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How Impersonal Can You Get

Shades of Impersonality. 2. How Impersonal Can You Get?. Anna Siewierska

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How Impersonal Can You Get

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    1. Shades of Impersonality 1 How Impersonal Can You Get? Anna Siewierska & Dik Bakker (Lancaster University)

    2. Shades of Impersonality 2 How Impersonal Can You Get? Anna Siewierska & Dik Bakker (Lancaster University)

    3. Shades of Impersonality 3 How Impersonal Can ‘They’ Get? Anna Siewierska & Dik Bakker (Lancaster University)

    4. Shades of Impersonality 4 The notion “impersonal”

    5. Shades of Impersonality 5 The notion “impersonal”

    6. Shades of Impersonality 6 The notion “impersonal” : 1

    7. Shades of Impersonality 7 The notion “impersonal” : 1

    8. Shades of Impersonality 8 The notion “impersonal” : 1

    9. Shades of Impersonality 9 Galician Está chovendo be-3sg raining `Its raining.’

    10. Shades of Impersonality 10 The notion “impersonal” : 1

    11. Shades of Impersonality 11 Irish Ta’ ocras orm is hunger on-me `I am hungry.’

    12. Shades of Impersonality 12 The notion “impersonal” : 1

    13. Shades of Impersonality 13 Polish Trzeba odejsc. necessary leave.3SG `It is neccesary to leave.’

    14. Shades of Impersonality 14 The notion “impersonal” : 2

    15. Shades of Impersonality 15 Galician Non se pode ensinar trucos novos not REFL can teach tricks new a un can vello to a dog old `You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

    16. Shades of Impersonality 16 The notion “impersonal” : 3

    17. Shades of Impersonality 17 The notion “impersonal” : 3

    18. Shades of Impersonality 18 Lithuanian Vaiku bůvo miegama sodé Child.PL.GEN be sleep.PP.N garden.LOC `The children slept in the garden.’ (Lit. Of the children was being slept in the garden.)

    19. Shades of Impersonality 19 The notion “impersonal” : 3

    20. Shades of Impersonality 20 French Il est venu quelques hommes 3SG is.3SG come.PP some men `Some men have come.’

    21. Shades of Impersonality 21 The notion “impersonal” : 3

    22. Shades of Impersonality 22 The notion “impersonal” : 3

    23. Shades of Impersonality 23 The notion “impersonal” : 4

    24. Shades of Impersonality 24 The notion “impersonal” : 4

    25. Shades of Impersonality 25 The notion “impersonal” : 4

    26. Shades of Impersonality 26 The notion “impersonal” : 4

    27. Shades of Impersonality 27 A Typology: Moreno Cabrera (1987) impersonals

    28. Shades of Impersonality 28 A Typology: Moreno Cabrera (1987) impersonals uncontrolled

    29. Shades of Impersonality 29 A Typology: Moreno Cabrera (1987) impersonals uncontrolled controlled

    30. Shades of Impersonality 30 A Typology: Moreno Cabrera (1987) impersonals uncontrolled controlled external

    31. Shades of Impersonality 31 A Typology: Moreno Cabrera (1987) impersonals uncontrolled controlled external internal

    32. Shades of Impersonality 32 A Typology: Moreno Cabrera (1987) impersonals uncontrolled controlled external internal nonspecific agent

    33. Shades of Impersonality 33 A Typology: Moreno Cabrera (1987) impersonals uncontrolled controlled external internal nonspecific specific agent covert agent

    34. Shades of Impersonality 34 A Typology: Moreno Cabrera (1987) impersonals uncontrolled controlled external internal nonspecific specific agent covert agent

    35. Shades of Impersonality 35 NSAI: realization

    36. Shades of Impersonality 36 NSAI: realization

    37. Shades of Impersonality 37 NSAI: realization

    38. Shades of Impersonality 38 NSAI: realization

    39. Shades of Impersonality 39 NSAI: realization

    40. Shades of Impersonality 40 NSAI: realization

    41. Shades of Impersonality 41 NSAI: realization

    42. Shades of Impersonality 42 Research Questions

    43. Shades of Impersonality 43 Research Questions

    44. Shades of Impersonality 44 Research Questions

    45. Shades of Impersonality 45 Research Questions

    46. Shades of Impersonality 46 Focus of presentation

    47. Shades of Impersonality 47 Focus of presentation

    48. Shades of Impersonality 48 Focus of presentation

    49. Shades of Impersonality 49 Focus of presentation

    50. Shades of Impersonality 50 Focus of presentation

    51. Shades of Impersonality 51 3pl impersonals: free forms Icelandic (+English) Ţeir eru búnir ađ loka they BE.3PL finished to close veginum einu sinni enn. road.DEF.DAT one time again ‘They’ve closed the road once again.’

