In this thesis the nature of argument structure in the Navajo sentence is identified, with particular focus on the complex system of incorporated pronouns, and anaphora and obviation in the language. It is argued that Navajo is a pronominal argument language, where arguments are incorporated pronouns, while nominals are adjuncts. Descriptions of syntactic devices for marking co- and disjoint reference of arguments, within the simple clause, across the clauses in complex sentences, and in discourse contexts are given. These devices include: the yi/bi- alternation, which I identify as a voice contrast confined to sentences with all third person arguments; the "fourth" person, used for obviation and for deference, and the parallel processing convention.

Gu Gang. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 194-207). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese.

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Secwepemctsin, also known as Shuswap, is an endangered language spoken in the interior of British Columbia. No research dedicated to the study of Secwepemctsin pronouns is currently available. This thesis examines the independent pronouns of this language. Secwepemctsin is a radical head-marking language, and its independent pronouns function very differently from its bound pronominal clitics/affixes. This thesis provides a detailed description of the internal and external syntax of Secwepemctsin independent pronouns. They are analyzed as maximal projections that can occupy predicate positions as well as adjoin to DPs in argument positions. Binding effects follow from this analysis. Secwepemctsin independent pronouns show a strong subject orientation in third person contexts; it is the combined result of the independent pronouns' sensitivity to discourse and a subject-object asymmetry in the language: discourse familiarity is associated with syntactic positions via a mapping principle, yielding the Independent Pronoun Restriction. A semantic account of independent pronouns is provided. Secwepemctsin independent pronouns are shown to be contrastive focus when in predicate position, and contrastive topic when in argument position. Their behaviour is analyzed according to an alternative-based view of semantic theory. A case study of a child's acquisition of Secwepemctsin independent pronouns is documented, and the characteristics of her pronominal system are compared to those of an adult fluent speaker. Issues regarding language acquisition are discussed. It is found that although the child gets both Secwepemctsin and English input, her performance of Secwepemctsin is also influenced by Secwepemctsin-external and English-external factors. While this thesis investigates the technical details of Secwepemctsin syntax, it also places the study in the social context in which the language is in the process of being revived. A chapter on implications discusses the importance of providing learners of endangered languages with a positive environment in which to use the language. This chapter also points out the direction that endangered aboriginal languages may be heading, and stresses the importance of using language creatively.

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The study of cognitive representations and processes involved in personal pronoun interpretation allows one to investigate on a small scale the cognitive representations and processes of discourse comprehension. A review of the literature identifies four fundamental processes in personal pronoun interpretation: (A) syntactic constrains application, (B) gender, number, and person matching, (C) inferential selection, and, (D) discourse focus updating. A preliminary data collection from human performance has shown the importance of the application of syntactic constrains for pronoun interpretation. However, the level of specification for the representations and processes attained by the literature review and the preliminary experiment is not sufficient, therefore justifying the development of a more elaborate on-line pronoun interpretation process model. In order to attain a better model of the personal pronoun interpretation processes, the research approach has been to: (A) establish a strong link between the text linguistic features on one hand, and the cognitive representations and processes on the other hand through the construction-interpretation model, and (B) to reduce the gap between the experimental task specificity, and the general cognitive representations and processes assumed by the model. A second experiment, using experimental texts implementing a combination of many levels of representation, verified most of the model predictions. The model of the four interpretation processes as well as the empirical evidences support a point of view where the interpretation process for personal pronouns ends at various points during reading. The compound process of syntactic analysis and progressive semantic interpretation as well as the component processes associated with specific levels of representation explain the partiality of the pronoun interpretation process. The construction-interpretation model shows that the location of the execution of the interpretatio

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 209-216). / Microfiche. / x, 216 p. 29 cm

