Language Research

Research Paper

Analyzing Subject - Verb Agreement Errors of Persian Learners in the Framework of Distributed Morphology

Mahya Ahmadi; Azita Abbasi

Volume 14, Issue 1 , September 2023, Pages 1-22

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2023.361098.666846

Abstract

Researchers have paid a lot of attention to collecting and analyzing the language errors. Language learners commit various mistakes during the stages of language learning, and Subject ... Read More

Research Paper

The Study of N-P-N Tripartite Exocentric Compounds in Persian: An Analysis within the Framework of Construction Morphology

Ghazaal Asadi; Sahar Bahrami-Khorshid; Ardeshir Maleki-Moghadm

Volume 14, Issue 1 , September 2023, Pages 23-47

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2021.313793.666665

Abstract

In many languages, compounding as a word-formation process is more productive than the other processes. According to this fact, compounding has a special role in the morphology of languages ... Read More In many languages, compounding as a word-formation process is more productive than the other processes. According to this fact, compounding has a special role in the morphology of languages and this process has been concentrated by grammarians and linguists. Compound words of a language can be classified in various ways. In one of these classification methods, compounds are divided into two major categories: exocentric compounds and endocentric compounds. This research is an attempt to explore the N-P-N tripartite exocentric compounds of Persian within the framework of Construction Morphology. The research examines the systematic semantic relations, the possible schema of the N-P-N construction, its subschemas, and the hierarchical structure of this construction in the lexicon of Persian speakers. The data under the study have been collected from the reference book “Farhang-e Farsi-ye Āmiyāne” (Persian Slang Dictionary) written by Abolhasan Najafi which totally includes 88 tripartite compounds. The approach of this research is construction-based and tries to examine the metaphorical and semantic content of the above-mentioned compounds and to justify their word-formation pattern of them based on the concept of “construction” and “constructional schemas”. The method of this research is descriptive-analytical and the result of the research demonstrates that all the compounds that are examined in this research can be encoded by 10 semantic relations: property, person property, time, location, state, thing, condition/situation, person, action and repetition of time. Each of these semantic relations and their differences has been represented as a schema which is a pairing of form and meaning. The results also evinced that there is a direct relation between the semantic transparency of a construction and its frequency and productivity in Persian, there are 70 N-be-N compounds in the corpus which is considerably more than other types of compounds. Therefore, it is concluded that the frequency of the N-P-N compounds is rooted in their semantic transparency.

Research Paper

The Intonation of Ta’arof in Persian

Marzieh Sadat Razavi; گلناز مدرسی قوامی

Volume 14, Issue 1 , September 2023, Pages 49-75

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2023.354881.666826

Abstract

Ta’arof has a special place in the Iranian culture and its linguistic repesentations are various and considerable. Since Ta’arof expressions are used in interactive contexts ... Read More Ta’arof has a special place in the Iranian culture and its linguistic repesentations are various and considerable. Since Ta’arof expressions are used in interactive contexts by native speakers of Persian, it is expected that the intonation patterns of these expressions be affected by discourse factors and vary as a function of context. The present study adopts Brazil’s (1975, 1978, 1997) and Brazil et al.’s (1980) approach to intonation with the main purpose of investigating the intonation patterns of Ta’arofs in Persian. The distinguishing feature of Brazil’s approach to intonation is its focus on the effect of discoursal context on intonation patterns each with a meaning of its own. In his approach, “meaning” does not refer to attitudes such as “surprised” or “expectant”, nor to grammatical meanings such as “interrogative” or “declarative”. Rather, it refers to the interactive role of intonation i.e., constant evaluation of discourse by the speaker and choosing the appropriate intonation pattern to achieve coherence and cohesion in discourse. To this end, the intonation features of tone and the prominence level of the onset (key) and tonic (termination) syllables were annotated and analyzed using the Praat software in 29 Ta’arof expressions in the Iranian series Hayula. Results showed that the dominent tone in these expressions is level or fall. Keys were mostly mid or high, while terminations were mostly mid. Considering the fact that intonation patterns of each Ta’arof expression depends on its situational and discoursal context, the Taarof expression ̒Gorbunet beram̓ ‘(lit.) may I be sacrificed for you’ with 4 different representations was chosen and analysed as one of the most frequent Ta’arof expression in the corpus of this study. Results showed that Ta’arof expressions although fixed lexically and syntactically, show different intonation patterns due to the influence of social norms such as politeness, power relations, the prediction of listener’s judgment, and listener’s agreement expectation.

