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  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
41

Existência de soluções não-negativas para uma classe de problemas semilineares elípticos indefinidos / Existence of nonnegative solutions for a class of indefinite semilinear elliptic problems

Costa, Gustavo Silvestre do Amaral 17 March 2017 (has links)
Submitted by Erika Demachki (erikademachki@gmail.com) on 2017-03-27T17:45:29Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Gustavo Silvestre do Amaral Costa - 2017.pdf: 671324 bytes, checksum: fdf29c0b102f3ee24a198d5616ecd4b4 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2017-03-28T11:31:51Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Gustavo Silvestre do Amaral Costa - 2017.pdf: 671324 bytes, checksum: fdf29c0b102f3ee24a198d5616ecd4b4 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-28T11:31:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Gustavo Silvestre do Amaral Costa - 2017.pdf: 671324 bytes, checksum: fdf29c0b102f3ee24a198d5616ecd4b4 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-03-17 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / In this work we will discuss the existence of nonnegative solutions for a class of indefinite semilinear elliptic problems: (Pμ)   − u = λ1u+μg(x,u)+W(x)f(u), em u = 0 , sobre ∂ , where is a bounded smooth domain in RN, N ≥ 3, μ is a nonnegative parameter, λ1 is the first eigenvalue of the operator − under Dirichlet boundary conditions, W ∈ C(¯ ,R) is a weight function, f ∈ C(R,R), and g : ¯ ×R→R is a Carathéodory locally bounded function, i.e, for every s0 > 0, there is M := M(s0) > 0 such that |g(x,s)| ≤M for 0 ≤ |s| ≤ s0 and for almost every x ∈ ¯ . / Neste trabalho discutiremos a existência de soluções não negativas para os seguintes problemas semilineares elípticos indefinidos: (Pμ)   − u = λ1u+μg(x,u)+W(x)f(u), em u = 0 , sobre ∂ . onde é um domínio limitado suave de RN, N ≥ 3, λ1 é o primeiro autovalor de − , μ > 0, W ∈ C(¯ ,R) e f ∈ C(R,R), g : ×R→R é uma função Carathéodory localmente limitada, isto é, para todo s0 > 0 existe M(s0) > 0, tal que |g(x,s)| ≤ M(s0), para todo s ∈ [−s0,s0] e q.t.p em ¯ .
42

Film, Music, and the Narrational Extra Dimension

Bauer, Shad A. 12 June 2013 (has links)
No description available.
43

Integrated Sinc Method for Composite and Hybrid Structures

Slemp, Wesley Campbell Hop 07 July 2010 (has links)
Composite materials and hybrid materials such as fiber-metal laminates, and functionally graded materials are increasingly common in application in aerospace structures. However, adhesive bonding of dissimilar materials makes these materials susceptible to delamination. The use of integrated Sinc methods for predicting interlaminar failure in laminated composites and hybrid material systems was examined. Because the Sinc methods first approximate the highest-order derivative in the governing equation, the in-plane derivatives of in-plane strain needed to obtain interlaminar stresses by integration of the equilibrium equations of 3D elasticity are known without post-processing. Interlaminar stresses obtained with the Sinc method based on Interpolation of Highest derivative were compared for the first-order and third-order shear deformable theories, the refined zigzag beam theory and the higher-order shear and normal deformable beam theory. The results indicate that the interlaminar stresses by the zigzag theory compare well with those obtained by a 3D finite element analysis, while the traditional equivalent single layer theories perform well for some laminates. The philosophy of the Sinc method based on Interpolation of Highest Derivative was extended to create a novel weak form based approach called the Integrated Local Petrov-Galerkin Sinc Method. The Integrated Local Petrov-Galerkin Sinc Method is easily utilized for boundary-value problem on non-rectangular domains as demonstrated for analysis of elastic and elastic-plastic plane-stress panels with elliptical notches. The numerical results showed excellent accuracy compared to similar results obtained with the finite element method. The Integrated Local Petrov-Galerkin Sinc Method was used to analyze interlaminar debonding of composite and fiber-metal laminated beams. A double-cantilever beam and a fixed-ratio mixed mode beam were analyzed using the Integrated Local Petrov-Galerkin Sinc Method and the results were shown to correlate well with those by the finite element method. An adaptive Sinc point distribution technique was implemented for the delamination analysis which significantly improved the methods accuracy for the present problem. Delamination of a GLARE, plane-strain specimen was also analyzed using the Integrated Local Petrov-Galerkin Sinc Method. The results correlate well with 2D, plane-strain analysis by the finite element method, including interlaminar stresses obtained by through-the-thickness integration of the equilibrium equations of 3D elasticity. / Ph. D.
44