    52. Shades of Impersonality 52 3pl impersonals: bound forms Russian Govorjat cto budet vojna Say.3PL that will.be war ‘They say there will be war.’

    53. Shades of Impersonality 53 3pl impersonals: bound forms Greek Mu klepsa-ne ta lefta I.GEN stole-3PL the money.ACC `They stole my money from me.`

    54. Shades of Impersonality 54 3PL IMPRS: commonality 54 54

    55. Shades of Impersonality 55 3PL IMPRS: commonality Eurasia: I-E: Romance, Slavic, Germanic, Baltic, Greek, Kashmiri, Persian, Sinhala; Fino-Ugric: Hungarian, Finnish, Erzya Mordvin, Nenets, Mari (Chermis), Udmurt, Komi; Turkic: Turkish; Basque; Dravidian: Tamil

    56. Shades of Impersonality 56 3PL IMPRS: commonality Eurasia: I-E: Romance, Slavic, Germanic, Baltic, Greek, Kashmiri, Persian, Sinhala; Fino-Ugric: Hungarian, Finnish, Erzya Mordvin, Nenets, Mari (Chermis), Udmurt, Komi; Turkic: Turkish; Basque; Dravidian: Tamil Africa: AA: Arabic, Hebrew, Godie, Mupun; NK: Babungo, Nkore- Kiga, Fonge, Koromfe, NS: Kunama, Mundani, Ngiti

    57. Shades of Impersonality 57 3PL IMPRS: commonality New Guinea: Amele, Kobon

    58. Shades of Impersonality 58 3PL IMPRS: commonality New Guinea: Amele, Kobon Oceania: Tawala, Paamese, lgs of New Caledonia

    59. Shades of Impersonality 59 3PL IMPRS: commonality New Guinea: Amele, Kobon Oceania: Tawala, Paamese, lgs of New Caledonia Australia: Marunguku

    60. Shades of Impersonality 60 3PL IMPRS: commonality New Guinea: Amele, Kobon Oceania: Tawala, Paamese, lgs of New Caledonia Australia: Marunguku America: Copala Trique, Tetelcingo Nahuatl

    61. Shades of Impersonality 61 3PL IMPRS: commonality New Guinea: Amele, Kobon Oceania: Tawala, Paamese, lgs of New Caledonia Australia: Marunguku America: Copala Trique, Tetelcingo Nahuatl ? UNIVERSAL?

    62. Shades of Impersonality 62 3PL IMPRS & Universality

    63. Shades of Impersonality 63 3PL IMPRS & Universality NOT in languages without free and bound person forms, or number

    64. Shades of Impersonality 64 3PL IMPRS & Universality NOT in languages without free and bound person forms, or number NOT in Cantonese, Colloq. Sinhala

    65. Shades of Impersonality 65 3PL IMPRS & Universality NOT in languages without free and bound person forms, or number NOT in Cantonese, Colloq. Sinhala NOT many American lgs ? special NONSPEC forms on the verb (old 3PL??) (Mithun 1999)

