Timothy Osborne
Biographic Data
| ID | 3850436 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Timothy Osborne |
| GIVEN NAMES | Timothy |
| FAMILY NAME | Osborne |
| SIGNATURE | OSBORNE T |
| AFFILIATIONS | Zhejiang University |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-5685-357X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 15 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 20 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 15 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1985 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Syntactic predicates
Most theories of sentence structure acknowledge predicates, yet what one understands a predicate to be can vary significantly from one theory to the next, and from one grammarian to the next. This article surveys how the predicate notion is understood in semantics, syntax, and grammar studies quite generally. It scrutinizes the various predicate concepts, and then argues in favor of one particular understanding of predicates in syntax, one that i…
Coordination and referential dependencies: A dependency grammar account in terms of predicate-valent structures
The present paper explores the nexus of coordination and referential dependencies, focusing on sentences such as ‘Max and Lucie talked about him’, in which it is hardly possible for Max and him to be co-valued. Previous accounts claim that such referential dependencies are in fact possible on a collective reading. It will be demonstrated here, however, that informants consistently judge the co-valued reading in such cases to be either strongly ma…
Adjectives as roots of nominal groups: The big mess construction in dependency grammar
The so-called ‘Big Mess Construction’ (BMC) frustrates standard assumptions about the structure of nominal groups. The normal position of an attributive adjective is after the determiner and before the noun, but in the BMC, the adjective precedes the determiner, e.g. that strange a sound , so big a scandal , too lame an excuse . Previous accounts of the BMC are couched in ‘Phrase Structure Grammar’ (PSG) and view the noun or the determiner (or th…
Chunks are components: A dependency grammar approach to the syntactic structure of Mandarin
Speakers and listeners produce and process language in chunks. These chunks are not arbitrary combinations of words, but rather they are motivated in part by the syntactic structure of the sentences at hand. This article employs chunking data collected from informants to examine and reach conclusions about the syntactic structure of Mandarin sentences. Five prominent constructions are explored: 1) pivotal sentences, 2) serial verb constructions (…
Answer fragments
This manuscript presents a dependency grammar (DG) theory of answer fragments. The ellipsis mechanism implicated in answer fragments is called fragment ellipsis . The potential of a DG account based on the catena unit is probed, but found to be insufficient because it fails to account for certain cases involving in-situ focusing, e.g. Institutional what is hindering progress? – Authority . Therefore, an alternative account is produced, one that i…
Left node blocking
This article investigates a particular phenomenon of coordination that delivers important clues about the nature of syntactic structures. We call this phenomenon left node blocking - the designation is a play on the related concept of right node raising . Left node blocking provides insight into how syntactic structures are produced and processed. The dependency grammar analysis of the left node blocking phenomenon put forth here focuses on roots…
Katena und Konstruktion: Ein Vorschlag zu einer dependenziellen Konstruktionsgrammatik
The paper claims that a marriage of the Dependency Grammar (DG) understanding of word and sentence structure with the axioms of Construction Grammar is possible and desirable. The catena unit – the validity of which has been established in syntax – is extended to morphosyntax. In syntax, a word catena is defined as a word or a combination of words that is continuous with respect to dominance. This definition is extended to morphosyntax, where a m…
Constructions are catenae: Construction Grammar meets Dependency Grammar
The paper demonstrates that dependency-based syntax is in a strong position to produce principled and economical accounts of the syntax of constructs. The difficulty that constituency-based syntax has in this regard is that very many constructs fail to qualify as constituents. The point is evident with the box diagrams and attribute value matrices (AVMs) that some construction grammars (CxGs) use to formalize constructions; these schemata often r…
Catenae: Introducing a Novel Unit of Syntactic Analysis
This paper introduces a novel unit of syntactic analysis, thecatena(Latin for 'chain'; pluralcatenae). The catena is defined in a dependency-based grammar as a word or a combination of words that is continuous with respect to dominance. According to this definition, any dependency tree or any subtree (complete or partial) of a dependency tree qualifies as a catena. The paper demonstrates that idioms are stored as catenae and that the elided mater…
Bare phrase structure, label-less trees, and specifier-less syntax. Is Minimalism becoming a dependency grammar
Due to the programmatic nature of Minimalism, there are many directions that variations of this formalism can take. This paper demonstrates that one trend in Minimalism is steering toward Dependency Grammar (DG): bare phrase structure, label-less trees, and specifier-less syntax are all aspects/developments of/within Minimalism that are steering toward a dependency-based (as opposed to a constituency based) understanding of syntax and grammar. Wi…
Comparative coordination vs. comparative subordination
Major constituents and two dependency grammar constraints on sharing in coordination
