Doctoral Dissertation Research: Syntax and its interfaces in an endangered language

该项目通过对母语人士进行详细的实地调查，研究影响说话者如何用一种尚未得到充分研究的濒临语言表达他们所知道和不知道的信息的词语选择的因素。虽然所有语言的使用者都会做出这些选择，但用一种濒临灭绝且研究较少的语言来解决这个问题很重要，原因有二：1）了解不同语言的使用者所做的选择是识别跨语言通用模式的关键，2）这种语言具有许多跨语言不常见的特征，这使其成为当前语言理论的有用测试场。该研究涉及三个案例研究，探索“认为”和“说”等动词的结构和含义，这些词既可以翻译为“可能”也可以翻译为“可能”。 “必须”，以及暗示说话者已经知道答案的问题。在所有这些情况下，说话者必须选择使用一种特定的单词或句子类型而不是另一种，这通常具有超出句子字面意义的含义。此类研究很难在未充分研究的语言中进行，因为它需要语言语法和语义的基本知识，而该项目也对此做出了贡献。该研究将基于对母语人士的采访以及说话者之间的口头叙述和对话。除了推进语言理论之外，该项目还致力于为社区创建语言材料，包括包含实用单词和短语以及相应录音的在线“活字典”。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project uses detailed fieldwork with native speakers to study the factors that influence word choices in how speakers convey information about what they do and do not know in an understudied and endangered language. While speakers of all languages make these choices, addressing this question in an endangered and less studied language is important for two reasons: 1) understanding the choices that speakers of different languages make is key to identifying universal patterns across languages, and 2) this language has many features that are not common across languages, which make it a useful testing ground for current linguistic theories.The research involves three case studies exploring the structure and meaning of verbs like 'think' and 'say', words that translate as both 'might' and 'must', and questions that imply that the speaker already knows the answer. In all of these cases, speakers must choose to use one particular word or sentence type over another, which often has implications that go beyond the literal meaning of the sentence. This type of research is difficult to conduct in understudied languages, since it requires a basic knowledge of the language's syntax and semantics, to which this project also contributes. The research will be based on interviews with native speakers, as well as oral narratives and conversations between speakers. In addition to advancing linguistic theory, this project contributes to the creation of language materials for the community, including an online "living dictionary" containing practical words and phrases with corresponding audio recordings.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.