Problem: The purpose in undertaking this study was to determine more exactly the contemporary usage of the Spanish relative pronouns, thus making it possible (1) to supplement existing descriptions of the usage of the relative pronouns, and (2) to restate contemporary usage. Method: For this study, representative works of the best contemporary Spanish and Spanish-American authors were used, employing Keniston's sampling technique. Three passages of ten pages each were selected from the beginning, the middle, and the end of the work in question. All examples found were recorded individually for analysis, thus making possible a study of a much larger number of actual examples than are available from the Keniston study. Conclusion: A. The following findings which have been established in this thesis in some cases supplement existing descriptions by the authorities and in others, are at variance with them. 1. Que is not frequently replaced after con by el cual to avoid confusion with conque. 2. Que does not necessarily follow its antecedent immediately. In fifteen per cent of all cases observed que was removed from its antecedent in such a way that determination of its antecedent was difficult. 3. Que does on rare occasions as object of a preposition refer to a person. 4. Quien is frequently used to distinguish a person from a thing, as antecedent. 5. Quien as a substantive refers more frequently to indefinite persons than el que. 6. Quien as a substantive is used almost exclusively after como (meaning "as one who"). 7. El que, as well as el cual, is regularly removed from its antecedent by a comma (or similar punctuation, and/or one or more words.) B. Restatement of Contemporary Usage. 1. In a restrictive clause: a. The subject is regularly que for persons and things. b. The object is usually que for persons and things. Quien is used with "personal a". Al cual and al que are rarely so used. 2. In a non-restrictive clause: a. The subject is usually que for persons and things, but may be quien, el cual, and to a lesser extent, el que. b. The object is usually que for persons and things; quien is used frequently with "personal a"; al cual or al que, rarely. 3. Object of a (exclusive of "personal a"), en, de and con: a. Referring to persons, quien, el cual or el que are used. In non-restrictive clauses quien is most frequently used. b. Referring to things, que, el cual or el que are used. Que is normal in restrictive clauses; que, el cual or el que in non-restrictive. 4. Object of por, sin and tras: a. El cual or el que are used; possibly, quien. 5. Object of dissyllabic prepositions: a. El cual or el que are normally used. 6. Object of compound preposition: a. El cual is normally used; el que, rarely. NOTE: Where there are choices in the usage indicated throughout Section B to this point, variety, rhythm and euphony are considerations. However, the choice of quien, el cual and el que to avoid ambiguity must be particularly borne in mind. 7. Lo cual and lo que as restrictive and non-restrictive relatives: a. After monosyllabic prepositions both are used. b. After dissyllabic and compound prepositions, only lo cual is used. 8. Quien and el que as substantive relatives: a. As object of a preposition, quien and el que are both used, the latter more frequently. b. Referring to indefinite persons, quien is used more frequently. c. Referring to definite persons, el que is used more frequently. d. After como (meaning "as one who") quien is used. / Arts, Faculty of / French, Hispanic, and Italian Studies, Department of / Graduate

Secwepemctsin, also known as Shuswap, is an endangered language spoken in the interior of British Columbia. No research dedicated to the study of Secwepemctsin pronouns is currently available. This thesis examines the independent pronouns of this language. Secwepemctsin is a radical head-marking language, and its independent pronouns function very differently from its bound pronominal clitics/affixes. This thesis provides a detailed description of the internal and external syntax of Secwepemctsin independent pronouns. They are analyzed as maximal projections that can occupy predicate positions as well as adjoin to DPs in argument positions. Binding effects follow from this analysis. Secwepemctsin independent pronouns show a strong subject orientation in third person contexts; it is the combined result of the independent pronouns' sensitivity to discourse and a subject-object asymmetry in the language: discourse familiarity is associated with syntactic positions via a mapping principle, yielding the Independent Pronoun Restriction. A semantic account of independent pronouns is provided. Secwepemctsin independent pronouns are shown to be contrastive focus when in predicate position, and contrastive topic when in argument position. Their behaviour is analyzed according to an alternative-based view of semantic theory. A case study of a child's acquisition of Secwepemctsin independent pronouns is documented, and the characteristics of her pronominal system are compared to those of an adult fluent speaker. Issues regarding language acquisition are discussed. It is found that although the child gets both Secwepemctsin and English input, her performance of Secwepemctsin is also influenced by Secwepemctsin-external and English-external factors. While this thesis investigates the technical details of Secwepemctsin syntax, it also places the study in the social context in which the language is in the process of being revived. A chapter on implications discusses the importance of providing learners of endangered languages with a positive environment in which to use the language. This chapter also points out the direction that endangered aboriginal languages may be heading, and stresses the importance of using language creatively. / Arts, Faculty of / Linguistics, Department of / Graduate

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