LINGUIST List 6.1773

Thu Dec 21 1995

Qs: X's being, Genitive -s, Reading Lists, Azerbaidjani

Editor for this issue: Anthony M. Aristar <aristartam2000.tamu.edu>

Directory

1. , Grammar Question
2. Alexis Manaster Ramer, Query: Genitive suffix in -s in any non-IE lg?
3. "Bethany Dumas, UTK", Query ABout Linguistic Reading Lists
4. Kara Harp Okulu Yabanci Dil Bolumu , MUTUAL INTELLIGIBILTY

 Time for your help...

 I have a very specific grammatical question which I'd like some
 help on -- references, explanation, etc.

 In phrases of the form "X's being ___", where these are used to
 denote states-of-affairs, and which serve as nominals which are
 the subject in a larger sentential context (as in "Mary's being
 late caused John anguish"), is it grammatically proper to use
 general terms (i.e., plural nouns) in the X position preceding
 the possessive form "'s", or only singular terms? I.e., can one
 grammatically say "Women's being dissatisfied is a cause of
 divorce" (or, "Women's being dissatisfied causes many
 divorces"?), rather than "Woman's being ..." or "The women's
 being dissatisfied..."?

 Are there any cases of such use of plural nouns which are
 legitimate? Are all such uses legitimate? Or not?

 If not, why not? What is the explanation? According to
 traditional theories of grammar, or according to some version of
 transformational linguistics, or ...?

 Musingly yours, etc.

 --Jay Halcomb--halcombsonoma.edu

Quite simply, the question is does anybody know of such an instance?

Alexis Manaster Ramer

The Ph.D. program in Modern Foreign Languages at the University
of Tennessee has a minor concentration in Applied Linguistics. (The
University has no Linguistics Department, but does have an
interdepartmental undergraduate degree program in linguistics.)

Members of that program have been asked to put together a reading
list for graduate Ph.D.. candidates who select Applied Linguistics as
a second concentration. The students are primarily French, Spanish
and German graduate students who will be taking some linguistics
courses in various departments to fulfill the requirements for this
second concentration. Those requirements consist of 2 courses in
Applied ling. in the target language (Spanish, French, German), two
courses in Applied ling., but not necessarily in the target language.
They are also required to take two additional courses in general
linguistics.

Those of us on the Linguistics Committee at the U of Tennessee are
discussing among ourselves whether a reading list is the best way to
help people outside the field pinpoint what the field encompasses.
Some of are in favor of specifying topics or skills, etc., rather than
indicating what books one should have read.

I would be grateful for comments from colleagues who have
wrestled with this problem elsewhere. If there is sufficient
discussion, I'll post a summary to the list.

Thanks,
Bethany Dumas

I am dealing with Azerbaijanian language from the point of view of mutual
intelligibility between Turkey Turkish and Azerbaijanian. Is there any one
who is well acquainted with mutual intelligibility? All materials and ideas
are welcome.

Hakan DILMAN
Kara Harp Okulu
Yab.Dil.B=F6l.
Bakanl=FDklar-Ankara
TURKEY