LINGUIST List 12.2618

Sun Oct 21 2001

FYI: Online paper: Iconicity

Editor for this issue: Jody Huellmantel <jodylinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. Ahmad R. Lotfi, Paper available online: "Iconicity: A generative perspective"

Dear linguists,

A recent paper of mine, "Iconicity: A generative perspective",
is now available via a link on my homepage to "Working papers
in Linguistic Iconicity". The paper is an attempt to put in
perspective two superficially unrelated research programmes,
namely the generative accounts of language and the study of
the nonsymbolic relation between a linguistic form and its
semantic representation. Contrary to the assumptions made by
mainstream minimialist syntacticians, I hypothesise that
the articulatory-perceptual system A-P and the conceptual-
intentional system C-I interact with the cognitive system at
one single interface level SPF (Semantico-Phonetic Form)
where both (semantico-)formal and phonological features are
interpreted by the relevant performance systems. While each
system is 'blind' to features compatible with the other
performance system, there are times when one and the same
feature happens to be legible to both A-P and C-I systems,
e.g. a feature, say [-complete], is interpreted as [High pitch]
and [Question] by the A-P and C-I respectively. Under such
circumstances, the relation between the sound and the sense
will be iconic.

Any comments are welcome.

Best,

Ahmad R. Lotfi



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Ahmad R. Lotfi, Ph. D
Department of the English Language, Chair
Azad University at Khorasgan Esfahan, IRAN.
Mail: lotfiwww.dci.co.ir
http://www.geocities.com/arlotfi/lotfipage.html
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