Anna Szabolcsi
Biographic Data
| ID | 824840 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Anna Szabolcsi |
| GIVEN NAMES | Anna |
| FAMILY NAME | Szabolcsi |
| SIGNATURE | SZABOLCSI A |
| AFFILIATIONS | New York University |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 18 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 68 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 17 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 1 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1980 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2024 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Cross-linguistic insights in the theory of semantics and its interface with syntax
This paper highlights a small selection of cases where cross-linguistic insights have been important to big questions in the theory of semantics and the syntax/semantics interface. The selection includes (i) the role and representation of Speaker and Addressee in the grammar; (ii) mismatches between form and interpretation motivating high-placed silent operators for functional elements; and (iii) the explanation of semantic universals, including …
Obviation in Hungarian: What is its scope, and is it due to competition
According to the classical description of obviation, the subject of a subjunctive is disjoint in reference from the attitude-holder subject of the immediately higher clause. *Je veux que je parte. I want that I leave.SUBJ ‘I want for me to leave’ Inspired by Ruwet (1984/1991) and Farkas (1988; 1992), I present data from Hungarian where obviation in certain subjunctives is plainly lifted, and data where obviation occurs in indicatives. I argue tha…
Strong vs. Weak Islands
The focus of the chapter is weak islands (WI), that is, selective islands. Strong (absolute) islands are considered only to set the stage for the discussion of WIs. Up until the late 1980s nothing much beyond wh ‐islands had been thought to be WIs. Beginning with Relativized Minimality, an ever‐growing range of WIs has been recognized. Thus, theories of WIs have mushroomed, each coming with a significant set of new data and important new connecti…
Quantification and ACD: What is the Evidence from Real-Time Processing Evidence for? A Response to Hackl et al. (2012)
Hackl et al. (2012) argue that processing evidence specifically supports a theory of Antecedent Contained Deletion (ACD) that involves the threat of type-mismatch and infinite regress, with Quantifier Raising (QR) coming to the rescue. This squib argues that the processing evidence does not specifically support that theory. Very similar predictions can be made by the variable-free, or combinatory, theory that Hackl et al. dismiss, if we add the a…
Ways of Scope Taking
Certain Verbs Are Syntactically Explicit Quantifiers
Quantification over individuals, times, and worlds can in principle be made explicit in the syntax of the object language, or left to the semantics and spelled out in the meta-language. The traditional view is that quantification over individuals is syntactically explicit, whereas quantification over times and worlds is not. But a growing body of literature proposes a uniform treatment. This paper examines the scopal interaction of aspectual rais…
The Effect of Negative Polarity Items on Inference Verification
The scalar approach to negative polarity item (NPI) licensing assumes that NPIs are allowable in contexts in which the introduction of the NPI leads to proposition strengthening (e.g. Kadmon & Landman 1993; Krifka 1995; Lahiri 1997; Chierchia 2006). A straightforward processing prediction from such a theory is that NPIs facilitate inference verification from sets to subsets. Three experiments are reported that test this proposal. In each experime…
Conjunction Meets Negation: A Study in Cross-linguistic Variation
The central topic of this inquiry is a cross-linguistic contrast in the interaction of conjunction and negation. In Hungarian (Russian, Serbian, Italian, Japanese), in contrast to English (German), negated definite conjunctions are naturally and exclusively interpreted as `neither'. It is proposed that Hungarian-type languages conjunctions simply replicate the behavior of plurals, their closest semantic relatives. More puzzling is why English-typ…
Positive Polarity – Negative Polarity
Overt Scope in Hungarian
The focus of this paper is the syntax of inverse scope in Hungarian, a language that largely disambiguates quantifier scope at Spell-Out. Inverse scope is attributed to alternate orderings of potentially large chunks of structure, but with appeal to base-generation, as opposed to non-feature-driven movement as in Kayne 1998. The proposal is developed within mirror theory and conforms to the assumption that structures are antisymmetrical. The pape…
Verbal Complexes
In this book Hilda Koopman and Anna Szabolcsi propose a unified analysis of restructuring constructions in Hungarian, Dutch, and German that involves only overt phrasal movement and derives variation from the varying sizes of pied piping constituents. Restructuring verbs in Hungarian exhibit three patterns: the will begin up-climb and the up will begin climb orders common in Dutch and the up-climb begin will order common in German. Traditionally …
The Noun Phrase
The syntax of noun phrases. Configuration, parameters and empty categories
Weak islands and an algebraic semantics for scope taking
Subject suppression or lexical PRO
Focussing Properties, or the Trap of First Order
The Possessor That Ran Away From Home
Formal semantics and pragmatics for natural languages
Positive Polarity – Negative Polarity
Weak islands and an algebraic semantics for scope taking
Overt Scope in Hungarian
The focus of this paper is the syntax of inverse scope in Hungarian, a language that largely disambiguates quantifier scope at Spell-Out. Inverse scope is attributed to alternate orderings of potentially large chunks of structure, but with appeal to base-generation, as opposed to non-feature-driven movement as in Kayne 1998. The proposal is developed within mirror theory and conforms to the assumption that structures are antisymmetrical. The pape…
