Pavel Caha
Biographic Data
| ID | 1013415 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Pavel Caha |
| GIVEN NAMES | Pavel |
| FAMILY NAME | Caha |
| SIGNATURE | CAHA P |
| AFFILIATIONS | Masaryk University |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-1428-8052 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 13 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 21 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 13 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2010 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Root and stem allomorphy without multiple exponence: The Case of Special Nominatives
This paper explores an approach to root and stem allomorphy that does not make use of context sensitive rules (i.e., secondary exponence) and relies on primary exponence only. In such a system, each feature is referenced by realisation rules only once and multiple exponence is eliminated. The study applies this system to the phenomenon of root and stem allomorphy in declension systems (McFadden in Glossa 3:8.1-36, 2018, Christopoulos & Zompì in N…
Allomorphy without context specification: A case study of Czech adjectival stems
Zero morphology and change-of-state verbs
This paper discusses a theory of conversion (zero derivation) in terms of phrasal spellout. In this approach, there are no zero morphemes. Instead, the ‘silent’ meaning components are pronounced cumulatively within overt morphemes. As an empirical case, we discuss adjective/verb ambiguity as in narrow . As verbs, these roots have both an inchoative and a causative sense. Following Ramchand (2008), we assume that such deadjectival causatives conta…
The Marking of Mass, Count and Plural Denotations in Multi‐dimensional Paradigms
This paper investigates the morphology of nouns in pseudo‐partitive constructions, noun‐numeral constructions and plurals. The data discussed reveal a *ABA pattern that restricts syncretism among these categories. Specifically, in the sequence pseudo‐partitive, counting form and plural, only adjacent forms can be syncretic. I argue that the constraint can be derived from a particular morphosyntactic structure, where, following Borer (2005), mass …
A nanosyntactic approach to Dutch deadjectival verbs
There are three ways of deriving verbs in Dutch: through zero marking, through suffixation, and through prefixation. We focus on prefixed deadjectival verbs, contrasting two views. According to the first view, prefixed verbs are left-headed: the prefix is responsible for the change in category, i.e. [ V ver [ A breed]]. The second view holds that prefixed verbs are right-headed, and involve a zero verbalizing suffix, i.e. [ V ver [ V [ A breed] ∅…
Nanosyntactic Analysis of Turkish Case System
This paper takes two challenging characteristics of the Turkish case system and shows that a nanosyntactic analysis can cover both. The first puzzle is that some cases, namely ACC and GEN, in Turkish show alternations between specific and non-specific forms, while other cases like DAT and INS do not. The second puzzle concerns containment relations in morphology. Caha (2009) proposes that cases stand in a containment relation. In some languages l…
How to be positive
In this paper, we discuss a cross-linguistically rare pattern of comparative formation found in Slovak. This pattern is theoretically interesting, because it violates a candidate universal on the relationship between the positive and the comparative degree. The universal, discussed in Grano & Davis (2018), says that the comparative is always either identical to, or derived from, the positive degree. This universal is violated by a number of adjec…
The Fine Structure of the Comparative
The paper provides evidence for a more articulated structure of the comparative as compared with the one in Bobaljik (2012). We propose to split up Bobaljik's cmpr head into two distinct heads, C1 and C2. Looking at Czech, Old Church Slavonic and English, we show that this proposal explains a range of facts about suppletion and allomorphy. A crucial ingredient of our analysis is the claim that adjectival roots are not a-categorial, but spell out …
Suppletion and morpheme order: Are words special
This article reviews some of the main theoretical claims made in Jonathan David Bobaljik’s 2012 book, which deals with root suppletion in adjectival degree expressions. My first goal is to make the reader familiar with a coherent fragment of the overall system and the data that motivate it. The second goal is to discuss one specific part of the account, namely that words, understood as complex heads, are special for suppletion in the sense that s…
Vowel length as evidence for a distinction between free and bound prefixes in Czech
This paper argues that Czech verbal prefixes alternate between two states, roughly corresponding to the traditional notions ‘free’ and ‘bound’. The distinction, however, is not reflected in the separability of the prefix and the verb; it is reflected in vowel length. Main evidence for the claim is drawn from the way vowel length of adpositions is treated Czech internally and from a comparison to Norwegian. Theoretically, we implement the alternat…
Forthcoming articles
A perceptual cue constraint approach to postnasal laryngeal alternations
Explaining the structure of case paradigms by the mechanisms of Nanosyntax: The Classical Armenian nominal declension
The parameters of case marking and spell out driven movement
This paper proposes that case decomposes into a number of separate functional projections, which are ordered in a universal functional sequence. Cross-linguistic variation in position and complexity of case morphology is then accounted for in terms of differential noun phrase movement within the invariant sequence (Cinque 2005). I further investigate the possibility that variation in movement may be reduced to variation in the shape of the actual…
The Fine Structure of the Comparative
The paper provides evidence for a more articulated structure of the comparative as compared with the one in Bobaljik (2012). We propose to split up Bobaljik's cmpr head into two distinct heads, C1 and C2. Looking at Czech, Old Church Slavonic and English, we show that this proposal explains a range of facts about suppletion and allomorphy. A crucial ingredient of our analysis is the claim that adjectival roots are not a-categorial, but spell out …
Explaining the structure of case paradigms by the mechanisms of Nanosyntax: The Classical Armenian nominal declension
Suppletion and morpheme order: Are words special
