Martha Mcginnis
Biographic Data
| ID | 811039 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Martha Mcginnis |
| GIVEN NAMES | Martha |
| FAMILY NAME | Mcginnis |
| SIGNATURE | MCGINNIS M |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Calgary |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-5298-4908 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 9 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 42 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 9 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2001 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
The diverse argument structures of Georgian subject-experiencer predicates
We propose an analysis of Georgian psych-verbs, identifying a surprising syntactic distinction between two classes of Subject-Experiencer (SubjExp) predicates. While prior work on psych-verbs identifies distinct argument structures associated with different sets of lexical verbs, we argue that Georgian SubjExp verbs reveal a principled correlation between argument structure and aspectual interpretation. In Georgian, psych-verbs have different mor…
Excerpts from a Conversation with Noam Chomsky
While discursive approaches and social theory enjoy some notoriety in the academic study of religion, the so-called critical turn is no stranger to challenges. Some reject it as philosophically apolitical; others, as ignorant of biological and psychological insights. In this edition of The Interview, we turn to an exchange with MIT Professor Emeritus Noam Chomsky, whose work has informed how many scholars of religion approach the sciences and cul…
Reflexive clitics are verbal, not pronominal
I argue that reflexive clitics are not pronominal, but verbal. Cross-linguistically, reflexive clitics can realize either an unaccusative or an unergative Voice head, both of which allow anaphoric interpretations (as suggested by the work of Reinhart and Siloni 2004, 2005). I contrast the anaphoric Voice analysis with two well-known pronominal analyses of reflexive clitics: one, proposed for French, postulating an anaphoric external argument (McG…
Applicatives
Applicative constructions involve the addition of a non‐core, usually optional nominal argument to a clause. In some languages an applicative affix may be added to the verb, or an applied argument may have a characteristic case making. An applied argument can have one of several thematic roles, such as benefactive, instrumental, locative, source, recipient, or experiencer. Applicative constructions shed important light on a variety of theoretical…
Applicatives
An applicative is a syntactic element adding an extra object to a clause. In some cases, the direct and applied objects are generated within a small clause; in others, the applied object is generated outside the main verb phrase. Symmetric applicatives allow either object to move to the subject position of a passive clause; asymmetric applicatives allow only one object to move. Within Minimalist theory, syntactic movement is constrained by the Mi…
On Markedness Asymmetries in Person and Number
On markedness asymmetries in person and number* Martha McGinnis 1. Introduction Extensive typological research on systems of pronouns and agreement has led to a number of important discoveries about the representation of morphosyntactic features. For example, Harley and Ritter (2002; H&R) propose a universal geometry of person, number, and gender features (1), which captures a wide array of pronominal systems in the languages of the world (p. 486…
Lethal Ambiguity
This article argues for a new analysis of Rizzi's (1986) Chain Condition effects, which accounts for the absence of such effects in some derivations. Under the proposed analysis, each moved phrase must be unambiguously linkedwith its copy at LF. Otherwise, a lethal ambiguity arises, and the derivation crashes. The syntactic position (address) and the numeration index of an A-movedphrase are usedto link it with its copy. Long A-movement across ano…
On the Systematic Aspect of Idioms
Linguistic Inquiry - Volume 33, Number 4, Fall 2002
Variation in the phase structure of applicatives
This paper argues that a substantial amount of the variation in the grammatical properties of applicative constructions arises from structural differences between two main types, identified by Pylkkänen (2000) as high and low applicatives. High applicatives take an NP specifier and a VP complement, while low applicatives take an NP specifier and an NP complement. The two types of applicatives differ in their lexical-semantic and transitivity prop…
On Markedness Asymmetries in Person and Number
On markedness asymmetries in person and number* Martha McGinnis 1. Introduction Extensive typological research on systems of pronouns and agreement has led to a number of important discoveries about the representation of morphosyntactic features. For example, Harley and Ritter (2002; H&R) propose a universal geometry of person, number, and gender features (1), which captures a wide array of pronominal systems in the languages of the world (p. 486…
Lethal Ambiguity