The article examines the usage of the "major constituent" concept in theories of coordination. The literature on coordination references major constituents when predicting the material that may and may not be shared by the conjuncts of coordinate structures. Previous attempts at defining the concept are, however, vague and insufficient. Hence the article presents a new definition. This definition is based in a dependency grammar framework. In add…
The Weight of Predicates: A Dependency Grammar Analysis of Predicate Weight in German
When predicate constituents appear in the midfield in German, they must follow their sister constituents. When a midfield cannot be clearly identified, however, as in many matrix V2 clauses, predicate constituents may precede (certain of) their nonpredicate sister constituents. The contrast in serialization possibilities is curious. This paper provides a dependency grammar analysis of the phenomenon. Presenting four principles of word order for G…
Shared Material and Grammar: Toward A Dependency Grammar Theory of Non-Gapping Coordination for English and German
The paper presents a dependency grammar theory of non-gapping coordination. The approach draws a distinction etween standard cases of coordination - called String Coordination - and gapping. Only small conjuncts are acknowledged. The core of the approach is expressed in terms of three constraints - the Contiguity Requirement (CR), the Parallelism Requirement (PR), and the Restriction on Shared Constituents (RSC) - that restrict which strings may …
Canadian Productivity Growth: An Alternative (Input-Output) Analysis
Catenae: Introducing a Novel Unit of Syntactic Analysis
This paper introduces a novel unit of syntactic analysis, thecatena(Latin for 'chain'; pluralcatenae). The catena is defined in a dependency-based grammar as a word or a combination of words that is continuous with respect to dominance. According to this definition, any dependency tree or any subtree (complete or partial) of a dependency tree qualifies as a catena. The paper demonstrates that idioms are stored as catenae and that the elided mater…
Left node blocking
This article investigates a particular phenomenon of coordination that delivers important clues about the nature of syntactic structures. We call this phenomenon left node blocking - the designation is a play on the related concept of right node raising . Left node blocking provides insight into how syntactic structures are produced and processed. The dependency grammar analysis of the left node blocking phenomenon put forth here focuses on roots…
Constructions are catenae: Construction Grammar meets Dependency Grammar
The paper demonstrates that dependency-based syntax is in a strong position to produce principled and economical accounts of the syntax of constructs. The difficulty that constituency-based syntax has in this regard is that very many constructs fail to qualify as constituents. The point is evident with the box diagrams and attribute value matrices (AVMs) that some construction grammars (CxGs) use to formalize constructions; these schemata often r…
Major constituents and two dependency grammar constraints on sharing in coordination
The article examines the usage of the "major constituent" concept in theories of coordination. The literature on coordination references major constituents when predicting the material that may and may not be shared by the conjuncts of coordinate structures. Previous attempts at defining the concept are, however, vague and insufficient. Hence the article presents a new definition. This definition is based in a dependency grammar framework. In add…
Chunks are components: A dependency grammar approach to the syntactic structure of Mandarin
Speakers and listeners produce and process language in chunks. These chunks are not arbitrary combinations of words, but rather they are motivated in part by the syntactic structure of the sentences at hand. This article employs chunking data collected from informants to examine and reach conclusions about the syntactic structure of Mandarin sentences. Five prominent constructions are explored: 1) pivotal sentences, 2) serial verb constructions (…
Bare phrase structure, label-less trees, and specifier-less syntax. Is Minimalism becoming a dependency grammar
Due to the programmatic nature of Minimalism, there are many directions that variations of this formalism can take. This paper demonstrates that one trend in Minimalism is steering toward Dependency Grammar (DG): bare phrase structure, label-less trees, and specifier-less syntax are all aspects/developments of/within Minimalism that are steering toward a dependency-based (as opposed to a constituency based) understanding of syntax and grammar. Wi…
Comparative coordination vs. comparative subordination
Canadian Productivity Growth: An Alternative (Input-Output) Analysis
Shared Material and Grammar: Toward A Dependency Grammar Theory of Non-Gapping Coordination for English and German
The paper presents a dependency grammar theory of non-gapping coordination. The approach draws a distinction etween standard cases of coordination - called String Coordination - and gapping. Only small conjuncts are acknowledged. The core of the approach is expressed in terms of three constraints - the Contiguity Requirement (CR), the Parallelism Requirement (PR), and the Restriction on Shared Constituents (RSC) - that restrict which strings may …
The Weight of Predicates: A Dependency Grammar Analysis of Predicate Weight in German
When predicate constituents appear in the midfield in German, they must follow their sister constituents. When a midfield cannot be clearly identified, however, as in many matrix V2 clauses, predicate constituents may precede (certain of) their nonpredicate sister constituents. The contrast in serialization possibilities is curious. This paper provides a dependency grammar analysis of the phenomenon. Presenting four principles of word order for G…
Major constituents and two dependency grammar constraints on sharing in coordination
