On Understanding GrammarOn Understanding Grammar covers the interdependencies among the various aspects of linguistics and the human language. This eight-chapter text considers some pertinent topics in linguistics, such as discourse-pragmatics, diachronic syntax, topology, creology, method, and ontology. Chapter 1 describes the notions of fact, theory, and explanation, particularly about how these notions manifest themselves in actual practice. Chapter 2 redefines syntax in terms of communicative function and discourse-pragmatics, and about the relation between the function of grammatical devices and their formal properties. Chapter 3 deals with discourse-pragmatics and how it transcends the narrow bounds of deductive logic, as well as the function and ontology of negation in language, and how those relate to the fundamental information-theoretic principle of figure versus ground. Chapter 4 explores the two major aspects of case systems, namely, the semantic role and pragmatic function, and how the two interact in determining the typological characteristics of grammars. Chapter 5 examines the relation between discourse and syntax based on diachronic, ontogenetic, phylogenetic viewpoints. Chapter 6 tackles the relation between synchronic grammar and diachronic change, while Chapter 7 describes the relationship between human language and its phylogenetic evolution. Chapter 8 is about language and ontology, as well as the relation between cognition and the universe. This book will prove useful to linguistics and language researchers. |
Contents
1 | |
toward a discourse definition of syntax | 45 |
negation in language pragmatics function ontology | 91 |
promotion accessibility and the typology of case marking | 143 |
from discourse to syntax grammar as a processing strategy | 207 |
where does crazy syntax come from diachronic constraints on synchronic grammars | 235 |
the SOV mystery and the evolution of discourse | 271 |
on construing a universe | 311 |
353 | |
367 | |
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Common terms and phrases
accusative adjectives agent anaphoric anaphoric pronoun argument background Bantu Bantu languages behavior Bemba Bikol canines case-function case-marking Chapter child clitic coding cognitive complex consider constraint constructions context coreferent corresponding affirmative dative dative-shift definite diachronic diachronic change direct-object discourse discussion Dwight Bolinger embedded English entities explanation fact formal function Givön grammar Hasan hearer Hebrew human language indefinite involves John Keenan Kipes Krio Lamendella lexical linguistics marked markedness marker Mary modal morpheme morphology motivated negation negative sentences neutral pattern nominal nonaccusative objects nouns obligatory observed obvious ontology passive sentences perceptual personal communication Pidgin pongids pragmatic pragmatic mode preposition presupposed presuppositional principle promotion properties recoverability referential relative clauses relativization restriction Robert Hetzron rule Rwanda Section semantic speaker speech acts stage strategy structure suffix suggested Swahili synchronic syntactic syntactic mode syntacticization syntax tion topic topic-shift typology universe verb verb-coding WH-questions woman word-order yesterday