Research Paper

Acquisition of Recursive Locatives in Persian Speaking Children: An Experiment

Hossein Rouhalamini Najafabadi; Ali Afkhami

Volume 14, Issue 1 , September 2023, Pages 77-101

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2023.354733.666835

Abstract

Recursive structures, structures whose representation is produced by the repeated application of a syntactic rule, have been observed and investigated extensively in languages. By means ... Read More Recursive structures, structures whose representation is produced by the repeated application of a syntactic rule, have been observed and investigated extensively in languages. By means of an experiment, the present study investigates the acquisition of recursive locatives in Persian-speaking children and provides new evidence on the subject of children's learning path, which lends its support to theoretical insights about the representation of this structure in the mind. Different languages do not uniformly deem recursive structures well-formed. Furthermore, in languages that consider the same recursive structure well-formed, it is possible for the acquisition age of this same structure to be different in children speaking different languages. Experiments report differences in the age that English and Japanese speakers acquire recursive locatives. In these studies, early acquisition of locative structures that employ identical prepositions is observed, as well as early acquisition in the language that marks the recursive structure by an overt functional element, namely, Japanese. Explaining these observations, Nakato and Roeper (2021) propose a three-step path in the acquisition of recursion: 1. Search for overt morphological elements 2. Search for overt lexical elements 3. The ability to interpret recursive structures without the presence of identical overt elements. In the recursive structure of the locatives of Persian, similar to Japanese and contrary to English, we witness an overt functional element: Ezafe. The presence of Ezafe in this structure qualifies as the first stage of the proposed acquisition path, and therefore it is predicted that the acquisition of recursive locatives in Persian will occur early. This article takes advantage of the presence of the overt element in Persian recursive locatives and by designing and implementing an experiment in accordance with the previous experiments, investigates the acquisition of locative recursion among Persian-speaking children and by means of the collected data examines the proposed acquisition path above.

Research Paper

Non-Pro.Making Persian Topicalization Based on Functional Discourse Grammar

Mohsen Taheri; Ali Alizadeh; Hamed Mowlaei Kuhbanani

Volume 14, Issue 1 , September 2023, Pages 103-133

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2023.344562.666788

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to explain the word order of topicalized constituents in non-pro.making persian topicalization based on Functional Discourse Grammar. Since this grammar ... Read More The main purpose of this study is to explain the word order of topicalized constituents in non-pro.making persian topicalization based on Functional Discourse Grammar. Since this grammar does not believe in concepts such as movement, we will also seek to explain this process in base-generated procedures. Therefore, in this study, in order to achieve the above goals, the method of mapping the linguistic elements of sentences containing non-pro.making Persian topicalized constituents in morphosyntactic templates in four absolute initial, second, medial and final positions and infinite relative ones presented in Functional Discourse Grammar was considered. This study is based on a descriptive-analytical method and the examples are taken from selected samples of Persian speech and written texts, which after introducing the mechanisms of this grammar,have been analyzed based on the principles of this theory. The method of determining the order of constituents used in the present study is the dynamic method of FDG that is inspired by the method of determining the word order of Greenberg. In this approach instead of three categories of subject, object and verb, respectively, the concepts of actor, undergoer and predicate, determine the word order of the languages of the world. The results indicate that in marked constituents such as topicalization, considering the communicative intention of the speaker, various elements including ,thematic and non-thematic elements and even predicates can be topicalized and on the other hand, considering that, based on the principles of this grammar, the topicalized constituent in the interpersonal level is given priority in entering morphosyntactic templates, so the topicalization process is not the result of movement, but the topicalized element is produced in base-generated procedures in the same position. The results also show that Functional Discourse Grammar is an appropriate and efficient method by referring to the three principles of iconicity, domain integrity and functional stability in determining the constituent arrangement of sentences containing non-pro.making Persian topicalization.

