LINGUIST List 25.2142
Thu
May 15 2014
Calls: Semantics,
General Linguistics/France
Editor for this issue:
Bryn Hauk <brynlinguistlist.org>
Date: 15-May-2014
From: Alexandru Mardale
<alexandru.mardale
inalco.fr>
Subject: Existential
Predication in Natural Languages: Values -
Operations, Structures - Modalities
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Full Title: Existential Predication in Natural
Languages: Values - Operations, Structures -
Modalities
Date: 10-Apr-2015 - 11-Apr-2015
Location: Paris, France
Contact Person: Alexandru Mardale
Meeting Email:
< click here to access email >
Linguistic Field(s): General Linguistics;
Semantics
Call Deadline: 30-Sep-2014
Meeting Description:
Semantic relations observed in what are
commonly known as existential constructions and
the operations by which they are established
have common features in many languages of the
world, but beside these similarities there are
also important formal variations. The notion of
an existential sentence, introduced into
linguistic terminology by Jespersen (1924),
cannot be reduced to the idea of asserting or
denying the existence of an entity in the
philosophical sense.
In this symposium, we propose as a starting
point for the study of existential
constructions two approaches to the definition
of existential predication:
- Existential predication can be viewed as a
specific operation of locating one term
(locatum, fr. repéré/figure) relative to
another (locator, fr. repère/ground, expressed
by means of a non-canonical marking of
constituents and/or a non-canonical constituent
order within the utterance, and/or by using a
particular existential marker,
- From the viewpoint of construction of
meaning, existential predication can be
characterized by the fact that it is not the
locatum (figure) but the locator (ground) that
is chosen as perspectival center from which the
situation to be described is cognitively
structured.
Registration fee: 90 euros (30 euros for
students)
Selected References:
Babby L., 1980, Existential sentences and
negation in Russian, Ann Arbor, Caroma
publishers.
Chvany C., 1975, On the syntax of BE-sentences
in Russian, Cambridge, MA, Slavica.
Clark E. V., 1978, 'Locationals: existential,
locative and possessive construction', in
Greenberg, J. (ed.), Universals in Human
Language, Vol. 4: Syntax, Stanford, CA,
Stanford University Press, p. 85-126.
Creissels D., 2013, 'Existential predication in
typological perspective', proc. of 46th Annual
Meeting of the Societas Linguistica Europaea,
Workshop Space, Time and Existence:
Typological, cognitive and philosophical
viewpoints, Split, Croatia, 18-21 September
2013, electronical version:
http://www.deniscreissels.fr/public/Creissels-Exist.Pred.pdf
Huumo T., 2003, 'Incremental Existence: The
World According to the Finnish Existential
Sentence', Linguistics 41(3), p. 461-493.
Freeze R., 1992, 'Existentials and other
locatives', Language 68(3), p. 553-592.
Melhig H. R., 2004, 'Oppozicija 'est' vs
nulevaja forma' v russkix bytijnyx
predloženijax pri sootnesennosti k
konkretno-predmetnym referentam', in
Sokrovennye smysly. Slovo. Tekst. Kultura.,
Recueil d'articles en l'honneur de N. D.
Arutjunova, Мoscou, Jazyki slavjanskoj
kul'tury, p. 437-451.
Partee, B. & Borschev, V., 2004, 'The
Semantics of Russian Genitive of Negation: The
Nature and Role of Perspectival Structure', in
K. Watanabe & R. B. Young, (éds),
Proceedings of Semantics and Linguistic Theory
(SALT) 14, Ithaca NY: CLC Publications, p.
212-234.
Rouveret A., 1998, 'Points de vue sur le verbe
être', in A. Rouveret (éd.), Être et avoir :
syntaxe, sémantique, typologie, Saint Denis,
Presses Universitaires de Vincennes, p.
11-65.
Van de Velde D., 2005, 'Les interprétations
partitive et existentielle des indéfinis dans
les phrases existentielles locatives', Travaux
de linguistique no 50, p. 37-52.
Weiss D., 1993, 'Die Faszination der Leere. Die
moderne russische Umgangssprache und ihre Liebe
zur Null', Zeitschrift für Slav ische
Philologie LIII, p. 48-82.
Call for Papers:
International Symposium
Existential predication in natural
languages:
Values and operations, structures and
modalities
National Institute of Oriental Languages and
Civilizations (Inalco), Paris
10-11 April, 2015
We are seeking submissions that make new
contributions to already existing studies in
the field. Contributions within different
theoretical frameworks are welcome, but must be
based on attested data. Possible topics and
questions to be discussed include (but are not
limited to):
- The description of verbs and formal
strategies that contribute to constructing
existential values; the link between
existential predication and locational
predication, on the one hand, and that between
existential predication and possessive
predication, on the other hand
- The individuation of the terms involved in
existential predication, i.e. the
locatum/figure and the locator/ground, by means
of different markers including constituent
order and suprasegmental features; the relation
between these terms, in particular in
comparison with locational predication and the
predication of identity between two terms (X
copula Y)
- The dynamic interactions in which existential
constructions participate; information
organization; contexts of use of existential
constructions compared with those of
constructions with canonical marking of
constituents and/or canonical constituent
order
- The diachronic evolution of existential verbs
and their modal uses in synchrony;
grammaticalization phenomena involving forms
serving to express existential values
The symposium is organized by the linguistic
laboratory SeDyL Structure et Dynamique des
Langues (CNRS (UMR 8202)/INALCO/IRD (UR 135),
with the support of the LABEX EFL (Empirical
Foundations of Linguistics) and the laboratory
CeLiSo (Centre de linguistique en Sorbonne,
Paris-Sorbonne University - Paris 4).
Languages of Communication:
The languages of the symposium are French,
English and Russian.
Calendar:
Deadline for submission: September 30, 2014
Notification of acceptance: November 30,
2014
Submission:
Abstracts no longer than one page (about 3000
characters), in either French or English,
should present the research question, data
employed and a few anticipated results. They
should also include references and be followed
with four keywords.
Please send the abstract in both MSWord and PDF
format to the following address:
existence2015
gmail.com
Specify in the body of the message:
- Name of author(s)
- Title of paper
- Institution
Each paper will have 20 minutes for
presentation, followed by 10 minutes for
discussion.
Organizing Committee:
Vincent Bénet (Inalco)
Natalia Bernitskaïa (Paris-Sorbonne University
- Paris 4)
Tatiana Bottineau (Inalco)
Outi Duvallon (Inalco)
Alexandru Mardale (Inalco)
Page Updated: 15-May-2014