Certain Verbs Are Syntactically Explicit Quantifiers
Quantification over individuals, times, and worlds can in principle be made explicit in the syntax of the object language, or left to the semantics and spelled out in the meta-language. The traditional view is that quantification over individuals is syntactically explicit, whereas quantification over times and worlds is not. But a growing body of literature proposes a uniform treatment. This paper examines the scopal interaction of aspectual rais…
Formal semantics and pragmatics for natural languages
Subject suppression or lexical PRO
Formal semantics and pragmatics for natural languages
Focussing Properties, or the Trap of First Order
The Possessor That Ran Away From Home
Subject suppression or lexical PRO
The syntax of noun phrases. Configuration, parameters and empty categories
Weak islands and an algebraic semantics for scope taking
The Noun Phrase
Verbal Complexes
In this book Hilda Koopman and Anna Szabolcsi propose a unified analysis of restructuring constructions in Hungarian, Dutch, and German that involves only overt phrasal movement and derives variation from the varying sizes of pied piping constituents. Restructuring verbs in Hungarian exhibit three patterns: the will begin up-climb and the up will begin climb orders common in Dutch and the up-climb begin will order common in German. Traditionally …
Overt Scope in Hungarian
The focus of this paper is the syntax of inverse scope in Hungarian, a language that largely disambiguates quantifier scope at Spell-Out. Inverse scope is attributed to alternate orderings of potentially large chunks of structure, but with appeal to base-generation, as opposed to non-feature-driven movement as in Kayne 1998. The proposal is developed within mirror theory and conforms to the assumption that structures are antisymmetrical. The pape…
Conjunction Meets Negation: A Study in Cross-linguistic Variation
The central topic of this inquiry is a cross-linguistic contrast in the interaction of conjunction and negation. In Hungarian (Russian, Serbian, Italian, Japanese), in contrast to English (German), negated definite conjunctions are naturally and exclusively interpreted as `neither'. It is proposed that Hungarian-type languages conjunctions simply replicate the behavior of plurals, their closest semantic relatives. More puzzling is why English-typ…
Positive Polarity – Negative Polarity
The Effect of Negative Polarity Items on Inference Verification
The scalar approach to negative polarity item (NPI) licensing assumes that NPIs are allowable in contexts in which the introduction of the NPI leads to proposition strengthening (e.g. Kadmon & Landman 1993; Krifka 1995; Lahiri 1997; Chierchia 2006). A straightforward processing prediction from such a theory is that NPIs facilitate inference verification from sets to subsets. Three experiments are reported that test this proposal. In each experime…
Certain Verbs Are Syntactically Explicit Quantifiers
Quantification over individuals, times, and worlds can in principle be made explicit in the syntax of the object language, or left to the semantics and spelled out in the meta-language. The traditional view is that quantification over individuals is syntactically explicit, whereas quantification over times and worlds is not. But a growing body of literature proposes a uniform treatment. This paper examines the scopal interaction of aspectual rais…
Ways of Scope Taking
Quantification and ACD: What is the Evidence from Real-Time Processing Evidence for? A Response to Hackl et al. (2012)
Hackl et al. (2012) argue that processing evidence specifically supports a theory of Antecedent Contained Deletion (ACD) that involves the threat of type-mismatch and infinite regress, with Quantifier Raising (QR) coming to the rescue. This squib argues that the processing evidence does not specifically support that theory. Very similar predictions can be made by the variable-free, or combinatory, theory that Hackl et al. dismiss, if we add the a…
Strong vs. Weak Islands
The focus of the chapter is weak islands (WI), that is, selective islands. Strong (absolute) islands are considered only to set the stage for the discussion of WIs. Up until the late 1980s nothing much beyond wh ‐islands had been thought to be WIs. Beginning with Relativized Minimality, an ever‐growing range of WIs has been recognized. Thus, theories of WIs have mushroomed, each coming with a significant set of new data and important new connecti…
Obviation in Hungarian: What is its scope, and is it due to competition
According to the classical description of obviation, the subject of a subjunctive is disjoint in reference from the attitude-holder subject of the immediately higher clause. *Je veux que je parte. I want that I leave.SUBJ ‘I want for me to leave’ Inspired by Ruwet (1984/1991) and Farkas (1988; 1992), I present data from Hungarian where obviation in certain subjunctives is plainly lifted, and data where obviation occurs in indicatives. I argue tha…
Cross-linguistic insights in the theory of semantics and its interface with syntax
This paper highlights a small selection of cases where cross-linguistic insights have been important to big questions in the theory of semantics and the syntax/semantics interface. The selection includes (i) the role and representation of Speaker and Addressee in the grammar; (ii) mismatches between form and interpretation motivating high-placed silent operators for functional elements; and (iii) the explanation of semantic universals, including …
Computer Science (15 works) · Philosophy (15 works) · Linguistics (13 works) · Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation (9 works) · Programming language (7 works) · Epistemology (6 works) · Natural Language Processing Techniques (6 works) · Natural language processing (5 works) · History (4 works) · Philosophy (4 works)