金融機構負責人適格性行政處分之研究 / The research on administrative dispositions of the fit-and-proper of a financial institution's responsible person

童政彰, Tong, Chen Chang Unknown Date (has links)
金融機構健全經營、信用分配決策之公平性,經營階層能否以誠實、正當的方式,信守並履行對客戶之承諾,對人民財產保障、金融秩序穩定、國家經濟發展之影響甚鉅。職是之故,各國金融監理主管機關乃對金融機構的各項營業活動與以監理並採行必要之行政處分或導正措施,甚且於相關法規中,課予其善良管理人之法定義務,以確保民眾之財產權。然而,一家金融機構能否有效健全經營,主要關鍵仍在於經營者之良窳,即其負責人是否具備充足的專業知識與良好的道德品性,因此主管機關對金融機構負責人所訂的「適格性」條件,必然較一般企業的負責人更為嚴格。 本文從金融監理機關之行政處分與爭訟出發,先了解主管機關的組織架構、運作機制及行政權限,進而探討其行政處分範圍。考量行政機關之行政行為必須符合一般法律原則與行政程序法之規定,因此進一步檢視金融處分應如何適用一般法律原則,及如何確保能踐正當法律程序;本文亦從日、德、英、美等四個金融市場發展歷程較久、且法制較為完備的國家,窺探其相關法令中,對於金融機構負責人資格審查之規範重點與實務操作,並與我國相關法規中之規定與監理實務進行比較,冀從中獲得啟發。 為了解相關行政處分之司法實務觀點,進而將透過臺北高等行政法院與最高行政法院,就金融監督管理委員會對金控公司、銀行、保險公司、證券公司之負責人,所作成不適格的若干行政處分案件之司法判決,加以整理。冀能從司法實務中釐清相關爭點。最後擬從主管機關對金融機構負責人適格性審查之前、中、後三個階段,透過相關制度的設計即審查前能建立相關審查原則,且對於若干不確定法律概念之法規要件,力求客觀與明確;於審查時,能就個案事實與法規要件加以調和,作成妥適的行政決定;而對於通過適格性審查後之負責人,其後如有不符合適格性條件,應如何為適當之處置,冀就此一類型之行政事件,建立最佳行政處理程序。
45

The right to work: transition from free dismissal to guaranteed constitutional right / El derecho al trabajo: en tránsito del despido libre al derecho constitucional garantizado

Villavicencio Ríos, Alfredo 10 April 2018 (has links)
After presenting the evolution of labor stability law in Peru, public and private scopes of the right to work are described allowing the Constitutional Court redefine dismissal regime (working stability of exit), in general, and specifying temporary recruitment regime (working stability of entry). Redefinition of dismissal legal framework is analyzed from constitutional and judicial case law stressing solved and pending issues. / Tras presentar la evolución del derecho de estabilidad laboral en el Perú, se precisan los alcances públicos y privados del derecho al trabajo, que permitieron al Tribunal Constitucional redefinir el régimen del despido (estabilidad laboral de salida), en general, y comenzar a precisar el régimen de contratación temporal (estabilidad laboral de entrada). Se analiza la redefinición del marco jurídico del despido a partir de la jurisprudencia constitucional y judicial, poniendo en relieve los temas resueltos y los pendientes.
46

Yhteisöt kontaktissa, systeemit muutoksessa:vepsän kielen indefiniittipronominien järjestelmä