    66. Shades of Impersonality 66 Questionnaire Impersonals

    67. Shades of Impersonality 67 Questionnaire Impersonals

    68. Shades of Impersonality 68 Questionnaire Impersonals

    69. Shades of Impersonality 69 Questionnaire Impersonals

    70. Shades of Impersonality 70 Questionnaire Impersonals

    71. Shades of Impersonality 71 Questionnaire Impersonals

    72. Shades of Impersonality 72 Questionnaire Impersonals

    73. Shades of Impersonality 73 Questionnaire Impersonals

    74. Shades of Impersonality 74 Questionnaire Impersonals

    75. Shades of Impersonality 75 Questionnaire Respons

    76. Shades of Impersonality 76 Questionnaire Respons

    77. Shades of Impersonality 77 Questionnaire Respons

    78. Shades of Impersonality 78 Questionnaire Respons

    79. Shades of Impersonality 79 X

    80. Shades of Impersonality 80 Characteristics 3PL IMPRS

    81. Shades of Impersonality 81 Referential properties 1

    82. Shades of Impersonality 82 Impersonal vs. vague

    83. Shades of Impersonality 83 3PL

    84. Shades of Impersonality 84 3PL

    85. Shades of Impersonality 85 Unidentified group

    86. Shades of Impersonality 86 Vague vs. Impersonal

    87. Shades of Impersonality 87 Vague vs. Impersonal??

    88. Shades of Impersonality 88 Degrees of vagueness: 1

    89. Shades of Impersonality 89 Degrees of vagueness: 2

    90. Shades of Impersonality 90 Degrees of vagueness: 3

    91. Shades of Impersonality 91 Referential properties 2

    92. Shades of Impersonality 92 Impersonal vs. generic

    93. Shades of Impersonality 93 Impersonal vs. generic

    94. Shades of Impersonality 94 Impersonal vs. generic

    95. Shades of Impersonality 95 Comparison 1 & 2

    96. Shades of Impersonality 96 Notions of impersonality

    97. Shades of Impersonality 97 Semantic properties

    98. Shades of Impersonality 98 Number: indeterminate English a. They ran over my dog! Spanish b. llaman a la puerta calling-3PL at the door ‘They/someone is calling at the door.’

    99. Shades of Impersonality 99 Grammatical relations

    100. Shades of Impersonality 100 Subjects: active not passive Spanish Fueron arrestados (por la policía) were.3PL arrested by the police `They* were arrested by the police.’ * Only specific!

    101. Shades of Impersonality 101 Verb types: not ergatives Spanish Mueren en defensa de la democracia die.3PL in defense of the democracy `They* die in defense of democracy.’ * Only specific!

    102. Shades of Impersonality 102 Not in copulative clause Italian Ieri sono stati villani con tutti yesterday were.3PL rude for all `Yesterday they* were rude to all.’ * Only specific!

    103. Shades of Impersonality 103 Pragmatic/stylistic properties Expression of negative emotions or negative assessment of the situation expressed in the clause Colloquial; spoken as opposed to written language

    104. Shades of Impersonality 104 Parameters of variation Potentially all of the above Now: interpretation of the nature of the plural referent Availability of individual reading and nature of this reading Availability and nature of alternative strategies to 3PL

    105. Shades of Impersonality 105 Nature of plural referent Official institution such as government, municipal council, army, university, or recognized group Incidental group of persons involved in a common activity

    106. Shades of Impersonality 106 Institutional … The war came along, but prior to that, in the radio field there was a challenge from a, a radio firm in er London. They said that a certain article could not be repaired. … … This er very good orderly got local leave after he’d done his stint up country ‘cos he’d made such a good job of it, they gave him local leave. …

    107. Shades of Impersonality 107 Group of persons Myhill (1997:814) X: Guess what? We found a liberal doctor. Y: What? Already? X: Yes sir. The body’s on its way. Surgery is scheduled for tonight. Y: My God. Are we sure he was a liberal? X: Pretty sure. They pulled him from a Volvo.

    108. Shades of Impersonality 108 Individual reading - What happened? - My car has been broken into. They’ve taken the radio - Why are you here? - They told me to come here.

    109. Shades of Impersonality 109 The sample (n=31) Lgs with NO 3PL IMP: 6 Cantonese, Finnish (Standard), German(1), Japanese, Coll. Singhalese, Thai Lgs with 3PL IMP: 25 Organizations > Group > Individual 25 23 17

    110. Shades of Impersonality 110 No individual reading Finnish (South West dialect) German(2), Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish French Mandarin

    111. Shades of Impersonality 111 Acceptability of individual reading Spanish/Galician/Italian/Portuguese > Polish/Russian/Croatian/Bulgarian > Dutch/English Degree of context required, e.g. Hebrew vs. English

    112. Shades of Impersonality 112 Role of context Italian (Cinque 1988: 543) Prima hanno telefonato; mi pareva earlier have.3PL telephoned; me seemed tua sorella your sister `Someone/*they telephoned earlier. It was your sister.’

    113. Shades of Impersonality 113 Role of context Dutch Ze hebben gebeld. 3PL have.PL rung ‘They rang.’ Het was *Kirsten / de bank. It was *Kirsten / the bank.

    114. Shades of Impersonality 114 No Group reading Only for Swedish and Finnish (South-West Dialect)

    115. Shades of Impersonality 115 Readings of 3pl & Pro drop In pro-drop languages impersonal interpretation possible only with bound forms not with free forms:

    116. Shades of Impersonality 116 Spanish a. Llaman a la puerta calling-3PL at the door ‘They/someone is calling at the door.’ b. Ellos llaman a la puerta they calling:3pl at the door `They/*someone are calling at the door.'

    117. Shades of Impersonality 117 Readings & Pro drop C&S: for impersonal (arbitrary) readings pronominal form must be weak or deficient but for generic it may be weak or strong (not confirmed) S&B: individual interpretations of 3pl favour languages which are pro-drop: Romance, Slavic, Turkish, Hungarian, Persian, Arabic but also English, Dutch

    118. Shades of Impersonality 118 Alternative strategies to 3PL Lgs which use 3pl “impersonally” Pass Vimp GP 3sg Indef Noun Organ. 14 4 2 1 5 Group 8 3 4 1 2 2 Individ 7 1 1 1 5 Total 29 8 7 1 7 7

    119. Shades of Impersonality 119 Agentless passives No referential restrictions: agent may be definite, specific, arbitrary, generic (but Myhill 1997:823) No semantic restrictions (unless diachronic ties to refl); implied agent may be any grammatical person; may be human or non-human or inanimate; may be semantically singular or non-singular; no additonal restrictions on its nature

    120. Shades of Impersonality 120 Verbal impersonals Reference: VImp more often generic than 3pl Person: VImp in contrast to 3PL typically include 1st person Humanness: same as 3PL (?Russian) Number: VImp less restricted in regard to number than 3PL

    121. Shades of Impersonality 121 Restrictions Grammatical person 3pl > VImp > passive Number 3pl > VImp > passive Humanness 3pl & VImp > passive Agentivity 3pl > V Imp > passive

    122. Shades of Impersonality 122 Degress of impersonalization If impersonal: without restrictions relating to referential value and semantic properties 3pl > Vimp > Passive

    123. Shades of Impersonality 123 3PL & VImp vs. Pass Verbal valency; 3pl & VImp do not affect the basic valency of the verb while passives do Agent suppression vs. deletion Presence of agent for grammatical rules Issues of register and style

    124. Shades of Impersonality 124 Concluding remarks 3pl obviously under-investigated Worthy of investigation both from syntactic and pragmatic perspectives The readings it may express appear to conform to a hierarchy: organisation > group > individual Is in competion mainly with the agentless passive

    125. Shades of Impersonality 125 Concluding remarks Is more restricted referentially and semantically than the agentless passive and thus may be seen to reflect a lower degree of impersonalization than the agentless passive.

    126. Shades of Impersonality 126 References Cavadas Afonso, S. P. 2003. Impersonal Constructions in portuguese: A Construction Grammar Approach. Master’s disserattion, Manchester University Cardinaletti, Anna & Starke, Michael. 1999. The typology of structural deficiency. In: Henk van Riemsdijk (ed.), 145-233. Cinque, G. 1988. The Si Constructions and the theory of Arb. Linguistic Inquiry 19.4, 521-581.

    127. Shades of Impersonality 127 References Jaeggli, O. A. 1986. Arbitrary Plural pronominals. Natural language and Linguistic Theory 4, 43-76. Kitagawa, C & A. Lehrer 1990. Impersonal uses of personal pronouns. Journal of Pragmatics 14, 739-759. Myhill, J. 1997. Towards a functional typology of agent defocusing. Linguistics 35, 799-844.

    128. Shades of Impersonality 128 References Weiner, E. J & W. Labov 1983. Journal of Linguistics 19, 29-58.

    129. Shades of Impersonality 129

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