Fluent sentence comprehension requires the automatic application of grammatical principles, in combination with other kinds of information, to a linear input string. The latter can vary greatly in complexity, and it has been observed that structures that involve non-adjacent relationships (non-local dependencies) cause particular processing difficulties, for even fluent readers. This thesis focuses on the potential role that L1 transfer plays in processing non-local dependencies in the L2. Although L1 transfer has been demonstrated in a variety of L2 domains (Juffs, 2005), the degree to which L1 syntactic properties influence the L2 in real-time processing remains an open question (Clahsen & Felser, 2006b). A better understanding of L1 influence on L2 processing has important implications for emerging models of L2 sentence processing and SLA theory in general. This thesis examines L1 effects on the processing of L2 English relative clauses. It builds on established models of L1 relative clause processing (e.g., Gibson, 1998) and focuses on the asymmetry observed in the processing of subject versus object relative clauses. Research has shown that L1 individuals find object relative clauses more difficult to process than their subject counterparts (King & Just, 1991), and off-line L2 research suggests that this asymmetry might hold for L2 processing as well (Izumi, 2003; Kanno, 2007). This thesis will examine the asymmetry on-line and investigate the role that L1 background plays in on-line performance, both alone and in combination with other processing factors. The main data are on-line performance by three groups of advanced-level learners of L2 English from Japan, China, and Vietnam. The three L1s differ from English to varying degrees in relative clause formation, as reflected in head direction, branching direction and the presence of an overt relative marker. Vietnamese shares all three properties with English and Japanese none, leading to the prediction that the Japanese learners will have the greatest difficulty, as evident in the largest subject/object asymmetry in processing times. Evidence for the effect of L1 syntactic properties on L2 processing will be sought in a set of studies that compare processing outcomes for these learners across key individual difference factors in L2 processing, working memory capacity, lexical processing efficiency, and proficiency. The effect of non-structural information, in the form of animacy contrasts and frequency effects, on L2 syntactic processing across the L1 groups will also be examined. By systematically examining group differences across these key factors, the degree and nature of potential L1 influence on the processing of these non-local dependencies can be better assessed. Three groups of advanced-level L2 English learners from China, Japan, and Vietnam, a group of intermediate-level learners in Japan, and native English controls participated in the data collection. Participants were first tested on a battery of individual difference measures that established language proficiency and general processing skill for individual participants and groups. On-line reading data of relative clause structures were then collected and reported in a set of five studies. Study 1 examined reading when the target structures contained high frequency content words, which minimized word recognition demands. Advanced L2 learners took longer to read object relative clauses, and the difference was the greatest for the Japanese group. Study 2 revealed that the subject/object asymmetry and L1 influence evident in Study 1 disappeared when word recognition was effortful, as in sentences with low frequency words, suggesting that L1 syntactic influence may only be evident when lexical processing is relatively automatic. Study 3 examined the effect of proficiency differences on processing outcomes by comparing performance by Intermediate and Advanced Japanese learners. The Intermediate learners showed no subject/object asymmetry in sentences with high frequency words, providing further evidence that processing efficiency is a key factor when considering possible L1 effects in L2 processing. Study 4 demonstrated that advanced L2 learners benefited from animacy cues in on-line processing, with the difficulty associated with object relative sentences and the L1 effect evident in sentences with animate head nouns neutralized in sentences with inanimate head nouns. The findings indicate that L2 learners may rely on lexical information as an alternative to syntactic knowledge in some cases. Finally, Study 5 compared processing performance on full or reduced relative clauses to examine both the influence of L1 syntactic properties and L1 structural frequency biases on L2 processing outcomes. Although the influence of frequency information was not evident, the results suggested that the availability of an overt relative marker in the L1 affected L2 processing outcomes. Overall, the results provide some support for the view that L1 background influences the processing of complex syntactic structures in the L2, a finding consistent with Juffs (2005) but contrary to Clahsen et al. (Clahsen & Felser, 2006b). However, the effect is sensitive to a range of factors, which appears to support the claim by the latter that L2 learners may rely more on lexical-semantic information than L1 individuals.

[Truncated abstract] The field of pattern recognition aims to develop algorithms and computer programs that can learn patterns from data, where learning encompasses the problems of recognition, representation, classification and prediction. Syntactic pattern recognition recognises that patterns may be hierarchically structured. Formal language theory is an example of a syntactic approach, and is used extensively in computer languages and speech processing. However, the underlying structure of language and speech is strictly one-dimensional. The application of syntactic pattern recognition to the analysis of images requires an extension of formal language theory. Thus, this thesis extends and generalises formal language theory to apply to data that have possibly multi-dimensional underlying structure and also hierarchic structure . . . As in the case for curves, shapes are modelled as a sequence of local relationships between the curves, and these are estimated using a training sample. Syntactic square detection was extremely successful – detecting 100% of squares in images containing only a single square, and over 50% of the squares in images containing ten squares highly likely to be partially or severely occluded. The detection and classification of polygons was successful, despite a tendency for occluded squares and rectangles to be confused. The algorithm also peformed well on real images containing fish. The success of the syntactic approaches for detecting edges, detecting curves and detecting, classifying and counting occluded shapes is evidence of the potential of syntactic models.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-14T12:43:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 parte1.pdf: 3052797 bytes, checksum: 5da04d0969960baeaa2f87486c8c84e1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-09-08 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This research proposes a study of the syntactic- semantic dimensions of the lexical items that, syntactically, exercise a function of subject in journalistic titles. Still it investigates the configuration of verbal constructions, observing its pragmatic- ideological motivations subjacent to the journalistic context. Our investigation stars from the principle that, in the titles sentence type ( SVO- SV), for example Justice limits liberty of the supporters, the position of the subject is occupied by expressions that assume metonymically the paper of controller of the dynamic process expressed by the verb, as in these enunciates there are a kind of configuration of sense of the subject, as its main characteristic prototypical characteristic of agentivity is frequently dissociated. To the realization of the analysis, we constituted a corpus of 120 journalistic news published in two periodic from Pernambuco, through the years 2006, 20007 and 2008 and analyzed the expressions from the left side of the verb (process). To the discussion of the obtained results we proceeded, methodologically, as follows: we presented the occurrences number of the processes, taking into account the frequency of determined kind present in our corpus; we verified the participants actor, beneficiary, experiencer and teller, to verify in which way these participants represent the referred entity in the position of subject in a determined thematic area: politics, economy and urban life and, to finish, we categorized the representation of the first participant ( P1), that, syntactically, expresses the subject, according to Souza ( 2006, p. 165), as nominal syntagmas (SN) of two kinds: the lexical SN, having as a centre a noun, modified or not; the individualized SN ( SNi), subtype of SNL, that that has as a centre a being. To evidence such position, we fundament in the pretext of Systemic- Functional Linguistic of Halliday ( 1985), Halliday & Mathiessen ( 2004), Souza ( 2006) and Furtado da Cunha & Souza ( 2007). We observed that the nominal syntagmas (SNs) that occupy a position of subjects in the journalistic titles accomplish the most varied forms of representativity and that these syntagmas represent semantic-pragmatic behaviours determined by the thematic context. / Esta pesquisa propõe um estudo das dimensões sintático-semânticas dos itens lexicais que, sintaticamente, exercem a função de sujeito em títulos jornalísticos. Ainda investiga a configuração de construções verbais, observando suas motivações pragmático-ideológicas subjacentes ao contexto jornalístico. Nossa investigação parte do princípio de que, nos títulos do tipo oracional (SVO SV), por exemplo, Justiça limita liberdade dos torcedores, a posição de sujeito é ocupada por expressões que assumem metonimicamente o papel de controlador do processo dinâmico expresso pelo verbo, uma vez que nestes enunciados há uma certa reconfiguração de sentido do sujeito, pois sua principal característica prototípica de agentividade é freqüentemente desassociada. Para a realização das análises, constituímos um corpus de 120 títulos de notícias jornalísticas publicados em dois periódicos pernambucanos, ao longo dos anos 2006, 2007 e 2008 e analisamos as expressões ocupantes do lado esquerdo do verbo (processo). Para discussão dos resultados obtidos procedemos, metodologicamente, da seguinte forma: apresentamos o número de ocorrências dos processos, levando em conta a freqüência de determinado tipo presente em nosso corpus; verificamos os participantes ator, beneficiário, experienciador e dizente, a fim de averiguar de que forma esses participantes representam a entidade referida na posição de sujeito em determinada área temática: política, economia e vida urbana e, por fim, categorizamos a representação do primeiro participante (P1) que, sintaticamente, expressa o sujeito, conforme Souza (2006, p. 165), como sintagma nominal (SN) de dois tipos: o SN lexical (SNL), tendo como núcleo um substantivo, modificado ou não; o SN individualizado (SNi), subtipo do SNL, aquele que tem como núcleo um indivíduo. Para evidenciar tal posicionamento, fundamentamo-nos em pressupostos da Lingüística Sistêmico-Funcional de Halliday (1985), Halliday & Mathiessen (2004), Souza (2006) e Furtado da Cunha & Souza (2007). Constatamos que os sintagmas nominais (SNs) que ocupam a posição de sujeito nos títulos jornalísticos cumprem as mais variadas formas de representatividade e que esses sintagmas representam comportamentos semânticopragmáticos determinados pelo contexto temático.

This thesis deals with reducing automata, their normalization, and their application for a (robust) reduction analysis and localization of syntactic errors for deterministic context-free languages (DCFL). A reducing automaton is similar to a restarting automaton with two subtle differences: an explicit marking of reduced symbols (which makes it possible to determine a position of an error accurately), and moving a lookahead window inside a control unit (which brings reducing automata closer to devices of classical automata and formal language theory). In case of reducing automata, it is easier to adopt and reuse notions and approaches developed within classical theory, e.g., prefix correctness or automata minimization. For any nonempty deterministic context-free language specified by a monotone reducing automaton, both prefix correct and minimal, we propose a method of robust analysis by reduction which ensures localization of formally defined types of (real) errors, correct subwords, and subwords causing reduction conflicts (i.e., subwords with ambiguous syntactic structure that can be reduced in different words in different ways). We implement the proposed method by a new type of device (called postprefix robust analyzer) and we briefly show how to implement this method by a deterministic pushdown...

Esta tese investigou o desenvolvimento da convencionalidade e especificidade na aquisição de verbos. No Estudo 1, uma amostra de verbos do Português Brasileiro (PB) foi julgada por 605 universitários, em escala likert de 1 a 5 pontos, gerando escores de convencionalidade e especificidade. O Estudo 2 comparou a convencionalidade em 80 crianças divididas em 2 grupos etários (2:0-3:0 e 3:1-4:5) utilizando 2 análises: dicotômica e contínua (escala likert). Os resultados mostraram que ambas são válidas para diferenciar os grupos, embora a contínua apresente vantagens. No Estudo 3, foram analisadas 55 crianças em 2 momentos. Os resultados mostraram um desenvolvimento significativo da convencionalidade e especificidade ao longo do tempo e diferenças significativas entre gêneros: meninas foram mais convencionais e específicas do que meninos. As correlações mostraram uma interdependência entre variáveis linguísticas e cognitivas. O Estudo 4 apresentou diferenças de gênero na organização semântica dos verbos por meio de um modelo gráfico. / This dissertation investigated the development of conventionality and specificity in the acquistion of verbs. In Study 1, a sample of Brazilian Portuguese (PB) verbs was judged by 605 undergraduate students, in a 1 to 5 points likert scale, generating conventionality and specificity scores. The Study 2 compared conventionality in 80 children divided in 2 age groups (2;0-3;0 and 3;1-4;5) using 2 analyses: dichotomic and continuous (likert scale). The results showed that both are valid to differentiate the groups, although the continuous presents advantages. In Study 3, we analized 55 children in 2 moments. The results showed a significant development of conventionality and specificity through time and significant differences between genders: girls were more conventional and specific than boys. The correlations showed an interdependence between linguistic and cognitive variables. The Study 4 showed gender differences in verbs semantic organization throuth a graphic model.

