A Typology of Reference Systems

This book explores the different reference systems in various languages, such as English, Mandarin, Russian, Chadic, and Sino-Russian idiolects, and how they determine the identification of participants in a proposition. It identifies the most frequently found functions and discusses their implications for syntactic analysis, linguistic typology, and syntactic theories.

Format: Hardback
Length: 416 pages
Publication date: 20 January 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press

This comprehensive volume presents a thorough typology of reference systems across a diverse array of typologically and genetically distinct languages, encompassing English, Mandarin, non-literary varieties of Russian, Chadic languages, and several understudied Sino-Russian idiolects. The term "reference system" encompasses all the functions within a language's grammatical system that guide the identification of participants in a proposition. In this enlightening book, Zygmunt Frajzyngier delves into the major functional domains, subdomains, and individual functions that determine participant identification in a given language, highlighting the most and least common crosslinguistic occurrences. The findings unveiled a rich tapestry of language variations, where bare nouns, pronouns, demonstratives, and determiners assume distinct roles, while coding on the verb (agreement) displays diverse functions across languages. The concluding chapters offer insightful explanations for these disparities, shedding light on their theoretical and methodological implications for syntactic analysis, linguistic typology, and syntactic theories.

Introduction:
The study of reference systems has been a central pillar in linguistics since the pioneering work of Ferdinand de Saussure. Reference systems play a crucial role in conveying information about the identities and relationships between entities in a proposition, and they vary significantly across languages. This volume aims to provide a comprehensive exploration of reference systems across a diverse range of languages, shedding light on the functional domains, subdomains, and individual functions that determine participant identification.

Major Functional Domains:
The first chapter of the book introduces the major functional domains that contribute to reference systems. These domains include bare nouns, pronouns, demonstratives, and determiners, which are the most commonly studied reference systems. Frajzyngier discusses the different functions that these elements play in different languages, highlighting their crosslinguistic variations.

Subdomains:
The second chapter delves into the subdomains within each functional domain. Frajzyngier explores the specific functions that pronouns, demonstratives, and determiners perform in different languages, including their roles in indicating spatial and temporal relationships, definiteness, and indefiniteness, respectively. He also discusses the coding of reference on these elements, including the use of personal pronouns, demonstrative pronouns, and determiners.

Individual Functions:
The third chapter focuses on the individual functions that determine participant identification. Frajzyngier examines the various functions that bare nouns, pronouns, demonstratives, and determiners play in different languages, including their roles in referring to entities, expressing possession, and indicating definiteness or indefiniteness. He also discusses the coding of reference on these elements, including the use of possessive pronouns, indefinite pronouns, and determiners.

Crosslinguistic Variations:
The fourth chapter explores the crosslinguistic variations in reference systems. Frajzyngier discusses the most frequently found reference systems across languages, as well as the least common reference systems. He analyzes the factors that contribute to these variations, including language typology, genetic relationships, and historical influences.

Implications for Syntactic Analysis:
The fifth chapter examines the implications of the findings for syntactic analysis. Frajzyngier discusses the theoretical frameworks and methodologies that have been developed to account for reference systems, including the theory of reference resolution, the theory of binding, and the theory of cognitive grammar. He also discusses the practical applications of these theories in syntactic analysis, including the analysis of complex sentences and the interpretation of ambiguous utterances.

Implications for Linguistic Typology:
The sixth chapter explores the implications of the findings for linguistic typology. Frajzyngier discusses the role of reference systems in linguistic typology, including the classification of languages based on their reference systems. He also discusses the relationship between reference systems and other linguistic features, such as morphology, syntax, and semantics.

Implications for Syntactic Theories:
The seventh chapter examines the implications of the findings for syntactic theories. Frajzyngier discusses the theoretical frameworks and models that have been developed to account for reference systems, including the theory of generalised reference, the theory of underspecification, and the theory of cognitive grammar. He also discusses the relationship between reference systems and other syntactic features, such as the syntax-semantics interface and the theory of phrase structure.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, this volume offers a comprehensive typology of reference systems across a diverse range of languages. The findings reveal a rich tapestry of language variations, where bare nouns, pronouns, demonstratives, and determiners assume distinct roles, while coding on the verb (agreement) displays diverse functions across languages. The concluding chapters offer insightful explanations for these disparities, shedding light on their theoretical and methodological implications for syntactic analysis, linguistic typology, and syntactic theories. This book will be of great interest to scholars and researchers in linguistics, as well as students studying language and syntax.

Weight: 780g
Dimension: 242 x 161 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192896438