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The emergence of embedded structure: insights from Kafr Qasem Sign Language
This paper introduces data from Kafr Qasem Sign Language (KQSL), an as-yet undescribed sign language, and identifies the earliest indications of embedding in this young language. Using semantic and prosodic criteria, we identify predicates that form a constituent with a noun, functionally modifying...
Autores principales: | , , , |
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Formato: | Online Artículo Texto |
Lenguaje: | English |
Publicado: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2014
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Materias: | |
Acceso en línea: | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4042080/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24917837 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00525 |
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author | Kastner, Itamar Meir, Irit Sandler, Wendy Dachkovsky, Svetlana |
author_facet | Kastner, Itamar Meir, Irit Sandler, Wendy Dachkovsky, Svetlana |
author_sort | Kastner, Itamar |
collection | PubMed |
description | This paper introduces data from Kafr Qasem Sign Language (KQSL), an as-yet undescribed sign language, and identifies the earliest indications of embedding in this young language. Using semantic and prosodic criteria, we identify predicates that form a constituent with a noun, functionally modifying it. We analyze these structures as instances of embedded predicates, exhibiting what can be regarded as very early stages in the development of subordinate constructions, and argue that these structures may bear directly on questions about the development of embedding and subordination in language in general. Deutscher (2009) argues persuasively that nominalization of a verb is the first step—and the crucial step—toward syntactic embedding. It has also been suggested that prosodic marking may precede syntactic marking of embedding (Mithun, 2009). However, the relevant data from the stage at which embedding first emerges have not previously been available. KQSL might be the missing piece of the puzzle: a language in which a noun can be modified by an additional predicate, forming a proposition within a proposition, sustained entirely by prosodic means. |
format | Online Article Text |
id | pubmed-4042080 |
institution | National Center for Biotechnology Information |
language | English |
publishDate | 2014 |
publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
record_format | MEDLINE/PubMed |
spelling | pubmed-40420802014-06-10 The emergence of embedded structure: insights from Kafr Qasem Sign Language Kastner, Itamar Meir, Irit Sandler, Wendy Dachkovsky, Svetlana Front Psychol Psychology This paper introduces data from Kafr Qasem Sign Language (KQSL), an as-yet undescribed sign language, and identifies the earliest indications of embedding in this young language. Using semantic and prosodic criteria, we identify predicates that form a constituent with a noun, functionally modifying it. We analyze these structures as instances of embedded predicates, exhibiting what can be regarded as very early stages in the development of subordinate constructions, and argue that these structures may bear directly on questions about the development of embedding and subordination in language in general. Deutscher (2009) argues persuasively that nominalization of a verb is the first step—and the crucial step—toward syntactic embedding. It has also been suggested that prosodic marking may precede syntactic marking of embedding (Mithun, 2009). However, the relevant data from the stage at which embedding first emerges have not previously been available. KQSL might be the missing piece of the puzzle: a language in which a noun can be modified by an additional predicate, forming a proposition within a proposition, sustained entirely by prosodic means. Frontiers Media S.A. 2014-06-03 /pmc/articles/PMC4042080/ /pubmed/24917837 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00525 Text en Copyright © 2014 Kastner, Meir, Sandler and Dachkovsky. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. |
spellingShingle | Psychology Kastner, Itamar Meir, Irit Sandler, Wendy Dachkovsky, Svetlana The emergence of embedded structure: insights from Kafr Qasem Sign Language |
title | The emergence of embedded structure: insights from Kafr Qasem Sign Language |
title_full | The emergence of embedded structure: insights from Kafr Qasem Sign Language |
title_fullStr | The emergence of embedded structure: insights from Kafr Qasem Sign Language |
title_full_unstemmed | The emergence of embedded structure: insights from Kafr Qasem Sign Language |
title_short | The emergence of embedded structure: insights from Kafr Qasem Sign Language |
title_sort | emergence of embedded structure: insights from kafr qasem sign language |
topic | Psychology |
url | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4042080/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24917837 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00525 |
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