LINGUIST List 5.1120

Thu 13 Oct 1994

Qs: DET/NUM, Spatial geometry in lang, Lang requirements, tag-Q

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1. David Gil, Q: DETS AND NUMBER
2. Stephan O'Shea, Spatial Geometry in Language (esp. Finno-Ugric?)
3. , language requirements
4. Barbara Abbott, tag questions by attorneys

I'm looking for languages whose NPs have the following three
properties:

(1) bare, unmarked nouns occur in argument position, and may be
interpreted as either singular or plural (eg. Malay, Mandarin,
Japanese, as opposed to English);

(2) at least some determiners are unmarked for number (eg. English
"the", "some", "John's", as opposed to "this", "these"); and, most
interestingly,

(3) When a bare, unmarked noun occurs in construction with a
determiner that is unmarked for number, the resulting NP *is* marked
for number.

So far, I am familiar with two languages satisfying the above three
conditions. (Both are Singaporean dialects of languages whose standard
varieties don't satisfy these conditions.)

SINGAPOREAN MALAY

(1) Like in Standard Malay, bare, unmarked nouns are unmarked for number,
eg. "kucing" (cat/cats);

(2) Again like in Standard Malay, the determiners "itu" (that/the) and
"ini" (this) are unmarked for number, eg. "seekor kucing itu"
(that/the one cat), "dua ekor kucing itu" (those/the two cats);

(3) Unlike in Standard Malay, bare, unmarked nouns in construction
with "itu" and ini" tend to be interpreted as singular, eg. "kucing
itu" (that/the cat/?*cats). [Apparently, there is some variation here
between speakers, and between different constructions for the same
speakers.]

SINGLISH (aka COLLOQUIAL SINGAPOREAN ENGLISH)

(1) Unlike in Standard English, bare, unmarked nouns are unmarked for
number, eg. "cat" (cat/cats);

(2) Like in standard English, prenominal possessors such
as "John's" are unmarked for number, eg. "John's one cat" (John's one
cat), "John's two cat(s)" (John's two cats);

(3) When bare, unmarked nouns are preceded by prenominal possessors,
the resulting construction can only be interpreted as singular,
eg. "John's cat" (John's cat/*cats).

SOME QUESTIONS:

(a) Is anybody familiar with more such examples? (References?)
(b) Is this a Southeast Asian areal feature and/or a common
cross-linguistic pattern?

(c) In both of the above cases, an unmarked noun plus an unmarked
determiner results in a singular NP. Are there any cases where the
result is a plural NP?

(d) Does anybody have any ideas how to analyze/explain this phenomenon
(within any theoretical framework, or none)?

(Note: this query is cross-posted on the linguist and sealang lists.
A joint summary will also be posted on both lists.)

David Gil
National University of Singapore

I am an architecture student who has previously studied in Finland for
one year and became interested in language differences as a result.

"Recent studies on the spatial geometry concealed in language show
that even language conditions man's spatial behaviour in a way
specific to that particular language.

...(Edward T.)Hall's observations on the radial pattern of thinking among
the French and the gridiron thinking of the Americans."
 - Juhani Pallasmaa, Architectural Review May 1983

I would be grateful for any information or references which would
assist in writing a dissertation on the subject.

Thanks in advance,

Stephen O'Shea
Department of Architecture
5th Year
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art
University of Dundee
Scotland
sosheadundee.ac.uk

To all linguists ensconced in English departments.

Help. There's a move afoot in my department to lower the language course
requirements for elementary Ed. majors with an English minor from 6 credits
(two courses) to three (one course). By language courses what I mean are
those such as Structure of English, History of English, Intro. to Linguistics,
and introductory courses in sociolinguistics, language acquistion, and such.

On pedagogical grounds, I intend to make the case to the Curriculum Committee
that the current six credit requirement is already the bare minimum, but I
would also like to be able to say that at most reputable institutions, English
majors and English majors with teaching certificates are required to take at
least six credit hours of language study in linguistics and/or English.

So, if you are in a reputable institution (I'll take your word for it), please
provide the following information:

Language credits required for English majors:

Language credits required for Seconday English teachers:

Language credits required for Elementary English teachers:

I'll compile the responses and make them public on LINGUIST.

Mark Balhorn
mbalhornuwspmail.uwsp.edu

A student of mine is doing research on the use of tag questions by
attorneys in courtroom situations and is having a hard time finding
references to related work. Does anybody know of any work on that topic,
or more generally on the use of tag questions or the pragmatics of legal
discourse? Please reply to me and I'll summarize. Thanks!