Proceedings of the Linguistic Society of America, Jun 12, 2016
Number morphology appears twice in English reflexive pronouns, first on the pronominal-possessive... more Number morphology appears twice in English reflexive pronouns, first on the pronominal-possessive portion of the form, and second on the inflectional ending. Usually, the two number markings co-vary, but 'crossed' number forms like ourself and themself-and even myselves and herselves-are also attested. This paper argues that the two opportunities to signal number can be creatively exploited for communicative purposes, and are not controlled syntactically. The data and analysis presented provide support for a view of grammatical categories (even those commonly regarded as syntactically determined) as independent bearers of meaning.
Propose lors du forum LACUS sur la linguistique et le monde reel, cet article examine la structur... more Propose lors du forum LACUS sur la linguistique et le monde reel, cet article examine la structure des phrases contenant un pronom reflechi en anglais. Dans la grammaire traditionnelle, les etudes considerent deux usages de -self : l'un reflechi, l'autre emphatique. Si la plupart des travaux ont valide cette analyse syntaxique de -self comme pronom reflechi, l'A. montre que la distribution des formes reflechies pourrait etre mieux expliquee avec une approche basee sur les proprietes semantiques et pragmatiques.
Studies in Functional and Structural Linguistics, 2006
1. List of Contributors 2. Introduction: Consistency and Change in Columbia School Linguistics (b... more 1. List of Contributors 2. Introduction: Consistency and Change in Columbia School Linguistics (by Davis, Joseph) 3. Linguistic Theory 4. Columbia School and Saussure's langue (by Reid, Wallis) 5. Diver's Theory (by Huffman, Alan) 6. Phonology 7. Phonology as human behavior: Inflectional systems in English (by Tobin, Yishai) 8. Phonological processes of Japanese based on the theory of phonology as human behavior (by Tobin, Yishai) 9. Phonology as human behavior: A combinatory phonology of Byelorussian (by Dreer, Igor) 10. Phonology as human behavior: The case of Peninsular Spanish (by Dekker, Adriaan) 11. Functional motivations for the sound patterns of English non-lexical Interjections (by Joue, Gina) 12. Phonology without the phoneme (by Davis, Joseph) 13. Grammar and lexicon 14. Tell me about yourself: A unified account of English-self pronouns (by Stern, Nancy) 15. Se without deixis (by Gorup, Radmila J.) 16. The difference between zero and nothing: Swahili noun class prefixes 5 and 9/10 (by Contini-Morava, Ellen) 17. A semantic analysis of Swahili suffix li (by Leonard, Robert A.) 18. The structure of the Japanese inferential system: A functional analysis of daroo, rashii, soo-da, and yooda (by Riggs, Hidemi Sugi) 19. Structuring cues of conjunctive yet, but, and still: A monosemic approach (by Crupi, Charlene) 20. Beyond Language 21. The case for articulatory gestures - not sounds - as the physical embodiment of speech signs (by Eccardt, Thomas) 22. Meaning in nonlinguistic systems: Observations, remarks, and hypotheses on food, architecture, and honor in Kenya (by Leonard, Robert A.) 23. Index of names 24. Subject index
This study offers an innovative, sign-based analysis of English self pronouns (myself, yourself, ... more This study offers an innovative, sign-based analysis of English self pronouns (myself, yourself, herself, etc.). While rejecting the traditional characterization of these forms as reflexive pronouns, the study borrows from the tradition by analyzing these forms as a kind of emphatic pronoun. The forms' distribution can be explained by positing that they are semantic signals deployed by speakers to meet communicative goals. Speakers choose between self and simple pronouns when the additional meaning of self forms, INSISTENCE ON AN ENTITY(S), will steer hearers in particular interpretive directions. This approach has led to the discovery that reflexive uses of self pronouns are an instantiation of the general tendency to use these forms for unexpected messages, including those in which a single referent is playing more than one role at one time. The presence of such a role conflict accounts not only for reflexive uses, but also for the appearance of
... a Minimalist Linguistics in a Maximalist World 339 Robert S. Kirsner Saussurean Anti-Nomencla... more ... a Minimalist Linguistics in a Maximalist World 339 Robert S. Kirsner Saussurean Anti-Nomenclaturism in Grammatical Analysis: 373 A Comparative Theoretical PerspectiveRicardo Otheguy Index of Names 405 Index of Subjects 409 Page 11. List of Contributors Abdul ...
