Role-reference associations and the explanation of argument coding splits

Datos Bibliográficos

ID3988770
AutoresMartin Haspelmath (0000-0003-2100-8493, MPI-EVA Leipzig, Leipzig University , Deutscher Platz 6 , 04103 Leipzig , Germany, autor de correspondencia)
Año2021
Volumen59
Número1
Páginas123-174
Fecha de publicación2021-01-27
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaLinguistics (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0024-3949 • E-ISSN: 1613-396X
EditorialWalter de Gruyter GmbH (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1515/ling-2020-0252
OpenAlexW3125086305
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas36
Referencias citadas79

Argument coding splits such as differential (= split) object marking and split ergative marking have long been known to be universal tendencies, but the generalizations have not been formulated in their full generality before. In particular, ditransitive constructions have rarely been taken into account, and scenario splits have often been treated separately. Here I argue that all these patterns can be understood in terms of the usual association of role rank (highly ranked A and R, low-ranked P and T) and referential prominence (locuphoric person, animacy, definiteness, etc.). At the most general level, the role-reference association universal says that deviations from usual associations of role rank and referential prominence tend to be coded by longer grammatical forms. In other words, A and R tend to be referentially prominent in language use, while P and T are less prominent, and when less usual associations need to be expressed, languages often require special coding by means of additional flags (case-markers and adpositions) or additional verbal voice coding (e.g., inverse or passive markers). I argue that role-reference associations are an instance of the even more general pattern of form-frequency correspondences, and that the resulting coding asymmetries can all be explained by frequency-based predictability and coding efficiency

Animacy · Argument (complex analysis · Definiteness · Generality · Linguistic universal · Predictability · Speech act · Language, Discourse, Communication Strategies · Natural Language Processing Techniques · Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation