A theme running through much of the functionalist literature in linguistics is that grammatical structure often has an "iconic" motivation. Claims supporting this theme are discounted, and the implications are discussed of iconic relationships in language for the autonomy hypothesis and the evolution of language. (190 references)…

Addresses "ziji," notorious long-distance reflexive in Chinese, which can take antecedent infinitively far away. Argues that theories concerned with anaphoric properties should be formed and evaluated on basis of following observations: no barriers can block anaphoric relation; and subjects of any clauses containing reflexive are its…

Most recent approaches to language learnability and acquisition have assumed that parameter setting is largely a deductive process. This article develops the thesis that parameter setting is correctly viewed as nondeductive. This approach uses natural selection, as simulated by a genetic algorithm, to simulate parameter setting. (90 references)…

Advocates the application of Popper's ideas (1963, 1972) about the nature of science and objectivist epistemology to generativist linguistics, discussing the subsequent effects on five key metatheoretical positions: fallibilism; realism; objectivism; autonomism; and interactionism. (12 references) (CB)

Discusses grammatical arthritis (an internal buildup of rules that hinders writing flexibility); four new "rules" (concerning "data is,""none are,""hopefully," and the restrictive "which"); attitudes toward English grammar; how to be a helpful editor; and where to learn about grammar. (SR)

Ways to overcome difficulties in mastering the subjunctive in Spanish are described, using a travel analogy and a passport as memory aids. The passport reminds students of grammar rules, including trigger verbs and "que" clauses. (LB)

The current status of corpus-based lexico-grammar is assessed. Particular reference is to the one substantial descriptive grammar of English to have made use of the new computational techniques, the Collins COBUILD English Grammar. (39 references) (Author/LB)

This paper demonstrates that a formalization of the content of X-bar theory reveals very little substance in its claims. Six conditions that encapsulate X-bar theory are discussed: lexicality, succession, uniformity, maximality, centrality, and optionality. (50 references) (JL)

Suggests that, in some Fujian Southern Min dialects, the patterns VP-neg and Adv-VP are mutually exclusive, presenting data from Xiamen to show recent innovations in the yes-no question pattern. Describes this innovation, explaining how the origin of the innovative patterns and limitations on their further development are influenced by…

Examines grammaticalization of English "would" over an extended period of time. Offers an analysis that accounts for evidence of both the first Gricean Maxim of Quantity (in which an unrestricted quantity of information is understood to have a restricted representation) and the second (which holds that a restricted quantity of information is…

Attempts to provide a precise definition for topic and to derive most of the properties of topic from this definition. The main assumption is that the topic-comment construction is a syntactic device employed to fulfill certain discourse functions. (Author/VWL)

Tests D. Schiffrin's hypothesis that the choice between "CAUSE so RESULT" sequences and "RESULT because CAUSE" sequences is determined by topic continuity against British conversational data from the London-Lund Corpus of Spoken English. Produces results similar to Schiffrin's. Concludes that these studies reveal a cohesive…

Reports an apparent time survey of the Fenland dialect of Eastern England that provides an example of a range of dialect contact processes reconfiguring variable patterns of past tense "be." (Author/VWL)

Presents a preliminary case for the dispositionalist interpretation of grammatical knowledge by accomplishing two complementary tasks: first rejecting a prominent argument against the dispositionalist interpretation; second, advancing an original argument against the anti-dispositionalist interpretation. (Author/VWL)

School textbooks are assumed to be important socializers. However, because of the complexity and methodological stumbling blocks involved in the subject matter, the impact of specific textbooks and the interaction between pupils and textbooks have seldom been studied. I discuss the methodological problems in explorations of the role of school…