1 / 21

Russian RAZ-: A case of semantic camouflage

Russian RAZ-: A case of semantic camouflage. Laura A. Janda Tore Nesset University of Tromsø. From space to aspect?. Conventional wisdom: Purely aspectual prefixes are semantically “empty”. Our alternative Hypothesis:

xena
Download Presentation

Russian RAZ-: A case of semantic camouflage

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Russian RAZ-:A case of semantic camouflage Laura A. Janda Tore Nesset University of Tromsø

  2. From space to aspect? • Conventional wisdom: • Purely aspectual prefixes are semantically “empty” • Our alternative Hypothesis: • Spatial meanings are the driving force behind aspectual distinctions in Russian • How can this be tested empirically? • Large database • Statistical analysis • Semantic analysis of non-prefixed and prefixed verbs

  3. Our contribution • General arguments why prefixes aren’t empty • The number of aspectual prefixes • The statistical distribution of the prefixes • Prefixation of borrowings • Prefix variation • Case study of the raz- prefix • Used in various types of perfectives with spatial meaning • Spatial meaning attested in putatively purely aspectual uses as well

  4. Russian aspectual prefixation RAZ-tajat’ ‘melt’ pf Natural perfective Purely perfectivizing prefix Specialized perfective Lexical prefix Complex act Superlexical prefix tajat’ ‘melt’ ipf vit’ ‘twist’ ipf žeč’ ‘burn’ ipf RAZ-žeč’ ‘kindle’ pf RAZ- vit’ ‘develop’ pf

  5. Russian aspectual prefixation Natural perfective Purely perf prefix We focus on this part Imperfective This part has been studied a lot Complex act Superlex prefix Specialized perfective Lexical prefix Affects argument structure Adverbial meanings

  6. Why purely perfectivizing prefixes aren’t empty (1) • Assume: • Only purpose of prefixes is to mark perfective aspect • How many prefixes are needed? • Reasonable answer: ONE • Russian has 19 relevant prefixes (Krongauz 1998) M.A. Krongauz The number of prefixes suggests that they are not pure markers of aspect.

  7. Why purely perfectivizing prefixes aren’t empty (2) Numbers from Exploring Emptiness database at UiT • Assume • Prefixes are pure aspectual markers • Prediction • Even distribution of prefixes across base verbs they combine with The UNeven distribution suggests that the prefixes do different jobs.

  8. Why purely perfectivizing prefixes aren’t empty (3) • Assume • Prefixes are pure aspectual markers • Prediction • Prefixes are assigned to borrowings in random fashion • But • Native speakers have intuitions • Borrowings are assigned prefixes in a consistent way. ZA-asfal’tirovat’ COVER PRO-fil’trovat’ MOVE THROUGH The consistent assignment of prefixes to borrowings suggests that prefixes are not semantically empty.

  9. Why purely perfectivizing prefixes aren’t empty (4) • Assume • Prefixes are pure aspectual markers • Fact • 28% of base verbs combine with 2 or more prefixes • Prediction • Prefix combinations distributed evenly Skewed distribution of prefix combinations suggests that prefixes are not empty.

  10. Why purely perfectivizing prefixes aren’t empty (5) • Assume • Prefixes are pure aspectual markers • Fact • 61 attested combinations of 2 prefixes • Predictions • Prefix combinations distributed evenly Skewed distribution of two-prefix combinations suggests that prefixes are not empty.

  11. … But in order to drive home their point, they need to do semantic analysis of the prefixes. All these arguments are suggestive… The rest of the paper explores the semantics of raz-

  12. Structure of the argument • Explore meaning of raz- in verbs where its meaning is UNcontroversial: • Specialized perfectives (lexical prefixes) • Complex act perfectives (superlexical prefixes) • Compare with the use of raz- in verbs where its meaning is controversial: • Natural perfectives (purely aspectual prefixes) • The same meaning attested in (1) and (2). • Raz- has the same meaning in all types of perfectives. • There is no semantically empty raz- in Russian.

  13. Meaning: A network model • Category: • Network of related subcategories • Prototype: • Central subcategory that is the best example of the category as a whole • Extension relations: • Subcategories relate to the prototype via e.g. metaphor and metonymy. • Schema: • Categories may have a general schema that covers all subcategories.

  14. General schema and prototype for raz- • “APART”: • Outward movement in various directions from a point • The general schema is instantiated in a variety of subcategories • Prototype = “PHYSICAL APART” • Physical object divided in pieces To explode is RAZorvat’sja

  15. Specialized/complex act perfectives 10. UN-, DIS- (metaphor) 9. UN-, DIS- razgruzit’ ‘unload’ razdut’ ‘inflate’ rasšifrovat’ ‘decipher’ rastoptat’ ‘trample’ 1. PHYSICAL APART 5. SOFTEN, DISSOLVE 2. CRUSH 6. SWELL 4. SPREAD (metaphor) 3. SPREAD rastvorit’ ‘dissolve’ raskalit’ ‘make red-hot’ 7. EXCITE 11. INGRESS. 8. EXCITE (metaphor) razvolnovat’sja ‘become upset’ razreklamirovat’ ‘publicize all over’ razdosadovat’ ‘annoy’ raspilit’ ‘saw apart’ raskatat’ ‘roll out’

  16. Natural perfectives 10. UN-, DIS- (metaphor) 9. UN-, DIS- 1. PHYSICAL APART 5. SOFTEN, DISSOLVE 2. CRUSH 6. SWELL 4. SPREAD (metaphor) 3. SPREAD 7. EXCITE 11. INGRESS. 8. EXCITE (metaphor)

  17. Natural perfectives Only in specialized perfectives Only in specialized perfectives 10. UN-, DIS- (metaphor) 9. UN-, DIS- 1. PHYSICAL APART 5. SOFTEN, DISSOLVE 2. CRUSH 6. SWELL 4. SPREAD (metaphor) 3. SPREAD 7. EXCITE 11. INGRESS. Only in complex acts 8. EXCITE (metaphor)

  18. Semantic overlap and the illusion of emptiness Specialized perfectives & complex acts Natural perfectives: • Prefix and verb have different meanings • The meaning of the prefix stands out • Prefix and verb have overlapping meanings • The meaning of the prefix is “invisible” • An illusion of semantic emptiness is created VERB MEANING VERB MEANING APART APART RAZ- VERB STEM RAZ- VERB STEM

  19. Wrapping up • Aspectual prefixes in Russian • have a spatial basis • are not semantically empty • General arguments why prefixes aren’t empty • The number of aspectual prefixes • The statistical distribution of the prefixes • Prefixation of borrowings • Prefix variation

  20. Wrapping up (2) • Case study of the raz- prefix • Used in various types of perfectives with spatial meaning • Spatial meaning “APART” attested in putatively purely aspectual uses as well

  21. RAZojtis’ ‘walk in different directions’ John Cleese in the Monty Python sketch “Ministry of silly walks”

More Related