Research Paper

Investigating the Process of Postverbal Appearance of Restrictive Relative Clauses in Persian

Ali َAmoushahi; َAli Darzi

Volume 14, Issue 1 , September 2023, Pages 135-153

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2022.334309.666761

Abstract

The present article mainly aims to investigate the process through which relative clauses appear postverbally and distant from the noun they modify. To do so, relative clauses are first ... Read More

Research Paper

Investigating Achievement and Accomplishment Aspects in Kalhori Kurdish: A Minimalistic Approach

Habib Gowhary; Mehrangiz Baravarde

Volume 14, Issue 1 , September 2023, Pages 155-181

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2023.359124.666842

Abstract

The present research has investigated the difference between achievement and accomplishment aspects in Kalhori based on the minimalist approach of Mc Donald (2008). According to this ... Read More The present research has investigated the difference between achievement and accomplishment aspects in Kalhori based on the minimalist approach of Mc Donald (2008). According to this approach, the internal subject plays a central role in the aspectual interpretation of achievement and accomplishment predicates. Likewise, the presence and interpretation of event structure (ES) and object-to-event mapping (OTE) features play a decisive role in derivation of aspectual predicates. The analysis of the research data showed that in Kalhori, achievement and accomplishment predicates having internal subjects with the OTE feature [-q], have a minimal aspectual interpretation domain; and the final subevent feature [fe] It is not included in the interpretation range. However, internal subjects with the feature [+q] in the achievement and accomplishment predicates, cause an extensive domain of aspectual interpretation and also cause interpretation of the final subevent feature [fe].Therefore, it was found that in Kalhori that the presence of the feature [+q] on the internal subject is a necessary condition for telicity of achievement and accomplishment predicates. In addition, in Kalhori, the difference between achievement and accomplishment aspects was determined in this way that in the achievements the initial subevent feature [ie] on the aspectaul group has not dominance and c-command over the feature of the initial subevent feature [fe]. But, in the accomplishments, the initial subevent feature [ie] on the aspectaul group has dominance and c-command over the final subevent feature [fe], which is placed on VP.This situation refers to the time spent between the beginning and the end of the accomplishment events, which unlike the achievement events the beginning and end are simultaneous.In fact ,in the accomplishment predicates between two points of initial event and final event occurs the passage of time,according to this ,there is a dominance and c-command between the initial subevent feature [ie] and the final subevent feature [fe]. But in the achievement predicates between two points of initial event and final event not occur the spend of time,so it is not a dominance and c-command between two features of the initial subevent and the final subevent.

A Constructional Cognitive Approach to the Persian Suffix ‘-gɑr’

Parsa Bamshadi; Negar Davari Ardakani

Volume 9, Issue 2 , January 2019, , Pages 45-66

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2018.69528

Abstract

The suffix ‘-gɑr’ is a nominal and adjectival suffix in Persian which is believed by most researchers to express the subjective (agentive) meaning. The purpose of the present ... Read More

A Review of " The structure of the Persian Language": A review of revie and review criteria approach"

Leyla Sharifi

Volume 1, Issue 1 , November 2010

Abstract

نقد حاضر، نقدی صورتگرایانه در کنار نقد دانشگاهی است. در یک تعریف کلّی و عام، نقد صورتگرایانه (فرمالیستی)، ... Read More

The Study of Semantic Contribution of -ār and -andeh Suffixes in Persian

Gholamhossein Karimi-Dustan Ebrahim Moradi

Volume 2, Issue 1 , March 2011, , Pages 101-128

Abstract

This paper examines the semantic contribution of -?r and -andeh suffixes in Persian based on Lieber’s (2004) lexical semantic representation. This framework using six semantic features ... Read More

Preposition sense disambiguation in Persian using semantic frames

Zahra Mozaffari; giti Taki; Mojtaba Sabbagh Jaffari; Pakzad Yusefian

Volume 9, Issue 1 , June 2018, , Pages 99-117

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2018.66652

Abstract

Word sense disambiguation is one of the important challenges in natural language processing (NLP) and computational linguistics. However, preposition sense disambiguation especially, ... Read More

