Universal #1381
Legacy number: 1381
| Number | 1377 |
| Original | Bridging Verb Hierarchy: If a bridging verb or verb complex V of semantic specificity n is grammatical in an FGD, then all verbs or verb complexes V´ with less semantic specificity than V will also grammatical. |
| Standardized | Bridging Verb Hierarchy: IF a bridging verb or verb complex V of semantic specificity n is grammatical in an FGD, THEN all verbs or verb complexes V´ with less semantic specificity than V will also grammatical. |
| Formula | verb (in FGD of semantic specificity n) ⇒ verb (in FGD of semantic specificity n-1) |
| Keywords | filler, gap, bridging verb, specificity |
| Domain | syntax, semantics |
| Type | implication |
| Status | achronic |
| Quality | absolute |
| Basis | English, German, Norwegian (all Germanic, Indo-European), and many other languages from Kiparsky & Kiparsky 1970 and Hukari & Levine 1995 |
| Source | Hawkins 1999: 272 |
Discussion
Notes
1. The terms “filler” and “gap” are used for the moved element and its trace respectively.2. Filler-Gap Domain [FGD]: An FGD consists of the smallest terminal and non-terminal nodes dominated by the mother of a filler and on a connected path that must be accessed for gap identification and processing; for subcategorized gaps the path connects the filler to the gap’s subcategorizor and includes, or is extended to include, the gap’s dependent and disambiguating arguments (if any); for non-subcategorized gaps the path connects the filler to the gap site; all constituency relations and co-occurrence requirements holding between these nodes belong to the description of the FGD.3. This hierarchy is exemplified in (i) (where > means ‘better than’):(i) a. How angry did Mary say that John was? > b. How angry did Mary say softly that John was? = c. How angry did Mary whisper that John was?4. Hawkins (1999: 271) claims that this hierarchy be derived from the following processing preference: Reduced FGDs Semantically: The human processor prefers to minimize the amount of semantic information that needs to be processed in an FGD.
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2. FILLER-GAP DOMAIN [FGD]: An FGD consists of the smallest terminal and non-terminal nodes dominated by the mother of a filler and on a connected path that must be accessed for gap identification and processing; for subcategorized gaps the path connects the filler to the gap's subcategorizor and includes, or is extended to include, the gap's dependent and disambiguating arguments (if any); for non-subcategorized gaps the path connects the filler to the gap site; all constituency relations and co-occurrence requirements holding between these nodes belong to the description of the FGD.
3. This hierarchy is exemplified in (i) (where > means 'better than'):
<table class = "textTable">
<tr>
<td> (i)</td>
<td>a.</td>
<td> How angry did Mary say that John was? </td>
<td>> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> </td>
<td>b.</td>
<td> How angry did Mary say softly that John was?</td>
<td> =</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> </td>
<td>c. </td>
<td>How angry did Mary whisper that John was?</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
</table>
4. Hawkins 1999: 271: claims that this hierarchy be derived from the following processing preference: Reduced FGDs Semantically: The human processor prefers to minimize the amount of semantic information that needs to be processed in an FGD.