M Ryan Bochnak
Biographic Data
| ID | 1666029 |
|---|---|
| NAME | M Ryan Bochnak |
| GIVEN NAMES | M Ryan |
| FAMILY NAME | Bochnak |
| SIGNATURE | BOCHNAK M R |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of British Columbia |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-8721-2644 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 12 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 39 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 12 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2009 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Conjoined Comparison and Variation in Degree Semantics
Conjoined comparisons, consisting of two clauses containing antonymous or positive‐negative predicate pairs, are among the most common comparison construction types in the world's languages. As research on degree constructions from a cross‐linguistic perspective has increased, so too has the number of studies focused on conjoined comparisons. Although the number of languages that have received in‐depth treatment is still fairly small, this growin…
Some Aspects of Aspect in Wá∙šiw
This paper provides a semantic description of some aspectual phenomena in Wá∙šiw, a language in which grammatical aspect is not obligatorily marked on verbs. It is shown that aspectually unmarked clauses can receive either perfective or imperfective interpretations, and I provide tests for distinguishing lexical aspectual classes in the language. The paper then turns to a description of aspectual phenomena that have not been discussed in detail i…
Clausal embedding in Washo: Complementation vs. modification
This paper concerns clausal embedding in Washo (also spelled Washoe, Wáˑšiw), a highly endangered Hokan/isolate language spoken around Lake Tahoe in the United States. We argue that Washo offers evidence that both complementation and modification are available strategies for subordination, and in doing so contribute more generally to the ongoing debate about how clauses are embedded by attitude verbs. We observe that the embedding strategies of c…
Techniques in Complex Semantic Fieldwork
The main goal of semantic fieldwork is to accurately capture the contribution of natural language expressions to truth conditions and to pragmatic felicity conditions, by interacting with native speakers of the language under investigation. Most semantic fieldwork tasks (including, for example, acceptability judgment tasks, elicited production tasks, and translation tasks) require the researcher to present a discourse context to the consultant. T…
The Grammar of Degree: Gradability Across Languages
In this review, we discuss the empirical landscape of degree constructions cross-linguistically as well as the major analytical avenues that have been pursued to account for individual languages and cross-linguistic variation. We first focus on comparatives and outline various compositional strategies for different types of comparative sentences as well as points of cross-linguistic variation in the lexicalization of comparative operators and gra…
Variation in Tense and Aspect, and the Temporal Interpretation of Complement Clauses
In this paper, we investigate the temporal interpretation of propositional attitude complement clauses in four typologically unrelated languages: Washo (language isolate), Medumba (Niger-Congo), Hausa (Afro-Asiatic), and Samoan (Austronesian). Of these languages, Washo and Medumba are optional-tense languages, while Hausa and Samoan are tenseless. Just like in obligatory-tense languages, we observe variation among these languages when it comes to…
Future reference with and without future marking
The nature of future temporal reference has long posed a challenge to linguistic theories of temporal interpretation. On the one hand, the future would seem to be the mirror image of the past on a linear timeline. On the other hand, the future is inherently non-factual, suggesting a modal analysis of the future that is non-symmetrical with the past and the present. Cross-linguistic studies of temporal reference have furthermore uncovered much var…
Modal height and modal flavor: The case of Wolof "di"
The Wolof imperfective auxiliary di is compatible with event-in-progress, habitualand future readings. Furthermore, while varieties of all these readings are available fordi when it sits in a syntactically low position, only future readings are available when it sitsin a syntactically high position. We aim to account for this puzzle by combining several ingredientsindependently motivated in the literature: (i) event-relative circumstantial modali…
The Degree Semantics Parameter and cross-linguistic variation
The standard degree analysis of gradability in English holds that the function of degree morphology, such as the comparative, measure phrases, and degree adverbs, is to bind a degree variable located in the lexical semantics of gradable predicates. In this paper, I investigate gradation structures in Washo (isolate/Hokan), and claim that this language systematically lacks degree morphology of this sort. I propose that this gap in the functional i…