Proceedings of the Linguistic Society of America, 2016
Number morphology appears twice in English reflexive pronouns, first on the pronominal-possessive... more Number morphology appears twice in English reflexive pronouns, first on the pronominal-possessive portion of the form, and second on the inflectional ending. Usually, the two number markings co-vary, but ‘crossed’ number forms like ourself and themself – and even myselves and herselves – are also attested. This paper argues that the two opportunities to signal number can be creatively exploited for communicative purposes, and are not controlled syntactically. The data and analysis presented provide support for a view of grammatical categories (even those commonly regarded as syntactically determined) as independent bearers of meaning.
Columbia School Linguistics in the 21st Century, 2019
The introduction to a compilation of papers that have grown out of conferences on Columbia School... more The introduction to a compilation of papers that have grown out of conferences on Columbia School (CS) linguistics, this paper offers an introduction to that theoretical framework, which was established by the late William Diver and Erica García and their students at Columbia University in the 1960s and actively pursued since. Ranging over a wide array of topics, including the role of communication in linguistic analysis, the nature of meaning, the status of traditional constructs, the nature of explanation and of data itself, inference, the role of metaphor, and more, this paper compares CS with Cognitive linguistics, and highlights some defining differences from that framework.
Questioning Theoretical Primitives in Linguistic Inquiry: Papers in honor of Ricardo Otheguy, 2018
The English System of Degree of Control (Diver, 1984) is a Columbia School hypothesis that posits... more The English System of Degree of Control (Diver, 1984) is a Columbia School hypothesis that posits invariant meanings for word order signals in what are traditionally called transitive and ditransitive sentences. In this paper, the Control System is shown to account for speakers’ choices between two constructions that seem, on introspection, to be equivalent: push the wall and give the wall a push. The Control meanings do not only describe a set of uses. Instead, by distinguishing between the linguistic system, on the one hand, and its use, on the other, the meanings of the Control System provide an explanation for the distribution of forms and the choices that speakers make in order to meet their communicative goals.
Studies in Functional and Structural Linguistics, 2006
... 2000. Principles of Language Learning and Teaching, 4th edition. White Plains, NY: Longman, p... more ... 2000. Principles of Language Learning and Teaching, 4th edition. White Plains, NY: Longman, p. 64. CAD Dana Canedy. Advertising Column, The New York Times, September 7, 1999. ... that have ap-peared from 1980 to the present. References Cohen, Dana. ...
Proceedings of the Linguistic Society of America, Jun 12, 2016
Number morphology appears twice in English reflexive pronouns, first on the pronominal-possessive... more Number morphology appears twice in English reflexive pronouns, first on the pronominal-possessive portion of the form, and second on the inflectional ending. Usually, the two number markings co-vary, but 'crossed' number forms like ourself and themself-and even myselves and herselves-are also attested. This paper argues that the two opportunities to signal number can be creatively exploited for communicative purposes, and are not controlled syntactically. The data and analysis presented provide support for a view of grammatical categories (even those commonly regarded as syntactically determined) as independent bearers of meaning.
Propose lors du forum LACUS sur la linguistique et le monde reel, cet article examine la structur... more Propose lors du forum LACUS sur la linguistique et le monde reel, cet article examine la structure des phrases contenant un pronom reflechi en anglais. Dans la grammaire traditionnelle, les etudes considerent deux usages de -self : l'un reflechi, l'autre emphatique. Si la plupart des travaux ont valide cette analyse syntaxique de -self comme pronom reflechi, l'A. montre que la distribution des formes reflechies pourrait etre mieux expliquee avec une approche basee sur les proprietes semantiques et pragmatiques.
