Modelling lexical diffusion in syntax: non-finite complementation in Modern English

语法中的词汇扩散建模：现代英语中的非有限补足

• 批准号: 469307102
• 负责人: Professor Dr. George Walkden
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Bereich Allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft
• 依托单位国家: 德国
• 项目类别: Research Units
• 资助国家: 德国
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/469307102?language=en
• 关键词: Modelling; lexical; diffusion; syntax; non

This project aims to better understand the development of different patterns of non-finite complementation in English since 1500, working towards an explanatory theory of why and how these patterns diffused through the verbal lexicon in the way that they did. Concretely, the project links language change to language acquisition by hypothesizing that the Sufficiency Principle (Yang 2016) plays a crucial role in determining the productive generalizations that the child acquirer of (Early) Modern English is able to form. The precise conditions under which a particular matrix verb takes a particular type of complement remain obscure, and we propose that, rather than categorically reflecting semantic factors, the broad-brush generalizations that the child attains are input-driven and tolerate a certain number of exceptions: the diachronic developments then involve lexical diffusion, constrained in a principled way by the Sufficiency Principle. Methodologically the project will be based on large historical corpora; special attention will be paid to contact, specifically new verbs copied​ from languages such as Latin and French throughout the period, as these may play a key role in pushing construction types over or under the threshold of productivity. The overarching research question for this project is: Did new types of non-finite complementation spread in post-1500 English via lexical diffusion? If so, how?

该项目旨在更好地了解自1500年以来英语中不同的非限定性补语模式的发展，并致力于解释这些模式为什么以及如何以它们所做的方式通过动词词汇扩散的理论。具体地说，该项目通过假设充分性原则（Yang 2016）在确定（早期）现代英语的儿童习得者能够形成的生产性概括方面起着至关重要的作用，将语言变化与语言习得联系起来。一个特定的矩阵动词采取一个特定类型的补语的确切条件仍然模糊，我们提出，而不是绝对反映语义因素，粗刷概括，儿童获得的输入驱动，并容忍一定数量的例外：历时的发展，然后涉及词汇扩散，约束在一个原则性的方式充分原则。从方法上讲，该项目将以大型历史语料库为基础;将特别注意接触，特别是整个时期从拉丁语和法语等语言复制的新动词，因为这些可能在推动结构类型超过或低于生产力阈值方面发挥关键作用。这个项目的首要研究问题是：新类型的非限定补语是否通过词汇扩散在1500年后的英语中传播？如果是，如何做到？