Karjalainen, H. (Heini) 01 June 2016 (has links)
Abstract This thesis discusses the Veps indefinite pronoun system and its development. I show how the long lasting contact effect of Russian can be perceived in the Veps indefinite pronoun system. The approach I have adopted in this study combines insights from multilingualism and linguistic typology. The study is concerned mainly with the synchronic level of the language, but I have also examined the diachrony of the system. The data of this study consist of both sociolinguistic and language data, quantitative and qualitative data, old and new data, and data representing both written as well as spoken registers. The study consists of four separate publications. The first of them is a collaborative publication, Veps in Russia: ELDIA Case-Specific Report. The publication has a sociolinguistic viewpoint: it enlightens the linguistic situation of the Vepsians. In the article The Implicational Semantic Map for Veps Indefinite Pronouns, I describe the Veps indefinite pronouns by means of the semantic map methodology. I show that, despite the numerous similarities between the Russian and Veps pronominal series, the Veps indefinite pronouns actually constitute a distinctive system. In the article Borrowing Morphology: The Influence of Russian on the Veps System of Indefinite Pronouns, I classify the Veps indefiniteness markers as MAT (morpheme transfer) loans or PAT (morphological pattern transfer) loans, according to the manner in which they have been acquired from Russian. I show that the Veps indefinite pronominal system has undergone obvious contact-induced morphological changes. In the article Vepsän kielen paljaiden interrogatiivien indefiniittinen käyttö, I show that in addition to the interrogative-derived indefinite pronouns the use of bare interrogatives as indefinites is common in Veps. I have divided this use into nine different clause and phrase structures. In the study, I show that the diachronically unstable system of indefinite pronouns has undergone many changes in Veps, due to language contact with Russian. From the individual speaker’s mind and speech, the effect of Russian has gradually spread as a part of the linguistic system of the Veps speech community. Thus, the contacts of the Veps and Russian speech communities have resulted in changes in the Veps indefinite pronoun system. / Tiivistelmä Tarkastelen tutkimuksessani vepsän kielen indefiniittipronominijärjestelmää ja sen kehitystä. Osoitan, miten venäjän vuosisatoja jatkunut kontaktivaikutus näkyy vepsän indefiniittipronominien järjestelmässä. Tarkastelun näkökulmat olen omaksunut kontaktilingvistiikasta, monikielisyystutkimuksesta ja typologisesta kielentutkimuksesta. Tutkimus koskee pääosin kielen synkronista tasoa, mutta olen ottanut kantaa myös järjestelmän diakroniseen kehitykseen. Tutkimuksen aineistokokonaisuuteen kuuluu sekä sosiolingvististä että kieliaineistoa, kvantitatiivista ja kvalitatiivista aineistoa, uutta ja vanhaa aineistoa sekä niin kirjoitettua kuin puhuttuakin kieltä. Tutkimus koostuu neljästä erillisestä osajulkaisusta. Ensimmäinen niistä on yhteisjulkaisu, Veps in Russia: ELDIA Case-Specific Report. Julkaisu on näkökulmaltaan sosiolingvistinen: se valottaa vepsäläisten kielellistä tilannetta. Artikkelissa The Implicational Semantic Map for Veps Indefinite Pronouns kuvaan vepsän indefiniittipronomineja semanttisten karttojen metodologian avulla. Osoitan, että lukuisista venäjän ja vepsän kielen pronominisarjojen yhtäläisyyksistä huolimatta vepsän indefiniittipronominit muodostavat omaleimaisen järjestelmänsä. Artikkelissa Borrowing Morphology: The Influence of Russian on the Veps System of Indefinite Pronouns luokittelen vepsän venäjän kielestä lainatut indefiniittisyyden tunnukset niiden lainaustavan mukaan joko MAT- tai PAT-lainoiksi. MAT-lainoissa kielelliset segmentit toisinnetaan toisessa kielessä, PAT-lainoissa funktionaaliset mallit. Osoitan, että vepsän indefiniittipronominien järjestelmässä on tapahtunut selviä kontaktilähtöisiä morfologisia muutoksia. Artikkelissa Vepsän kielen paljaiden interrogatiivien indefiniittinen käyttö osoitan, että tunnuksisten indefiniittipronominien lisäksi käytetään vepsässä yleisesti myös paljaita interrogatiiveja. Olen jaotellut niiden esiintymisympäristöt yhdeksäksi erilaiseksi lause- ja lausekerakenteeksi. Tutkimuksessa osoitan, että indefiniittipronominien diakronisesti epästabiili järjestelmä on vepsässä kokenut venäjän kontaktivaikutuksesta monia muutoksia. Yksittäisen kielenpuhujan mielestä ja puheesta venäjän vaikutus on vähitellen levinnyt osaksi vepsäläisen kieliyhteisön kielen järjestelmää. Näin vepsäläisen ja venäläisen puhujayhteisön kontaktit ovat johtaneet vepsän kielen indefiniittipronominien systeemin muutokseen. / Lühenduz Ičein dissertacijas minä tarkištelen vepsän kelen indefinitižiden pronominoiden sistemad i sen kehitoitust. Ozutan, kut äjad voz’sadad olijad kontaktad tuleba sil’mnägubale vepsän kelen indefinitižiden pronominoiden sistemas. Tedotön perspektivaks olen otnu ičelein kontaktkel’oppindan, äikeližuz’oppindan i tipologižuz’oppindan pirdoid. Tedotö om tobjimalaz sinhronine, no olen tarkištanu mugažo erasid problemoid diahronižen kehitoitusen sistemaspäi. Tedotön lähtematerialoihe mülüb sociolingivistižid materialoid, kel’materialoid, kvantitativižid i kvalitativižid materialoid, uzid i vanhoid materialoid paginkelespäi i kirjutadud kelespäi. Neciš tedotös om nel’l’ erilašt kirjutest. Ezmäine niišpäi, Veps in Russia: ELDIA Case-Specific Report, om ühthižkirjutez. Necen kirjutesen nägemuz om sociolingvistine. Sen päazj om tedištada i ezitada vepsän kelen i vepsläižiden oloid nügüd’aigas. Kirjuteses The Implicational Semantic Map for Veps Indefinite Pronouns kuvadan vepsän indefinitižid pronominoid semantižiden kartoiden metodologian abul. Ozutan, miše hot’ venän i vepsän kelen indefinitižiden pronominoiden affiksoiden kogomused oma karthižed, vepsän indefinitižiden pronominoiden sistem om kaiken-se originaline. Kirjuteses Borrowing Morphology: The Influence of Russian on the Veps System of Indefinite Pronouns tarkištan venäkelespäi vepsän kel’he ottud affiksad MAT- i PAT- velgmaneran mödhe. MAT-velg znamoičeb, miše ühten kelen kel’material kopiruidas toižehe kel’he, a PAT-velgoiš kopiruidas vaiše znamoičendoid. Ozutan, miše vepsän indefinitižiden pronominoiden sistemas om sündunu morfologižid vajehtesid, miččed oma sel’ktad kel’kontaktoiden jäl’ged. Kirjuteses Vepsän kielen paljaiden interrogatiivien indefiniittinen käyttö ozutan, miše indefinitižiden pronominoiden ližaks vepsän keles voib kävutada interrogativižid pronominoid indefinitižiden pronominoiden sijas. Olen tarkištanu virkehid, kus nene azjad ezineba i olen mülütanu niid ühesandehe erazvuiččehe gruppaha. Indefinitižiden pronominoiden sistem ei ole diahronijan polespäi seižui. Ičein oppindas ozutan, miše vepsän kelen sistem om lujas vajehtanus venäkelen kontaktpainandan tagut. Ühten kelen pagižijan melespäi i paginaspäi om venäkelen painastuz aigan sirttes levitanus vepsän kelen sistemaha. Muga oma vepsän i venän pagižijoiden keskeižed kosketused vajehtanuded vepsän kelen indefinitižiden pronominoiden sistemad.
47