Studies in Functional and Structural Linguistics, 2006
1. List of Contributors 2. Introduction: Consistency and Change in Columbia School Linguistics (b... more 1. List of Contributors 2. Introduction: Consistency and Change in Columbia School Linguistics (by Davis, Joseph) 3. Linguistic Theory 4. Columbia School and Saussure's langue (by Reid, Wallis) 5. Diver's Theory (by Huffman, Alan) 6. Phonology 7. Phonology as human behavior: Inflectional systems in English (by Tobin, Yishai) 8. Phonological processes of Japanese based on the theory of phonology as human behavior (by Tobin, Yishai) 9. Phonology as human behavior: A combinatory phonology of Byelorussian (by Dreer, Igor) 10. Phonology as human behavior: The case of Peninsular Spanish (by Dekker, Adriaan) 11. Functional motivations for the sound patterns of English non-lexical Interjections (by Joue, Gina) 12. Phonology without the phoneme (by Davis, Joseph) 13. Grammar and lexicon 14. Tell me about yourself: A unified account of English-self pronouns (by Stern, Nancy) 15. Se without deixis (by Gorup, Radmila J.) 16. The difference between zero and nothing: Swahili noun class prefixes 5 and 9/10 (by Contini-Morava, Ellen) 17. A semantic analysis of Swahili suffix li (by Leonard, Robert A.) 18. The structure of the Japanese inferential system: A functional analysis of daroo, rashii, soo-da, and yooda (by Riggs, Hidemi Sugi) 19. Structuring cues of conjunctive yet, but, and still: A monosemic approach (by Crupi, Charlene) 20. Beyond Language 21. The case for articulatory gestures - not sounds - as the physical embodiment of speech signs (by Eccardt, Thomas) 22. Meaning in nonlinguistic systems: Observations, remarks, and hypotheses on food, architecture, and honor in Kenya (by Leonard, Robert A.) 23. Index of names 24. Subject index
This study offers an innovative, sign-based analysis of English self pronouns (myself, yourself, ... more This study offers an innovative, sign-based analysis of English self pronouns (myself, yourself, herself, etc.). While rejecting the traditional characterization of these forms as reflexive pronouns, the study borrows from the tradition by analyzing these forms as a kind of emphatic pronoun. The forms' distribution can be explained by positing that they are semantic signals deployed by speakers to meet communicative goals. Speakers choose between self and simple pronouns when the additional meaning of self forms, INSISTENCE ON AN ENTITY(S), will steer hearers in particular interpretive directions. This approach has led to the discovery that reflexive uses of self pronouns are an instantiation of the general tendency to use these forms for unexpected messages, including those in which a single referent is playing more than one role at one time. The presence of such a role conflict accounts not only for reflexive uses, but also for the appearance of
... a Minimalist Linguistics in a Maximalist World 339 Robert S. Kirsner Saussurean Anti-Nomencla... more ... a Minimalist Linguistics in a Maximalist World 339 Robert S. Kirsner Saussurean Anti-Nomenclaturism in Grammatical Analysis: 373 A Comparative Theoretical PerspectiveRicardo Otheguy Index of Names 405 Index of Subjects 409 Page 11. List of Contributors Abdul ...
Proceedings of the Linguistic Society of America, 2016
Number morphology appears twice in English reflexive pronouns, first on the pronominal-possessive... more Number morphology appears twice in English reflexive pronouns, first on the pronominal-possessive portion of the form, and second on the inflectional ending. Usually, the two number markings co-vary, but ‘crossed’ number forms like ourself and themself – and even myselves and herselves – are also attested. This paper argues that the two opportunities to signal number can be creatively exploited for communicative purposes, and are not controlled syntactically. The data and analysis presented provide support for a view of grammatical categories (even those commonly regarded as syntactically determined) as independent bearers of meaning.
Columbia School Linguistics in the 21st Century, 2019
The introduction to a compilation of papers that have grown out of conferences on Columbia School... more The introduction to a compilation of papers that have grown out of conferences on Columbia School (CS) linguistics, this paper offers an introduction to that theoretical framework, which was established by the late William Diver and Erica García and their students at Columbia University in the 1960s and actively pursued since. Ranging over a wide array of topics, including the role of communication in linguistic analysis, the nature of meaning, the status of traditional constructs, the nature of explanation and of data itself, inference, the role of metaphor, and more, this paper compares CS with Cognitive linguistics, and highlights some defining differences from that framework.
Questioning Theoretical Primitives in Linguistic Inquiry: Papers in honor of Ricardo Otheguy, 2018
The English System of Degree of Control (Diver, 1984) is a Columbia School hypothesis that posits... more The English System of Degree of Control (Diver, 1984) is a Columbia School hypothesis that posits invariant meanings for word order signals in what are traditionally called transitive and ditransitive sentences. In this paper, the Control System is shown to account for speakers’ choices between two constructions that seem, on introspection, to be equivalent: push the wall and give the wall a push. The Control meanings do not only describe a set of uses. Instead, by distinguishing between the linguistic system, on the one hand, and its use, on the other, the meanings of the Control System provide an explanation for the distribution of forms and the choices that speakers make in order to meet their communicative goals.
Studies in Functional and Structural Linguistics, 2006
... 2000. Principles of Language Learning and Teaching, 4th edition. White Plains, NY: Longman, p... more ... 2000. Principles of Language Learning and Teaching, 4th edition. White Plains, NY: Longman, p. 64. CAD Dana Canedy. Advertising Column, The New York Times, September 7, 1999. ... that have ap-peared from 1980 to the present. References Cohen, Dana. ...
The authors review the educational and political rationales for school-based labels for students,... more The authors review the educational and political rationales for school-based labels for students, teachers and programs, particularly with respect to learners identified as needing English language and literacy support. They examine the ways in which labels can communicate unintended messages that can get in the way of providing students an effective education. The article encourages educators to push back against labels that should be challenged or changed, and to transcend the categories they create.
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Papers by Nancy Stern