Intensification without degrees cross-linguistically
Limited Noun Incorporation in Washo
In this paper, we discuss two bipartite verb stem formation constructions in Washo, where an element translated into English as a nominal appears as the initial in a bipartite verb stem: Body-Part Initials (BPIs) and Instrument Noun Initials (INIs). We pursue the idea that these may in fact be instances of Noun Incorporation (NI) in Washo. These two constructions differ in their morphosyntactic and discourse properties, specifically with respect …
Promiscuous Modification and Cross-Categorial Scale Structure
Intensification without degrees cross-linguistically
Techniques in Complex Semantic Fieldwork
The main goal of semantic fieldwork is to accurately capture the contribution of natural language expressions to truth conditions and to pragmatic felicity conditions, by interacting with native speakers of the language under investigation. Most semantic fieldwork tasks (including, for example, acceptability judgment tasks, elicited production tasks, and translation tasks) require the researcher to present a discourse context to the consultant. T…
Clausal embedding in Washo: Complementation vs. modification
This paper concerns clausal embedding in Washo (also spelled Washoe, Wáˑšiw), a highly endangered Hokan/isolate language spoken around Lake Tahoe in the United States. We argue that Washo offers evidence that both complementation and modification are available strategies for subordination, and in doing so contribute more generally to the ongoing debate about how clauses are embedded by attitude verbs. We observe that the embedding strategies of c…
Variation in Tense and Aspect, and the Temporal Interpretation of Complement Clauses
In this paper, we investigate the temporal interpretation of propositional attitude complement clauses in four typologically unrelated languages: Washo (language isolate), Medumba (Niger-Congo), Hausa (Afro-Asiatic), and Samoan (Austronesian). Of these languages, Washo and Medumba are optional-tense languages, while Hausa and Samoan are tenseless. Just like in obligatory-tense languages, we observe variation among these languages when it comes to…
The Grammar of Degree: Gradability Across Languages
In this review, we discuss the empirical landscape of degree constructions cross-linguistically as well as the major analytical avenues that have been pursued to account for individual languages and cross-linguistic variation. We first focus on comparatives and outline various compositional strategies for different types of comparative sentences as well as points of cross-linguistic variation in the lexicalization of comparative operators and gra…
Some Aspects of Aspect in Wá∙šiw
This paper provides a semantic description of some aspectual phenomena in Wá∙šiw, a language in which grammatical aspect is not obligatorily marked on verbs. It is shown that aspectually unmarked clauses can receive either perfective or imperfective interpretations, and I provide tests for distinguishing lexical aspectual classes in the language. The paper then turns to a description of aspectual phenomena that have not been discussed in detail i…
Limited Noun Incorporation in Washo
In this paper, we discuss two bipartite verb stem formation constructions in Washo, where an element translated into English as a nominal appears as the initial in a bipartite verb stem: Body-Part Initials (BPIs) and Instrument Noun Initials (INIs). We pursue the idea that these may in fact be instances of Noun Incorporation (NI) in Washo. These two constructions differ in their morphosyntactic and discourse properties, specifically with respect …
Future reference with and without future marking
The nature of future temporal reference has long posed a challenge to linguistic theories of temporal interpretation. On the one hand, the future would seem to be the mirror image of the past on a linear timeline. On the other hand, the future is inherently non-factual, suggesting a modal analysis of the future that is non-symmetrical with the past and the present. Cross-linguistic studies of temporal reference have furthermore uncovered much var…
Promiscuous Modification and Cross-Categorial Scale Structure
Limited Noun Incorporation in Washo
In this paper, we discuss two bipartite verb stem formation constructions in Washo, where an element translated into English as a nominal appears as the initial in a bipartite verb stem: Body-Part Initials (BPIs) and Instrument Noun Initials (INIs). We pursue the idea that these may in fact be instances of Noun Incorporation (NI) in Washo. These two constructions differ in their morphosyntactic and discourse properties, specifically with respect …
The Degree Semantics Parameter and cross-linguistic variation