Modelling and experimental analysis of frequency dependent MIMO channels

García Ariza, Alexis Paolo 04 December 2009 (has links)
La integración de tecnologías de ulta-wideband, radio-cognitiva y MIMO representa una herramienta podersoa para mejorar la eficiencia espectral de los sistemas de comunicación inalámbricos. En esta dirección, nuevas estrategias para el modelado de canales MIMO y su caracterización se hacen necesarias si se desea investigar cómo la frecuencia central y el acho de banda afectan el desempeño de los sistemas MIMO. Investigaciones preliminares han enfocado menos atención en cómo estos parámetros afectan las características del canal MIMO. Se presenta una caracterización del canal MIMO en función de la frecuencia, abondándose puntos de vista experimentales y teóricos. Los problemas indicados tratan cinco áreas principales: medidas, post-procesado de datos, generación sintética del canal, estadística multivariable para datos y modelado del canal. Se ha diseñado y validado un sistema de medida basado en un analizador vectorial de redes y se han ejecutado medidas entre 2 y 12 GHz en condiciones estáticas, tanto en línea de vista como no línea de vista. Se ha propuesto y validado un procedimiento confiable para post-procesado, generación sintética de canal y análisis experimental basado en medidas en el dominio de frecuencia. El procedimiento experimental se ha focalizado en matrices de transferencia del canal para casos no selectivos en frecuencia, estimándose además las matrices complejas de covarianza, aplicándose la factorización de Cholesky sobre ls CCM y obteniéndose finalmente matrices de coloreado del sistema. Se presenta un procedimiento de corrección para generación sintética del canal aplicado a casos MIMO de grandes dimensiones y cuando la CCM es indefinida. Este CP permite la factorización de Cholesky y de dichas CCM. Las características multivariables de los datos experimentales han sido investigadas, realizándose un test de normalidad compleja multivariable. / García Ariza, AP. (2009). Modelling and experimental analysis of frequency dependent MIMO channels [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/6563 / Palancia
48

