.1Grammar as a structural code 33
2.3.2Grammar as communicative function 35
2.4Theme-and-variation in syntax and the markedness of clause-types 36
2.4.1Overview 36
2.4.2Theme and variations in syntax 37
2.4.3The text-frequency distribution of major clause-types 39
2.5The grammar of referential coherence 40
2.5.1Preliminaries 40
2.5.2Discourse structure and referential coherence 41
2.5.3High-continuity devices 44
2.5.4Low continuity devices 46
2.5.5Quantitative text-distribution of referent-coding devices 49
2.5.6Word order and referential continuity 55
2.6Cataphoric aspects of topicality 61
2.6.1Methodological preliminaries 61
2.6.2Indefiniteness and cataphoric topicality 63
2.6.2.1The semantics of reference 63
2.6.2.2The numeral ‘one’ as an indefinite marker in Modern Hebrew 67
2.6.2.3The numeral ‘one’ as an indefinite marker in Krio 70
2.6.2.4The demonstrative ‘this’ as an indefinite marker in English 73
2.7Voice constructions and cataphoric topicality 75
2.7.1Anaphoric vs. catephoric zero 75
2.7.2The functional domain of pragmatic voice 76
2.7.3Cataphoric zero in passive clauses 78
2.7.3.1Prelude: Typology and functional domains 78
2.7.3.2The diachrony of the zeroed-out agents in non-promotional passives 79
2.7.3.3Diachrony of the zeroed-out agents in promotional passives 82
2.8Cataphoric zero in antipassive clauses 85
2.8.1Functional definition of antipassive voice 85
2.8.2A diachronic typology of zero in antipassives 86
2.8.3Zero, incorporation, and the rise of antipassive morphology 88
2.9Closure 91
Abbreviation of grammatical terms 91
Chapter 3Negation in language: Between semantics and pragmatics 93
3.1Logic, psycho-logic and pragmatics 93
3.2The puzzling distributional restrictions on referring indefinite objects 94
3.3The communicative pragmatics of negation 100
3.4Negative assertion as a distinct speech-act 102
3.5The cognitive status of negation 103
3.5.1Change vs. stasis 103
3.5.2The ontology of negative events 104
3.5.3The ontology of negative states 107
3.6The scope of negation 108
3.6.1Presupposition, assertion and negation 108
3.6.2Negation and contrastive focus 110
3.6.3Negation and optional constituents 111
3.6.4Grammatical marking of the scope of assertion – and negation 112
3.7Negation and social interaction 115
3.8Closure 118
Abbreviations of grammatical terms 118
Chapter 4The grammar of case: Semantic role, pragmatic function, morphology and syntactic control 119
4.1Introduction 119
4.2Clausal participants and semantic roles 120
4.2.1States, events, and actions 120
4.2.2Semantic roles 121
4.2.3Grammatical roles 123
4.2.4Topicality and grammatical relations 124
4.3The accessibility hierarchy: Government of complex construction 125
4.3.1Preliminaries 125
4.3.2Functional definition of relative clauses 126
4.3.2.1Anaphoric grounding: Restrictive rel-clauses modifying definite head nouns 126
4.3.2.2Cataphoroic grounding: Restrictive rel clause modifying indefinite head nouns 127
4.3.2.3Ancilliary asserted information: Non-restrictive rel-clauses 128
4.3.3The cross-language typology of rel-clauses 129
4.3.3.1Preamble: The case-role recoverability problem 129
4.3.3.2The zero-cum-gap strategy: Japanese 130
4.3.3.3Clause chaining and anaphoric pronouns: Bambara and Hittite 131
4.3.3.4The anaphoric pronoun or pronominal agreement strategy: Hebrew 134
4.3.3.5Nominalized rel-clauses: Ute 136
4.3.3.6Case-marked demonstrative pronouns and Y-movement: German 140
4.3.3.7The verb-coding relativization strategy 143
4.4Discussion 149
Abbreviations of grammatical terms 149
Chapter 5From discourse to syntax: Grammar as an automated processing strategy 151
5.1Introduction 151
5.2Diachrony and syntacticization 153
5.2.1Overview 153
5.2.2From topic to subject 154
