LINGUIST List 6.1207

Mon Sep 4 1995

Qs: Lg learning, A. Davies, Code-switching

Editor for this issue: T. Daniel Seely <dseelyemunix.emich.edu>

Directory

1. Mari Olsen, Language-learning software
2. , Ques. re:Alan Davies
3. Pirsch, Que:How to restrict Code-Switching inside a constituent?

A friend of mine is studying Turkish (in Turkey). He is intrigued
with (if wildly optimistic about) the possibilities for interactive
software. Does anything like he describes exist, for any language?
Is it on the wish list of any research or retail project?

He writes:
One of my ideas for a computer based language learning tool is a multimedia
system that has grammar drills and vocabulary plugged into it. A learner works
on grammar "x" by locating it in the program. The program has a large list of
useful sentences that use the grammar. These sentences appear on the screen,
are said by the computer ( a recored native speaker of course), and are
associated pictorially with the action or subject of the sentences in the
background. The learner then repeats the sentence as the computer listens and
corrects (or points out trouble areas). Since this is a computer one could
easily do builds forwards, backwards and sideways. This multimedia tool would
also be flexible enough for the learner to plug in his own useful sentences and
native speaker repeats. Is there such a tool in existence?

He also describes reading an article about "photocopy machines that
can copy a piece of paper in Japanese or English." What might that refer to?

Thanks,

Mari Broman Olsen
Northwestern University
Department of Linguistics
2016 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208

molsenastrid.ling.nwu.edu
molsenbabel.ling.nwu.edu

Does anyone know the whereabouts of Alan Davies, whole article, "Talking in
Silence: Ministry in quaker Meetings" appeared in *Styles of Discourse*
(N.Coupland,ed.) in 1988? As my research is connected to his, I would very
much like to communicate with him, if at all earthly possible. Thank you.
Candace Zhang 00CRZHANGBSUVC.BSU.EDU

I'am trying to accord a proposal made by Zanuttini (91) for a phrasal
category NegP with the 'governmemt constraint' on Code-Switching built up by
di Sciullo et al. in 1986.
In Zanuttini (91), NegP selects TP as its complement, i.e. is higher than Infl.
Zanuttini suggests that the verb may raise at S-structure up to the head of
NegP where the negation marker is located. Inside one constituent (the head
of NegP) a switch between the negation marker and the verb might not be
possible. I'didn't find in the literature on Code-Switching any proposal
which would allow a switch inside one constituent.
My problem is that I don't know how to explain it, i.e. that a switch
between negation marker and verb in this configuration is not possible.
Is it maybe possible to consider the negation marker in this situation as a
bound morpheme to the verb, so that I could argue with the 'bound morpheme
constraint'proposed by Poplack (1980)?
It would be very nice if someone could help me on this problem