The article examines the usage of the "major constituent" concept in theories of coordination. The literature on coordination references major constituents when predicting the material that may and may not be shared by the conjuncts of coordinate structures. Previous attempts at defining the concept are, however, vague and insufficient. Hence the article presents a new definition. This definition is based in a dependency grammar framework. In add…
Comparative coordination vs. comparative subordination
Bare phrase structure, label-less trees, and specifier-less syntax. Is Minimalism becoming a dependency grammar
Due to the programmatic nature of Minimalism, there are many directions that variations of this formalism can take. This paper demonstrates that one trend in Minimalism is steering toward Dependency Grammar (DG): bare phrase structure, label-less trees, and specifier-less syntax are all aspects/developments of/within Minimalism that are steering toward a dependency-based (as opposed to a constituency based) understanding of syntax and grammar. Wi…
Constructions are catenae: Construction Grammar meets Dependency Grammar
The paper demonstrates that dependency-based syntax is in a strong position to produce principled and economical accounts of the syntax of constructs. The difficulty that constituency-based syntax has in this regard is that very many constructs fail to qualify as constituents. The point is evident with the box diagrams and attribute value matrices (AVMs) that some construction grammars (CxGs) use to formalize constructions; these schemata often r…
Catenae: Introducing a Novel Unit of Syntactic Analysis
This paper introduces a novel unit of syntactic analysis, thecatena(Latin for 'chain'; pluralcatenae). The catena is defined in a dependency-based grammar as a word or a combination of words that is continuous with respect to dominance. According to this definition, any dependency tree or any subtree (complete or partial) of a dependency tree qualifies as a catena. The paper demonstrates that idioms are stored as catenae and that the elided mater…
Katena und Konstruktion: Ein Vorschlag zu einer dependenziellen Konstruktionsgrammatik
The paper claims that a marriage of the Dependency Grammar (DG) understanding of word and sentence structure with the axioms of Construction Grammar is possible and desirable. The catena unit – the validity of which has been established in syntax – is extended to morphosyntax. In syntax, a word catena is defined as a word or a combination of words that is continuous with respect to dominance. This definition is extended to morphosyntax, where a m…
Left node blocking
This article investigates a particular phenomenon of coordination that delivers important clues about the nature of syntactic structures. We call this phenomenon left node blocking - the designation is a play on the related concept of right node raising . Left node blocking provides insight into how syntactic structures are produced and processed. The dependency grammar analysis of the left node blocking phenomenon put forth here focuses on roots…
Answer fragments
This manuscript presents a dependency grammar (DG) theory of answer fragments. The ellipsis mechanism implicated in answer fragments is called fragment ellipsis . The potential of a DG account based on the catena unit is probed, but found to be insufficient because it fails to account for certain cases involving in-situ focusing, e.g. Institutional what is hindering progress? – Authority . Therefore, an alternative account is produced, one that i…
Chunks are components: A dependency grammar approach to the syntactic structure of Mandarin
Speakers and listeners produce and process language in chunks. These chunks are not arbitrary combinations of words, but rather they are motivated in part by the syntactic structure of the sentences at hand. This article employs chunking data collected from informants to examine and reach conclusions about the syntactic structure of Mandarin sentences. Five prominent constructions are explored: 1) pivotal sentences, 2) serial verb constructions (…
Adjectives as roots of nominal groups: The big mess construction in dependency grammar
The so-called ‘Big Mess Construction’ (BMC) frustrates standard assumptions about the structure of nominal groups. The normal position of an attributive adjective is after the determiner and before the noun, but in the BMC, the adjective precedes the determiner, e.g. that strange a sound , so big a scandal , too lame an excuse . Previous accounts of the BMC are couched in ‘Phrase Structure Grammar’ (PSG) and view the noun or the determiner (or th…
Coordination and referential dependencies: A dependency grammar account in terms of predicate-valent structures
The present paper explores the nexus of coordination and referential dependencies, focusing on sentences such as ‘Max and Lucie talked about him’, in which it is hardly possible for Max and him to be co-valued. Previous accounts claim that such referential dependencies are in fact possible on a collective reading. It will be demonstrated here, however, that informants consistently judge the co-valued reading in such cases to be either strongly ma…
Syntactic predicates
Most theories of sentence structure acknowledge predicates, yet what one understands a predicate to be can vary significantly from one theory to the next, and from one grammarian to the next. This article surveys how the predicate notion is understood in semantics, syntax, and grammar studies quite generally. It scrutinizes the various predicate concepts, and then argues in favor of one particular understanding of predicates in syntax, one that i…
Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation (14 works) · Natural Language Processing Techniques (11 works) · Grammar (10 works) · Linguistics (10 works) · Philosophy (10 works) · Computer Science (9 works) · Artificial Intelligence (7 works) · Natural language processing (7 works) · Syntax (7 works) · Linguistic Variation and Morphology (4 works)