Stabilisation et approximation de certains systèmes distribués par amortissement dissipatif et de signe indéfini / Stabilization and approximation of some distributed systems by either dissipative or inde

Abdallah, Farah 27 May 2013 (has links)
Dans cette thèse, nous étudions l'approximation et la stabilisation de certaines équations d'évolution, en utilisant la théorie des semi-groups et l'analyse spectrale. Cette thèse est divisée en deux parties principales. Dans la première partie, comme dans [3, 4], nous considérons l'approximation des équations d'évolution du deuxième ordre modélisant les vibrations de structures élastiques. Il est bien connu que le système approché par éléments finis ou différences finies n'est pas uniformément exponentiellement ou polynomialement stable par rapport au paramètre de discrétisation, même si le système continu a cette propriété. Dans la première partie, notre objectif est d'amortir les modes parasites à haute fréquence en introduisant des termes de viscosité numérique dans le schéma d'approximation. Avec ces termes de viscosité, nous montrons la décroissance exponentielle ou polynomiale du schéma discret lorsque le problème continu a une telle décroissance et quand le spectre de l'opérateur spatial associé au problème conservatif satisfait la condition du gap généralisée. En utilisant le Théorème de Trotter-Kato, nous montrons la convergence de la solution discrète vers la solution continue. Quelques exemples sont également présentés. / In this thesis, we study the approximation and stabilization of some evolution equations, using semigroup theory and some spectral analysis. This Ph.D. thesis is divided into two main parts. In the first part, as in [3, 4], we consider the approximation of second order evolution equations modeling the vibrations of elastic structures. It is well known that the approximated system by finite elements or finite differences is not uniformly exponentially or polynomially stable with respect to the discretization parameter, even if the continuous system has this property. Therefore, our goal is to damp the spurious high frequency modes by introducing numerical viscosity terms in the approximation scheme. With these viscosity terms, we show the exponential or polynomial decay of the discrete scheme when the continuous problem has such a decay and when the spectrum of the spatial operator associated with the undamped problem satisfies the generalized gap condition. By using the Trotter-Kato Theorem, we further show the convergence of the discrete solution to the continuous one. Some illustrative examples are also presented.
49

Bare Nouns in Persian: Interpretation, Grammar, and Prosody

Modarresi, Fereshteh 09 June 2014 (has links)
This thesis explores the variable behavior of bare nouns in Persian. Bare singular nouns realize different grammatical functions, including subject, object and indirect object. They receive different interpretations, including generic, definite and existential readings. However, the task of understanding the reasons for, and limits on, this variation cannot be achieved without understanding a number of pivotal features of Persian sentential architecture, including Information Structure, prosody, word order, and the functions of various morphological markers in Persian. After a brief introduction, chapters 2-3 deal with bare noun objects, firstly comparing them with nominals marked with indefinite morpheme -i suffixed to the noun, and the determiner yek. A bare noun object differs from morphologically marked nominals as it shows properties associated with noun incorporation in the literature (chapter 2). Of particular interest are the discourse properties of these ‘quasi-incorporated’ nominals. With respect to the discourse transparency of Incorporated Nominals, Persian belongs to the class of discourse opaque languages within Mithun’s classification (1984). However, under certain circumstances, Persian bare nouns show discourse transparency. These circumstances are examined in chapter 3, and it is proposed that bare nouns do introduce a number neutral discourse referent. There are no overt anaphoric expressions that could match such number-neutral antecedents in Persian. But covert anaphora lack number features, and hence can serve as means to pick up a number-neutral discourse referent. Also, in case world knowledge tells us that the number-neutral discourse referent is anchored to an atomic entity or to a collection, then an overt singular pronoun or an overt plural pronoun might fit the combined linguistic and conceptual requirements, and may be used to pick up the number-neutral discourse referent. This proposal is phrased within Discourse Representation Theory. In the second half of the dissertation, the interpretation of bare nouns in different positions and with different grammatical functions are discussed. Under the independently supported hypothesis of position>interpretation mapping developed by Diesing (1992), we will see the role of the suffix -ra in indicating that an object has been moved out of VP. Following Diesing, I assume that VP-internal variables are subject to an operation of Existential Closure. In many cases, VP-external –ra-marked objects have a different interpretation to their VP-internal, non-ra-marked, counterparts, because of escaping Existential Closure. For subjects, there is no morphological marking corresponding to –ra on objects, and we have to rely on prosody and word order to determine how a VP is interpreted using theories of the interaction of accent and syntactic structure. We assume that VP-internal subjects exist, under two independent but converging assumptions. The first is prosodic in nature: Subjects can be accented without being narrowly focused; theories of Persian prosody predict then that there is a maximal constituent that contains both the subject and the verb as its head. The second is semantic in nature: Bare nouns require an external existential closure operation to be interpreted existentially, and we have to assume existential closure over the VP for our analysis of the interpretation of objects. So, this existential closure would provide the necessary quantificational force for bare noun subjects as well. It is proposed that both subject and object originate within the VP, and can move out to the VP-external domain. The motivation for these movements are informational-structural in nature, relating in particular to the distinctions between given and new information, and default and non-default information structure.
50

