LINGUIST List 7.1174

Mon Aug 19 1996

Qs: Comp lit, Port Royale, Grammar dev environment, Actually

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

Directory

1. Juan Bernardo Llanos Lamarque, Seeking resources on comparative literature and info on Port Royale
2. Paul Bennett, Grammar development environments
3. Lynne Hewitt, actually

We (at the Argentine Catholic University) are preparing a course on
Comparative Literature to be taught in English. What we have in mind
is a course based on English Literature, which is to be contrasted
with the literature of other not necessarily English-speaking
countries. We would greatly appreciate it if anyone who may be
teaching or attending such a course could send us details as to
characteristics, syllabus design, bibliography, etc.

Also, would please anyone send us book titles on the Port Royale
linguistic school? We're interested in exploring the connection
between the Port Royale linguists and Noam Chomsky's mentalistic and
generative approach to language.

- 
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 (o o)
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 | Juan Bernardo Llanos |
 | Pte. J.E. Uriburu 1234 - 12A |
 | 1114 - Buenos Aires |
 | ARGENTINA |
 | |
 | Tel/Fax: (541) 826-4938 |
 | E-mail: juanudllanos.ba.ar |
 +---------------------------------+
 (_| |_)

I am currently looking into grammar development environments (GDEs) as
learning tools, i.e. software that will enable students to write and
test grammatical descriptions using a range of different
formalisms. This would include anything from simple context-free
grammars upwards. I would be very pleased to hear from anyone who has
experience of using a GDE, as either teacher or student, or anyone who
has written one.

The kind of information that would be useful is as follows, but any
response would be helpful:
1. Information on availability
2. Hardware/software requirements
3. Range of formalisms supported
4. Extent of customisability if any
5. Ease of writing and testing grammars
6. Quality of display of analyses on screen
7. Ease of debugging grammars
8. Speed and reliability
9. General user-friendliness
10. How used in teaching, and with what kind of students

I will summarise to the list if there is sufficient interest.


Paul Bennett
Department of Language Engineering
UMIST
P O Box 88
Manchester
M60 1QD
GB
paulccl.umist.ac.uk

I had a query recently from a friend who wants to do a radio show on
"actually", which she regards as a plague on discourse and a
meaningless, intrusive verbal tic. On brief reflection, I feel it is
a discourse marker used to negate a pragmatic implication or somehow
block a potential inference that a listener might draw.

E.g.: "Call after 8:30. Things are less chaotic by then. Actually,
bedtime around here isn't difficult." In this sequence, the
"actually" negates the implication that the speaker's children are
ill-behaved about going to bed. (This is not a constructed example,
btw.)

My query: does anyone have any references to research on "actually"?
My friend was interested in etymological information as well as
studies of contemporary usage. I've sent her to dictionaries, but her
time frame on producing the show is rather short, so if someone would
be kind enough to steer us in the right direction, it would be much
appreciated.