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Modular interactions in phonology
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2018)
This thesis makes two separate claims about the architecture of phonology: (1) The computation of stress takes place in a distinct cognitive module from segmental phonology. This module is informationally encapsulated from ...
Subjective modality
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2018)
This dissertation focuses on subjective or epistemic readings of the modals 'might' and 'should' and considers how they fit into broader theories of modal vocabulary. Chapter 1, 'What the Future "Might" Brings', develops ...
Multiple case assignment : an Amis case study
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2018)
This dissertation investigates two case-related phenomena: aspect-conditioned differential subject case marking and overt case-stacking, and why case morphology on a DP may correlate with movement of a DP. Guided by data ...
Dimensions of ergativity in Inuit : theory and microvariation
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2018)
This thesis investigates microvariation in the ergative system of the Inuit dialect continuum, as a window into the theoretical status of ergative alignment, argument licensing, and Agree. The empirical focus of this thesis ...
Unsupervised learning of lexical subclasses from phonotactics
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2018)
Languages are constantly borrowing words from one another. Since the donor and recipient languages typically differ in their phonology and phonotactics, the native words and the loanwords of the borrower language can also ...
Distributivity across domains : a study of the distributive numerals in Bangla
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2018)
In this thesis, studying the numeral indefinites in Bangla, I argue that distributive numerals are not distributivity operators themselves. The distributive numerals introduce a plurality of discourse referents, and they ...
Biases in segmenting non-concatenative morphology
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2018)
Segmentation of words containing non-concatenative morphology into their component morphemes, such as Arabic /kita:b/ 'book' into root [check symbol]ktb and vocalism /i-a:/ (McCarthy, 1979, 1981), is a difficult task due ...
Embedded jussives as instances of control : the case of Mongolian and Korean
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2018)
This dissertation is an investigation into the semantics of imperatives and imperative-like forms (collectively referred to as jussives) in embedded contexts. The long-held view that imperatives are confined to root (matrix) ...
Presuppositions in context
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2018)
This dissertation is about the acquisition of presupposition. The specific focus is on the interplay between presuppositional content as hardwired in the semantics of particular expressions and the conversational contexts ...
Relationship preservation
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2018)
This thesis deals with a number of puzzles related to word order, in which the co-occurence of two elements in the same clause imposes a restriction on the distribution of these elements. I suggest that elements involved ...