This article reviews some of the main theoretical claims made in Jonathan David Bobaljik’s 2012 book, which deals with root suppletion in adjectival degree expressions. My first goal is to make the reader familiar with a coherent fragment of the overall system and the data that motivate it. The second goal is to discuss one specific part of the account, namely that words, understood as complex heads, are special for suppletion in the sense that s…
Root and stem allomorphy without multiple exponence: The Case of Special Nominatives
This paper explores an approach to root and stem allomorphy that does not make use of context sensitive rules (i.e., secondary exponence) and relies on primary exponence only. In such a system, each feature is referenced by realisation rules only once and multiple exponence is eliminated. The study applies this system to the phenomenon of root and stem allomorphy in declension systems (McFadden in Glossa 3:8.1-36, 2018, Christopoulos & Zompì in N…
The parameters of case marking and spell out driven movement
This paper proposes that case decomposes into a number of separate functional projections, which are ordered in a universal functional sequence. Cross-linguistic variation in position and complexity of case morphology is then accounted for in terms of differential noun phrase movement within the invariant sequence (Cinque 2005). I further investigate the possibility that variation in movement may be reduced to variation in the shape of the actual…
Explaining the structure of case paradigms by the mechanisms of Nanosyntax: The Classical Armenian nominal declension
Forthcoming articles
A perceptual cue constraint approach to postnasal laryngeal alternations
Vowel length as evidence for a distinction between free and bound prefixes in Czech
This paper argues that Czech verbal prefixes alternate between two states, roughly corresponding to the traditional notions ‘free’ and ‘bound’. The distinction, however, is not reflected in the separability of the prefix and the verb; it is reflected in vowel length. Main evidence for the claim is drawn from the way vowel length of adpositions is treated Czech internally and from a comparison to Norwegian. Theoretically, we implement the alternat…
Suppletion and morpheme order: Are words special
This article reviews some of the main theoretical claims made in Jonathan David Bobaljik’s 2012 book, which deals with root suppletion in adjectival degree expressions. My first goal is to make the reader familiar with a coherent fragment of the overall system and the data that motivate it. The second goal is to discuss one specific part of the account, namely that words, understood as complex heads, are special for suppletion in the sense that s…
The Fine Structure of the Comparative
The paper provides evidence for a more articulated structure of the comparative as compared with the one in Bobaljik (2012). We propose to split up Bobaljik's cmpr head into two distinct heads, C1 and C2. Looking at Czech, Old Church Slavonic and English, we show that this proposal explains a range of facts about suppletion and allomorphy. A crucial ingredient of our analysis is the claim that adjectival roots are not a-categorial, but spell out …
How to be positive
In this paper, we discuss a cross-linguistically rare pattern of comparative formation found in Slovak. This pattern is theoretically interesting, because it violates a candidate universal on the relationship between the positive and the comparative degree. The universal, discussed in Grano & Davis (2018), says that the comparative is always either identical to, or derived from, the positive degree. This universal is violated by a number of adjec…
Nanosyntactic Analysis of Turkish Case System
This paper takes two challenging characteristics of the Turkish case system and shows that a nanosyntactic analysis can cover both. The first puzzle is that some cases, namely ACC and GEN, in Turkish show alternations between specific and non-specific forms, while other cases like DAT and INS do not. The second puzzle concerns containment relations in morphology. Caha (2009) proposes that cases stand in a containment relation. In some languages l…
The Marking of Mass, Count and Plural Denotations in Multi‐dimensional Paradigms
This paper investigates the morphology of nouns in pseudo‐partitive constructions, noun‐numeral constructions and plurals. The data discussed reveal a *ABA pattern that restricts syncretism among these categories. Specifically, in the sequence pseudo‐partitive, counting form and plural, only adjacent forms can be syncretic. I argue that the constraint can be derived from a particular morphosyntactic structure, where, following Borer (2005), mass …
A nanosyntactic approach to Dutch deadjectival verbs
There are three ways of deriving verbs in Dutch: through zero marking, through suffixation, and through prefixation. We focus on prefixed deadjectival verbs, contrasting two views. According to the first view, prefixed verbs are left-headed: the prefix is responsible for the change in category, i.e. [ V ver [ A breed]]. The second view holds that prefixed verbs are right-headed, and involve a zero verbalizing suffix, i.e. [ V ver [ V [ A breed] ∅…
Zero morphology and change-of-state verbs
This paper discusses a theory of conversion (zero derivation) in terms of phrasal spellout. In this approach, there are no zero morphemes. Instead, the ‘silent’ meaning components are pronounced cumulatively within overt morphemes. As an empirical case, we discuss adjective/verb ambiguity as in narrow . As verbs, these roots have both an inchoative and a causative sense. Following Ramchand (2008), we assume that such deadjectival causatives conta…
Allomorphy without context specification: A case study of Czech adjectival stems
Root and stem allomorphy without multiple exponence: The Case of Special Nominatives
This paper explores an approach to root and stem allomorphy that does not make use of context sensitive rules (i.e., secondary exponence) and relies on primary exponence only. In such a system, each feature is referenced by realisation rules only once and multiple exponence is eliminated. The study applies this system to the phenomenon of root and stem allomorphy in declension systems (McFadden in Glossa 3:8.1-36, 2018, Christopoulos & Zompì in N…
Linguistics (12 works) · Philosophy (11 works) · Computer Science (9 works) · Mathematics (9 works) · Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation (9 works) · Morpheme (7 works) · Natural Language Processing Techniques (5 works) · Allomorph (4 works) · Artificial Intelligence (4 works) · Linguistic Variation and Morphology (4 works)