LINGUIST List 6.917

Fri Jun 30 1995

Qs: Reduplication, VP ellipsis/V-raising, Donnellan reference

Editor for this issue: Ann Dizdar <dizdartam2000.tamu.edu>

Directory

1. Andrew D Saperstein, Reduplication in Child Language Acquisition and Foreigner Talk, etc.
2. Zeljko Boskovic, query: VP ellipsis and V-raising
3. Louise Manga, Donnellan reference

 In conducting a study of derivational morphology in creole languages,
I have been investigating the origins of reduplication in the same.
Specifically, I am trying to determine whether it is best to explain the form
and/or meaning of reduplicated structures in creoles in terms of the influence
of substrate languages or in terms of the effect of language universals, or
both.
 It has been suggested that data from child language acquisition
studies may shed light on the question. Also, data regarding "baby talk" and
"foreigner talk" (i.e talk by adults to children and non-native speakers,
respectively) may help in determining the extent to which reduplication in
creoles should be explained in terms of language universals. Additionally,
the patterns of use of reduplication by adult second language learners in
 theirnon-native language(s) may also prove useful. Thus, I would greatly
 appreciate
any information you can give me (by way of data, descriptions, references,
etc.) regarding the following questions:


 1. Is reduplication a universal feature of children's speech, baby
talk, or foreigner talk cross-linguistically? Any examples?

 2. Where reduplication is indeed a feature of the above-mentioned
speech varieties, what semantics are associated with the reduplicated forms?
Specifically, is reduplication used as a category-changing operation, or is it
used only in a modificatory way (e.g. diminutivization, augmentation, etc.)
with no category change effected on the words to which it applies?

 3. Where reduplication is a feature of the above-mentioned speech
varieties, what phonological form does it take? I.e is total reduplication
the rule (e.g. "the tiny tiny mouse')? Or is total reduplication with
modification (e.g. "teeny-weeny") what we find? Or do we find partial
reduplication of one kind or another, in which only syllables or parts of
syllables are reduplicated?



 Andy Saperstein
 adsapling.ohio-state.edu
 Ohio State University

I am looking at VP ellipsis in overt V-raising languages. In particular,
I need to find out whether the equivalent of (1), with the VP being
deleted after the verb moves out of it, is acceptable in overt
V-raising languages. For control, I need to check whether VP ellipsis
is possible in constructions such as (2), which presumably would not
necessarily involve main verb raising in the relevant languages.

(1) John put the book on the table and Peter put too.
(2) a. John has put the book on the table and Peter has too.
 b. John must put the book on the table and Peter must too.

If you know of any relevant facts and/or references, please respond
directly to me. I will post a summary if there is sufficient interest.

Zeljko Boskovic
boskovicuconnvm.uconn.edu

Department of Linguistics, U-145
University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT 06269

I am looking for the complete reference of an article by K.S. Donnellan
titled "Speaker Reference, Descriptions and Anaphora". I believe it
might be a chapter in a book.