Bare Nouns in Persian: Interpretation, Grammar, and Prosody

Modarresi, Fereshteh January 2014 (has links)
This thesis explores the variable behavior of bare nouns in Persian. Bare singular nouns realize different grammatical functions, including subject, object and indirect object. They receive different interpretations, including generic, definite and existential readings. However, the task of understanding the reasons for, and limits on, this variation cannot be achieved without understanding a number of pivotal features of Persian sentential architecture, including Information Structure, prosody, word order, and the functions of various morphological markers in Persian. After a brief introduction, chapters 2-3 deal with bare noun objects, firstly comparing them with nominals marked with indefinite morpheme -i suffixed to the noun, and the determiner yek. A bare noun object differs from morphologically marked nominals as it shows properties associated with noun incorporation in the literature (chapter 2). Of particular interest are the discourse properties of these ‘quasi-incorporated’ nominals. With respect to the discourse transparency of Incorporated Nominals, Persian belongs to the class of discourse opaque languages within Mithun’s classification (1984). However, under certain circumstances, Persian bare nouns show discourse transparency. These circumstances are examined in chapter 3, and it is proposed that bare nouns do introduce a number neutral discourse referent. There are no overt anaphoric expressions that could match such number-neutral antecedents in Persian. But covert anaphora lack number features, and hence can serve as means to pick up a number-neutral discourse referent. Also, in case world knowledge tells us that the number-neutral discourse referent is anchored to an atomic entity or to a collection, then an overt singular pronoun or an overt plural pronoun might fit the combined linguistic and conceptual requirements, and may be used to pick up the number-neutral discourse referent. This proposal is phrased within Discourse Representation Theory. In the second half of the dissertation, the interpretation of bare nouns in different positions and with different grammatical functions are discussed. Under the independently supported hypothesis of position>interpretation mapping developed by Diesing (1992), we will see the role of the suffix -ra in indicating that an object has been moved out of VP. Following Diesing, I assume that VP-internal variables are subject to an operation of Existential Closure. In many cases, VP-external –ra-marked objects have a different interpretation to their VP-internal, non-ra-marked, counterparts, because of escaping Existential Closure. For subjects, there is no morphological marking corresponding to –ra on objects, and we have to rely on prosody and word order to determine how a VP is interpreted using theories of the interaction of accent and syntactic structure. We assume that VP-internal subjects exist, under two independent but converging assumptions. The first is prosodic in nature: Subjects can be accented without being narrowly focused; theories of Persian prosody predict then that there is a maximal constituent that contains both the subject and the verb as its head. The second is semantic in nature: Bare nouns require an external existential closure operation to be interpreted existentially, and we have to assume existential closure over the VP for our analysis of the interpretation of objects. So, this existential closure would provide the necessary quantificational force for bare noun subjects as well. It is proposed that both subject and object originate within the VP, and can move out to the VP-external domain. The motivation for these movements are informational-structural in nature, relating in particular to the distinctions between given and new information, and default and non-default information structure.

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