A Study of Semantic Shifting in Persian Proverbs

Rahele Gandomkar

Volume 1, Issue 1 , November 2010

Abstract

Semantic shifting which is one of the most important semantic processes forming the meaning of some linguistic structures was first introduced by Safavi (1379). The meaning of different ... Read More

Research Paper

The syntax of Vocative Phrase in Persian A Feature-based Approach

Mina Rezvanian; َAli Darzi

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 12 July 2021

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2021.317428.666691

Abstract

The Vocative construction is one of the earliest conceptions acquired by children. So it must be a universal phenomenon. It is surprising that it had been rarely studied. While the ... Read More The Vocative construction is one of the earliest conceptions acquired by children. So it must be a universal phenomenon. It is surprising that it had been rarely studied. While the vocative is a building block of sentences, although non-obligatory, it has often been approached from a non-linguistics perspective. This paper aims to investigate both the internal/syntactic structure of the vocative phrase and its syntactic position in Persian within the framework of Minimalist Theory. To do this, the data are collected addressee, which is identified by the vocative phrase (VocP), is a functional projection derived by a bundle of morpho-syntactic and semantic features. In the one hand, the projection is located above the functional projections of the nominal domain and the determiner phrase (DP). On the other hand, it is located in the left periphery of the sentence. The vocative phrase located between the topicalized and focused phrases as a result of topic and focus movement in the language. The phrase may or may not be co-indexed with a constituent in the main clause. Although vocative phrases are not morphologically marked in Modern Persian, there are elements such as “Ey”, “Âhây” and “hey” which are sign of vocative in Persian, named vocative particles. These particles are optional, however, located in the vocative phrase. The particles, also, are different stylistically. The fisrt one is used in literary style and the second two particles are used in colloquial style. Moreover, the vocative head is shown to take a DP complement. The DP merges with the head of the phrase, as its complement Vocative particles are proposed to bear an uninterpretable D-feature along with the some other morpho-syntactic features. Checking these features make the DP complement to be interpreted as vocative in the LF, namely the vocative DP. The distribution of vocative particles indicates that the “EY” particle is a bound morpheme but “Âhây” and “Hey” are free morphemes. The projection is prosodically marked by pause and linearly followed by a comma.Key Words: Vocative, Addressee, Vocative Phrase, Particle, Left Periphery, Functional head

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Research Paper

object-oblique alternation and Aktionsarts

Vali Rezai; Zhaleh Makaremi

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 03 June 2023

https://doi.org/10.22059/jolr.2023.354726.666825

Abstract

Object alternations involve different realizations of arguments, which are represented in three forms, including locative alternation, dative shift, and object-oblique alternation. ... Read More Object alternations involve different realizations of arguments, which are represented in three forms, including locative alternation, dative shift, and object-oblique alternation. Object in object-oblique alternation is expressed in two different structures, without fundamental changes in meaning. The second participant, in a transitive predicate, is either stated in a direct object position or in a preposition construction. The present paper investigates object-oblique alternation in Persian Aktionsart, based on Role and Reference Grammar. The objective of this study is twofold; firstly, to determine the im/possibility of object-oblique alternation in different groups of verbs, and secondly to specify various readings of this alternation in the classes of verbs, including state, action, achievement, and accomplishment. The data are extracted from Persian corpus, newspapers, websites, as well as daily conversations. Data analysis denotes that some state verbs, including cognition, emotion, and possession verbs can be represented in object-oblique alternation. The alternate forms in cognition and possession verbs, refer to the kind of the object in question. In action classes of verbs, performance and consumption verbs display partial-total interpretation. The alternative forms of creation verbs in this class, regarding the identity of the second participant, and in the case of being non-resultative, denote the kind of the objects in question. Directed perception verbs, regardless of the parameters of object individuation, are represented in object-oblique alternation. Some achievement verbs may also be used in this alternation. Accomplishment verbs are rarely used in object-oblique alternation, except in cases which, depending on context, partial-total interpretation is intended. Generally speaking, the predicates which undergo object-oblique alternation share some certain characteristics; they are mostly non-state ones, their subjects are mainly agentive, and the objects are low or non-affected. Furthermore, the verbs, which are more prone to object-oblique alternation, are chiefly non-resultative and do not lead to fundamental changes in the object.

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Indexing and Abstracting

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