This article argues for a new analysis of Rizzi's (1986) Chain Condition effects, which accounts for the absence of such effects in some derivations. Under the proposed analysis, each moved phrase must be unambiguously linkedwith its copy at LF. Otherwise, a lethal ambiguity arises, and the derivation crashes. The syntactic position (address) and the numeration index of an A-movedphrase are usedto link it with its copy. Long A-movement across ano…
On the Systematic Aspect of Idioms
Linguistic Inquiry - Volume 33, Number 4, Fall 2002
Applicatives
An applicative is a syntactic element adding an extra object to a clause. In some cases, the direct and applied objects are generated within a small clause; in others, the applied object is generated outside the main verb phrase. Symmetric applicatives allow either object to move to the subject position of a passive clause; asymmetric applicatives allow only one object to move. Within Minimalist theory, syntactic movement is constrained by the Mi…
Variation in the phase structure of applicatives
This paper argues that a substantial amount of the variation in the grammatical properties of applicative constructions arises from structural differences between two main types, identified by Pylkkänen (2000) as high and low applicatives. High applicatives take an NP specifier and a VP complement, while low applicatives take an NP specifier and an NP complement. The two types of applicatives differ in their lexical-semantic and transitivity prop…
On the Systematic Aspect of Idioms
Linguistic Inquiry - Volume 33, Number 4, Fall 2002
Lethal Ambiguity
This article argues for a new analysis of Rizzi's (1986) Chain Condition effects, which accounts for the absence of such effects in some derivations. Under the proposed analysis, each moved phrase must be unambiguously linkedwith its copy at LF. Otherwise, a lethal ambiguity arises, and the derivation crashes. The syntactic position (address) and the numeration index of an A-movedphrase are usedto link it with its copy. Long A-movement across ano…
On Markedness Asymmetries in Person and Number
On markedness asymmetries in person and number* Martha McGinnis 1. Introduction Extensive typological research on systems of pronouns and agreement has led to a number of important discoveries about the representation of morphosyntactic features. For example, Harley and Ritter (2002; H&R) propose a universal geometry of person, number, and gender features (1), which captures a wide array of pronominal systems in the languages of the world (p. 486…
Applicatives
An applicative is a syntactic element adding an extra object to a clause. In some cases, the direct and applied objects are generated within a small clause; in others, the applied object is generated outside the main verb phrase. Symmetric applicatives allow either object to move to the subject position of a passive clause; asymmetric applicatives allow only one object to move. Within Minimalist theory, syntactic movement is constrained by the Mi…
Applicatives
Applicative constructions involve the addition of a non‐core, usually optional nominal argument to a clause. In some languages an applicative affix may be added to the verb, or an applied argument may have a characteristic case making. An applied argument can have one of several thematic roles, such as benefactive, instrumental, locative, source, recipient, or experiencer. Applicative constructions shed important light on a variety of theoretical…
Reflexive clitics are verbal, not pronominal
I argue that reflexive clitics are not pronominal, but verbal. Cross-linguistically, reflexive clitics can realize either an unaccusative or an unergative Voice head, both of which allow anaphoric interpretations (as suggested by the work of Reinhart and Siloni 2004, 2005). I contrast the anaphoric Voice analysis with two well-known pronominal analyses of reflexive clitics: one, proposed for French, postulating an anaphoric external argument (McG…
Excerpts from a Conversation with Noam Chomsky
While discursive approaches and social theory enjoy some notoriety in the academic study of religion, the so-called critical turn is no stranger to challenges. Some reject it as philosophically apolitical; others, as ignorant of biological and psychological insights. In this edition of The Interview, we turn to an exchange with MIT Professor Emeritus Noam Chomsky, whose work has informed how many scholars of religion approach the sciences and cul…
The diverse argument structures of Georgian subject-experiencer predicates
We propose an analysis of Georgian psych-verbs, identifying a surprising syntactic distinction between two classes of Subject-Experiencer (SubjExp) predicates. While prior work on psych-verbs identifies distinct argument structures associated with different sets of lexical verbs, we argue that Georgian SubjExp verbs reveal a principled correlation between argument structure and aspectual interpretation. In Georgian, psych-verbs have different mor…
Linguistics (7 works) · Philosophy (7 works) · Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation (7 works) · Computer Science (6 works) · Natural Language Processing Techniques (4 works) · Artificial Intelligence (3 works) · Linguistics and Discourse Analysis (3 works) · Mathematics (3 works) · Natural language processing (3 works) · Syntax (3 works)