5.2.3From topicalization to passivization 155
5.2.4From conjoined clauses to embedded relative clause 156
5.2.5From conjoined to embedded verb complements 159
5.2.6Resultative verb compounds in Mandarin 160
5.2.7Complex possessive constructions 161
5.2.8Focus clauses and wh-questions 162
5.2.9From clause-chaining to serial-verb clauses 162
5.2.10Interim summary 164
5.3Pidgin vs. Creole language 165
5.4Child vs. adult language 166
5.5Oral informal vs. formal written language 168
5.6Discussion 170
5.6.1Coding modalities and developmental trends 170
5.6.2The diachronic cycle 171
5.6.3Diachrony and typological diversity 171
5.6.4Universality, evolution and explanation 171
5.6.5Grammar as an automated processing strategy 172
5.6.6Postscript 172
Abbreviation of grammatical terms 173
Chapter 6Where does crazy syntax come from? 175
6.1Introduction 175
6.2Crazy synchronic phonology 178
6.3Case studies 179
6.3.1The Kimbundu passive revisited 179
6.3.2The Kihungan cleft and WH-question revisited 180
6.3.3German rel-clauses revisited 183
6.3.4Some unintended consequences of compressing chained clauses into serial-verb clauses 185
6.3.5German word-order and tense-aspect renovation 189
6.3.6The Romance and Bantu object pronouns 191
6.3.7No. Uto-Aztecan nominalized subordinate clauses 193
6.4Discussion 197
6.4.1Naturalness: Commonality vs. ease of processing 197
6.4.2The temporal curve of the diachronic cycle 198
6.4.3Naturalness: Synchrony vs. diachrony 199
Abbreviation of grammatical terms 200
Chapter 7The SOV mystery and language evolution 201
7.1Introduction 201
7.2The neo-recapitulationist perspective 204
7.3The SOV mystery 206
7.4Extrapolation #1: Canine communication 207
7.4.1Here and now, you and I, this and that visible 208
7.4.2Socio-cultural context: The Society of Intimates 209
7.4.3Information 211
7.4.4A note on primate communication 211
7.5Extrapolation #2: Early child language 212
7.5.1Communicative mode 212
7.5.2Socio-cultural context 215
7.6Pre-grammatical pidgin as an evolutionary stage 216
7.7The evolution of grammar: A hypothesis 218
7.7.1Ground-zero: Shift of the communicative context 218
7.7.2Changes in the communication system 219
7.7.2.1Noun coding: From deixis to well-coded nouns 219
7.7.2.2Verb coding: From one-word to two-word clauses 220
7.7.2.3From mono-propositional to multi-propositional discourse 220
7.7.2.4Grammaticalization as an evolutionary process 221
7.7.2.5The drift away from SOV 222
7.8Discussion 222
Abbreviation of grammatical terms 224
Chapter 8Language and ontology 225
8.1Introduction: How real is reality? , 225
8.2Intermezzo I: Nature vs. artifice 230
8.3On construing a universe: Space, time and being 235
8.4Tao and the pre-construed universe 238
8.5Intermezzo II: Sense, reference and ‘The World’ 241
8.6The lexicalization of mundane experience 246
8.6.1Preamble 246
8.6.2Nouns 249
8.6.3Verbs 250
8.6.4Adjectives 251
8.7Some evolutionary correlates of spatio-temporal experience 253
8.7.1Preliminaries 253
8.7.2Experience in a one-dimensional universe of linear time 253
8.7.3Experience in a universe of time plus one spatial dimension: Early stationary organisms 255
8.7.4Motion and the advent of a three-dimensional universe 256
8.7.5Purposive motion and the advent of agency 257
8.7.6From purposive motion to causation and agency 258
8.7.7The ontology of causation 260
8.8The ontological unity of experience, action and interpersonal behavior 261
8.8.1Preamble 261
8.8.2Causality, agency and information: Norms vs. counter-norms 262
8.8.3Context, behavior and communication 265
8.8.4The outer bounds of information 266
8.9Closure 267
8.9Closure 267
Abbreviations of grammatical terms 268
Bibliography 269
General index 291
Languages index 301
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