This diploma thesis deals with french idiomatic connections that include names of human body parts. In the first theoretic part, the term "set phrase", or "idiomatic connection" is defined. Afterwards is this part also dedicated to the classification of idioms and to their internal structure and function. In the second analytic part, the selected sample of idioms is formally analyzed, i.e. according to the internal structure of an idiom and also by the semantic view (polysemy, possible interpretations, motivation). Than, the possibilities of syntactic manipulation and internal transformations of idioms are indicated. The main attention is paid to the translatological analysis of the selected sample of idioms and to the possibilities of their translation to the czech language. The aim of this diploma thesis is to observe the degree of equivalence when translating idiomatic connections, or to indicate possibilities of their translation to the czech language. The application output of this work will be the bilingual (Franco-Czech) dictionnary of corresponding idioms.

Esta tese investigou o desenvolvimento da convencionalidade e especificidade na aquisição de verbos. No Estudo 1, uma amostra de verbos do Português Brasileiro (PB) foi julgada por 605 universitários, em escala likert de 1 a 5 pontos, gerando escores de convencionalidade e especificidade. O Estudo 2 comparou a convencionalidade em 80 crianças divididas em 2 grupos etários (2:0-3:0 e 3:1-4:5) utilizando 2 análises: dicotômica e contínua (escala likert). Os resultados mostraram que ambas são válidas para diferenciar os grupos, embora a contínua apresente vantagens. No Estudo 3, foram analisadas 55 crianças em 2 momentos. Os resultados mostraram um desenvolvimento significativo da convencionalidade e especificidade ao longo do tempo e diferenças significativas entre gêneros: meninas foram mais convencionais e específicas do que meninos. As correlações mostraram uma interdependência entre variáveis linguísticas e cognitivas. O Estudo 4 apresentou diferenças de gênero na organização semântica dos verbos por meio de um modelo gráfico. / This dissertation investigated the development of conventionality and specificity in the acquistion of verbs. In Study 1, a sample of Brazilian Portuguese (PB) verbs was judged by 605 undergraduate students, in a 1 to 5 points likert scale, generating conventionality and specificity scores. The Study 2 compared conventionality in 80 children divided in 2 age groups (2;0-3;0 and 3;1-4;5) using 2 analyses: dichotomic and continuous (likert scale). The results showed that both are valid to differentiate the groups, although the continuous presents advantages. In Study 3, we analized 55 children in 2 moments. The results showed a significant development of conventionality and specificity through time and significant differences between genders: girls were more conventional and specific than boys. The correlations showed an interdependence between linguistic and cognitive variables. The Study 4 showed gender differences in verbs semantic organization throuth a graphic model.

The expression /on the one hand…on the other hand/ (OH1 OH2) is a fixed linguistic pattern which is used to emphasize the comparison between two possibly complex propositions (henceforth X and Y). The static syntactic form of the pattern and the specific semantic comparison it evokes are strong indicators that it is a construction of the type discussed in the analytical method Construction Grammar (henceforth CxG). Thus, the aim of this essay is to argue that the pattern OH1X OH2Y is a CxG construction with specific syntactic and semantic constraints, and at the same time to give a descriptive account of the features of the construction. The British National Corpus was used to get examples containing the pattern. The syntactic and semantic features of these examples were analysed and the results were compared with how the traditional descriptive grammarians account for the pattern.

