Universal grammar and iconicity /
Li, Yafei,author.
"Within linguistics, the formal and functional approaches each offer insight into what language might be and how it operates, but so far, there have been hardly any systematic attempts to integrate them into a single theory. This book explores the relationship between universal grammar - the theory that we have an innate mechanism for generating sentences - and iconicity - the resemblance between form and meaning in language. It offers a new theory of their interactions, 'UG-iconicity interface' (UG-I), which shows that not only do universal grammar and iconicity coexist, but in fact collaborate in intricate and predictable ways. The theory explains various recalcitrant cross-linguistic facts surrounding the serial verb constructions, coordination, semantically and categorically obscure "linkers", the multiple grammatical aspects of the external argument, and non-canonical arguments. This groundbreaking work is essential reading for researchers and postgraduate students in linguistics, as well as scholars in psychology and cognitive science"--
Includes bibliographical references and index.
An interface theory of universal grammar and iconocity. The central question : when and how of UG-I -- Putting UG-I in more perspectives -- The serial verb constructions. Linear iconicity in the SVC : facts and non-facts -- Un-deriving the derivational efforts on linear iconicity -- De-unifying a uniform treatment of the SVCs -- Linear iconicity and its company -- Analyzing the SVCs with the FICH and the USM -- Linearization vs. fear : a biological analogy -- The connectors. The void of roots -- Coordination : a large collection of puzzling behaviors -- Formulating a theory of coordination -- The linkers -- From the external argument onward. Why external? More facts and their implications -- Linearizing ArgE and its cohorts -- Conclusion -- Meta-theoretical reflections. When theories differ -- The role models from linguistics -- Final words.
"Within linguistics, the formal and functional approaches each offer insight into what language might be and how it operates, but so far, there have been hardly any systematic attempts to integrate them into a single theory. This book explores the relationship between universal grammar - the theory that we have an innate mechanism for generating sentences - and iconicity - the resemblance between form and meaning in language. It offers a new theory of their interactions, 'UG-iconicity interface' (UG-I), which shows that not only do universal grammar and iconicity coexist, but in fact collaborate in intricate and predictable ways. The theory explains various recalcitrant cross-linguistic facts surrounding the serial verb constructions, coordination, semantically and categorically obscure "linkers", the multiple grammatical aspects of the external argument, and non-canonical arguments. This groundbreaking work is essential reading for researchers and postgraduate students in linguistics, as well as scholars in psychology and cognitive science"--
Grammar, Comparative and general.
Iconicity (Linguistics)