The standard degree analysis of gradability in English holds that the function of degree morphology, such as the comparative, measure phrases, and degree adverbs, is to bind a degree variable located in the lexical semantics of gradable predicates. In this paper, I investigate gradation structures in Washo (isolate/Hokan), and claim that this language systematically lacks degree morphology of this sort. I propose that this gap in the functional i…
Intensification without degrees cross-linguistically
Modal height and modal flavor: The case of Wolof "di"
The Wolof imperfective auxiliary di is compatible with event-in-progress, habitualand future readings. Furthermore, while varieties of all these readings are available fordi when it sits in a syntactically low position, only future readings are available when it sitsin a syntactically high position. We aim to account for this puzzle by combining several ingredientsindependently motivated in the literature: (i) event-relative circumstantial modali…
Techniques in Complex Semantic Fieldwork
The main goal of semantic fieldwork is to accurately capture the contribution of natural language expressions to truth conditions and to pragmatic felicity conditions, by interacting with native speakers of the language under investigation. Most semantic fieldwork tasks (including, for example, acceptability judgment tasks, elicited production tasks, and translation tasks) require the researcher to present a discourse context to the consultant. T…
The Grammar of Degree: Gradability Across Languages
In this review, we discuss the empirical landscape of degree constructions cross-linguistically as well as the major analytical avenues that have been pursued to account for individual languages and cross-linguistic variation. We first focus on comparatives and outline various compositional strategies for different types of comparative sentences as well as points of cross-linguistic variation in the lexicalization of comparative operators and gra…
Variation in Tense and Aspect, and the Temporal Interpretation of Complement Clauses
In this paper, we investigate the temporal interpretation of propositional attitude complement clauses in four typologically unrelated languages: Washo (language isolate), Medumba (Niger-Congo), Hausa (Afro-Asiatic), and Samoan (Austronesian). Of these languages, Washo and Medumba are optional-tense languages, while Hausa and Samoan are tenseless. Just like in obligatory-tense languages, we observe variation among these languages when it comes to…
Future reference with and without future marking
The nature of future temporal reference has long posed a challenge to linguistic theories of temporal interpretation. On the one hand, the future would seem to be the mirror image of the past on a linear timeline. On the other hand, the future is inherently non-factual, suggesting a modal analysis of the future that is non-symmetrical with the past and the present. Cross-linguistic studies of temporal reference have furthermore uncovered much var…
Clausal embedding in Washo: Complementation vs. modification
This paper concerns clausal embedding in Washo (also spelled Washoe, Wáˑšiw), a highly endangered Hokan/isolate language spoken around Lake Tahoe in the United States. We argue that Washo offers evidence that both complementation and modification are available strategies for subordination, and in doing so contribute more generally to the ongoing debate about how clauses are embedded by attitude verbs. We observe that the embedding strategies of c…
Some Aspects of Aspect in Wá∙šiw
This paper provides a semantic description of some aspectual phenomena in Wá∙šiw, a language in which grammatical aspect is not obligatorily marked on verbs. It is shown that aspectually unmarked clauses can receive either perfective or imperfective interpretations, and I provide tests for distinguishing lexical aspectual classes in the language. The paper then turns to a description of aspectual phenomena that have not been discussed in detail i…
Conjoined Comparison and Variation in Degree Semantics
Conjoined comparisons, consisting of two clauses containing antonymous or positive‐negative predicate pairs, are among the most common comparison construction types in the world's languages. As research on degree constructions from a cross‐linguistic perspective has increased, so too has the number of studies focused on conjoined comparisons. Although the number of languages that have received in‐depth treatment is still fairly small, this growin…
Computer Science (11 works) · Linguistics (10 works) · Philosophy (10 works) · Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation (10 works) · Linguistic Variation and Morphology (7 works) · Artificial Intelligence (5 works) · Language, Metaphor, and Cognition (4 works) · Mathematics (4 works) · Natural Language Processing Techniques (4 works) · Philosophy (4 works)