LINGUIST List 18.2811|
Thu Sep 27 2007
Qs: Word Order Variation of Whole-part Relation
Editor for this issue: Dan Parker
We'd like to remind readers that the responses to queries are usually best posted to the individual asking the question. That individual is then strongly encouraged to post a summary to the list. This policy was
instituted to help control the huge volume of mail on LINGUIST; so we would appreciate your cooperating with it whenever it seems appropriate.
In addition to posting a summary, we'd like to remind people that it is usually a good idea to personally thank those individuals who have taken the trouble to respond to the query.
To post to LINGUIST, use our convenient web form at http://linguistlist.org/LL/posttolinguist.html.
Word Order Variation of Whole-part Relation
Message 1: Word Order Variation of Whole-part Relation
From: Bingfu Lu <lubingfuyahoo.com>
Subject: Word Order Variation of Whole-part Relation
E-mail this message to a friend
I am interested in the following cross-linguistic word order variation
pattern, which can be exemplified with the language internal variation as
a.He died at home in bed.
b. He died in bed at home.
a. *?In bed, at home he died
b. ?At home, in bed, he died.
a. At home, he died in bed.
b. *In bed, he died at home
What the paradigm hints is as follows:
When two location or time expressions having the whole-part relation
co-occur, if both follow the verb, both orders are almost equally likely,
as shown in (1).
If both precede the verb, the whole-part order is overwhelmingly dominant
over the opposite, as shown in (2).
If the two appears on the two sides of the verb. Only the whole-part
order is possible, as shown in (3).
I am looking for cross-linguistic data either supporting or denying the
If feedback is enough, I will do a summary.
Institute of Linguistics
Shanghai Normal University
Read more issues|LINGUIST home page|Top of issue
Please report any bad links or misclassified data
LINGUIST Homepage | Read
LINGUIST | Contact us
While the LINGUIST List makes every effort to ensure the linguistic relevance of sites listed
on its pages, it cannot vouch for their contents.