Esta dissertação de mestrado apresenta a análise do grau de coesão entre as orações combinadas na estrutura com a seguinte composição: a subordinada é não-finita e tem a preposição para encabeçando a oração. Numa abordagem sincrônica, pesquisamos o comportamento funcional dessa estrutura na modalidade falada e escrita por meio de critérios formais de controle com o fim de apreender a motivação de cada interpretação. A estrutura para + infinitivo tem sido usada em outros contextos semânticos que não o de finalidade. Esses sentidos outros têm demonstrado um caráter mais abstratizado e, em alguns casos, um entrelaçamento sintático bastante acentuado com a oração-núcleo. Essa constatação fez com que fosse possível postular a instauração de um processo de intensa gramaticalização. Tendo em vista que nem todas as orações configuradas neste tipo de padrão estrutural sinalizam finalidade no português do Brasil, procedo à identificação dos padrões funcionais, que denunciam a língua em sua dinamicidade gerando funções inovadoras a fim de atender às necessidades comunicativas dos falantes. Esta dissertação apresenta-se como uma contribuição da ciência lingüística ao trabalho pedagógico, em um diálogo bastante interessante por envolver a percepção do aluno, a decisão pedagógica do professor e a discussão teórica da lingüística contemporânea. / This dissertation mastering work presents the analysis of the degree cohesion among combined sentences in their structure with the following composition: the subordinate is non-finite and it has the preposition para (to) heading it. In a synchronous approach, we search the functional behavior of this structure in the spoken and written modality by means of formal criteria of control in order to apprehend the motivation of each interpretation. The structure to + infinitive has been used in other semantic contexts with several different meanings from the purpose meaning (the initial one). These other meanings have demonstrated a more abstraticized feature and, in some cases, a syntactic blending sufficiently accented with the main sentence. This confirmation has given the possibility of claiming the instauration of an intense grammaticalization process. There is a view in which not all the sentences that are configured in this structural standard type sign to the purpose semantic feature in the Brazilian Portuguese. So I proceed to the identification of the functional standards that denounce the language in its dynamicity, it also generates innovative functions in order to embody the communicative needs of the speakers. This dissertation is presented as a contribution from the linguistic science to the pedagogical work, in a really interesting dialogue that involves the student perception, the pedagogical teacher decision and the linguistic contemporary theoretical discussion.

Esta tese investigou o desenvolvimento da convencionalidade e especificidade na aquisição de verbos. No Estudo 1, uma amostra de verbos do Português Brasileiro (PB) foi julgada por 605 universitários, em escala likert de 1 a 5 pontos, gerando escores de convencionalidade e especificidade. O Estudo 2 comparou a convencionalidade em 80 crianças divididas em 2 grupos etários (2:0-3:0 e 3:1-4:5) utilizando 2 análises: dicotômica e contínua (escala likert). Os resultados mostraram que ambas são válidas para diferenciar os grupos, embora a contínua apresente vantagens. No Estudo 3, foram analisadas 55 crianças em 2 momentos. Os resultados mostraram um desenvolvimento significativo da convencionalidade e especificidade ao longo do tempo e diferenças significativas entre gêneros: meninas foram mais convencionais e específicas do que meninos. As correlações mostraram uma interdependência entre variáveis linguísticas e cognitivas. O Estudo 4 apresentou diferenças de gênero na organização semântica dos verbos por meio de um modelo gráfico. / This dissertation investigated the development of conventionality and specificity in the acquistion of verbs. In Study 1, a sample of Brazilian Portuguese (PB) verbs was judged by 605 undergraduate students, in a 1 to 5 points likert scale, generating conventionality and specificity scores. The Study 2 compared conventionality in 80 children divided in 2 age groups (2;0-3;0 and 3;1-4;5) using 2 analyses: dichotomic and continuous (likert scale). The results showed that both are valid to differentiate the groups, although the continuous presents advantages. In Study 3, we analized 55 children in 2 moments. The results showed a significant development of conventionality and specificity through time and significant differences between genders: girls were more conventional and specific than boys. The correlations showed an interdependence between linguistic and cognitive variables. The Study 4 showed gender differences in verbs semantic organization throuth a graphic model.