Wa-marking in Japanese and the syntax and semantics of generic sentences [microform]
- Bib ID:
- 3283274
- Format:
- Book and Microform
- Author:
- Brockett, Christopher John
- Description:
- 284 p.
- Summary:
-
The Japanese 'topic' particle wa provides syntactic evidence for the analysis of generic sentences as quantificational structures in which a constituent moves into the Specifier of CP to restrict an adverbial operator. Movement is parameterized, it is argued, to occur at S-Structure in Japanese and at Logical Form in English. Japanese counterparts of data cited by Carlson (1989) as evidence for rejecting his 1977 predication of kinds analysis of generic sentences are unambiguous owing to wa-marking and preposing of key constituents. Furthermore, Kuno's (1973) discourse functional account of wa fails to explain this particle's behavior in certain classes of generic sentence. A solution is sought in recent proposals for a quantificational treatment of generic sentences based on Lewis (1975) and Heim (1982), in which a wa-marked category restricts an invisible adverbial operator Gen at Logical Form.
This creates a tripartite structure, which, following Krifka (1988) and van Bentham (1986), denotes a relation between a Generic-Related Constituent and a nuclear scope. In this model, thematic wa-marked categories have no inherent definiteness, but introduce bare variables for quantification by an appropriate clausal operator. Variable binding, the scopal interpretation of definite objects, and Weak Cross Over effects support the hypothesis that generic sentences are quantificational, involving movement at Logical Form. GRC movement takes places at S-Structure in Japanese into Spec CP. However, wa is more directly comparable to English even than to Wh: like even, wa marks the elements to be associated with the operator, rather than functioning as the operator itself.
- Notes:
-
- (UnM)AAI9131380
- Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-06, Section: A, page: 2125.
- Thesis (Ph.D.)--Cornell University, 1991.
- Reproduction:
- Microfiche. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University Microfilms International.
- Subject:
- Language, Linguistics
- Other authors/contributors:
- Cornell University
- Copyright:
-
In Copyright
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Copyright status was determined using the following information:
- Material type:
- Literary Dramatic Musical
- Published status:
- Unpublished
- Creation date:
- 1991
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