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Colloquia 10–11 Colloquia 09–10 Colloquia 08–09 Bag Lunch

Colloquium Series:

2010–2011

2009–2010

2008–2009

  • Speaker: Tania Ionin (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
    Date & Time: Friday, November 21, 2008 at 3:30 pm
    Title: Investigations into the second language acquisition of generic reference (joint work with Silvina Montrul)
    Abstract: While early research on the second language (L2) acquisition of grammar focused on purely syntactic and morphological phenomena, recent years have seen an increased interest in the L2-acquisition of phenomena at the syntax/semantics and morphology/semantics interfaces (see, among others, Dekydtspotter and Sprouse 2001, Slabakova 2003, Slabakova and Montrul 2003, Ionin, Ko and Wexler 2004, Montrul 2005, Gabriele 2005, Dekydtspotter and Petrush 2008, Ionin, Zubizarreta and Bautista Maldonado 2008; see Slabakova 2006, White 2008 for an overview). Once learners acquire syntactic and morphological phenomena of the second language, how do they learn their meanings, especially when the relationship between meaning and form is not one-to-one, but many to one, or not straightforward? The goal of our research is to investigate a semantic domain that has not previously received much attention in the L2 literature: the acquisition of generic/kind reference. This talk will report on three studies: the first two studies investigate the role of L1-transfer in the acquisition of generic reference with plural NPs in English and Spanish; the third study, currently in progress, investigates how L2-learners acquire subtle semantic differences between the two types of singular generic NPs in English.
  • Speaker: John Kingston (University of Massachusetts at Amherst)
    Date & Time: Friday, October 10, 2008 at 3:30 pm
    Abstract: Auditory contrast and autonomy in context effects: Data from Japanese and English listeners
  • Speaker: Beth Levin (Stanford University)
    Date & Time: Thursday, October 2, 2008 at 3:30 pm
    • Title: Unpredicated Particles
    Abstract: This talk looks at the phenomenon of unpredicated particles, such as _off_ in _wipe the mirror off_, where the mirror is not off; compare _wipe the fingerprints off_, where the fingerprints are indeed off. Furthermore, not all verbs that resemble _wipe_ in allowing 'location' objects allow such unpredicated particles: *_load the truck on_ (cf. _load the suitcases on_). I will draw a parallel between the distribution and function of unpredicated particles and the distribution and function of gradable adjectives in the resultative construction. Work by Wechsler and Hay shows that whether an adjective can head a result phrase depends on its potential contribution to the telicity of the resultative construction. Similarly, I will show that whether a particle can be found in the unpredicated particle construction depends on its potential contribution to the telicity of the verb-particle construction.
  • Speaker: Sigrid Beck (Universität Tübingen & MIT)
    Date & Time: Friday, April 24, 2009 at 3:30 pm
    Title: Crosslinguistic Variation in Comparison Constructions
    Abstract: The talk presents an overview of data on comparison constructions in 15 languages. Their analysis suggests three parameters of variation: one semantic, one at the syntax/semantics interface, and one syntactic in nature. The parameters are shown to account for clusters of empirical properties and the range of variation that we observe.
  • Speaker: Asaf Bachrach (Unité de Neuroimagerie Cognitive INSERM-CEA, Neurospin, France)
    Date & Time: Friday, April 3, 2009 at 3:30 pm
    • Abstract: MRI investigation of incremental language processing in a naturalistic context
  • Speaker: Jim Higginbotham (University of Southern California)
    Date & Time: Friday, March 27, 2009 at 3:30 pm
    Title: Reflexive Thoughts and Normal Forms

Bag lunch talks

2009-2010

Speaker: Berit Gehrke (Universitat Pompeu Fabra)
Date & Time: Tuesday, April 6th at 12:00 pm
Place: Linguistics Bldg. (1085 Dr. Penfield Ave.) room 117
Title & Abstract: Adjectival passives and event kind reference

Speaker: Emily Sadller-Brown
Date & Time: Wednesday, October 28th at 1:00 pm
Place: Linguistics Lounge (1085 Dr. Penfield Ave.) room 212
Title & Abstract: Chain shift advancement by children

2008-2009

Speaker: Jozina Vander Klok
Title: "Indirect modification in Javanese: Evidence from attributive comparatives"
Date & Time: Wednesday, April 8, 2009 at 3:00 p.m.
Place: 1085 Dr. Penfield Ave, Room 117
Abstract: Indirect modification in Javanese: Evidence from attributive comparatives
Speaker: Dr. Asaf Bachrach (Unité de Neuroimagerie Cognitive INSERM-CEA (Neurospin, France))
Title: "Syntactic Sharing and Semantic Interpretation (Work in progress)"
Date & Time: Tuesday, April 7, 2009 at 3:00 p.m.
Place: 1085 Dr. Penfield Ave, Room 117
Abstract:In recent minimalist literature, transformations (Move) have been re-conceptualized as iterative applications of the basic syntactic operation Merge. We will begin by adapting Heim and Kratzer's (1998) semantic treatment of movement in light of this new state of affairs. We will then propose a generalization of the movement interpretation rule that can handle cases of multidominance other than the canonical movement configuration. Finally we will propose a modified and generalized Predicate Modification rule which will also depend on syntactic sharing. These new rules will provide an original insight into a number of well known syntactic and semantic puzzles such as extraposition, ECM and complex causative constructions.
Speaker: Kate McCurdy
Title: "Of focus, reason, and rhyme: the Rhyming Law revisited"
Date & Time: Thursday, April 2, 2009 at 1:30 p.m.
Place: 1085 Dr. Penfield Ave, Lounge (Room 212)
Abstract: Of focus, reason, and rhyme: the Rhyming Law revisited
Speaker: Edwin Howard
Title: "Superlatives, NPI licensing and Strawson-entailment"
Date & Time: Thursday, February 12, 2009 at 1:30 p.m.
Place: 1085 Dr. Penfield Ave, Lounge (Room 212)
Abstract: Superlatives, NPI licensing and Strawson-entailment
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