Slavic languages

Abstract: This monograph offers an in depth investigation of nominalization processes across languages e.g. Greek, Germanic, Romance, Hebrew, Slavic. Adopting and extending the view that category formation does not involve any lexical operation (recently put forth within the framework of Distributed Morphology), it shows how the behavior of nominals as opposed to that of verbs follows from general processes operating in specific syntactic structures, and is linked with the presence or absence of functional layers (T, D, Aspect, v). It further defines criteria on the basis of which the organization of nominal functional structure can be determined. Moreover, it demonstrates how nominals split into several types, across languages and within a language, depending on the number and the type of functional projections they include. Furthermore, it substantiates the hypothesis that aspects of the syntax of DPs of nominative-accusative languages are strikingly similar to aspects of the syntax of ergative languages and discusses aspects of the syntax of the perfect. The book targets researchers in theoretical linguistics, comparative syntax, morphology and typology. It can also be used as a foundation book on the morpho-syntax of nominals, argument structure and word formation.

Abstract: This paper provides some (more) insights into cross-cultural variation in speech act realization by analyzing English, German, Polish and Russian requests. It aims to shows that the relationship between indirectness and politeness is interpreted differently across cultures. Hence, the analysis focuses on the difference between direct requests, which have been said to play a central role in Polish and Russian, and conventionally indirect requests, which are the most frequent request type in English and German. It further shows that the examined languages exhibit culture-specific preferences for syntactic and lexical downgraders modifying the illocutionary force of the request and, thus, reducing the threat to the hearer’s face. The requests analyzed in this study have been elicited by means of a discourse completion task and constitute responses to a scenario frequently used in previous request studies, so that the results can be compared with those established for other languages. The strong agreement among languages on the use of conventional indirectness in this scenario allows for testing the restricted applicability of interrogative constructions claimed for the two Slavic languages.

Abstract: Clitics are grammatical elements that are treated as independent words in syntax but form a phonological unit with the word that precedes or follows it This volume brings together the facts about clitics in the Slavic languages, where they have become a focal points of recent research The authors draw relevant generalizations across the Slavic languages and highlight the importance of these phenomena for linguistic theory

Abstract: Preface. 1: Introduction. 1. Organization of the Soviet State. 2. The Linguistic Map of the Soviet Union. 3. Ethnic Composition of the USSR. 4. Analyzing the Soviet Union. 2: An Overview of Soviet Language Policy. 1. The Early Soviet Years. 2. Constructing Nationalities. 3. The Nationalities Question. 4. The Literacy Campaign. 5. Language Policy under Stalin, 1930 1950. 6. Language Policy after World War II. 7. Brezhnev and the 1970s. 8. Language and Education. 9. Perestroika. 3: The Slavic Republics and Moldova. 1. The Russian Soviet Federate Socialist Republic. 2. The Ukrainian SSR. 3. The Belorussian SSR. 4. The Moldavian SSR. 5. The Backlash of Reform. 4: The Baltic States. 1. Introduction to the Baltics. 2. The Estonian SSR. 3. The Latvian SSR. 4. The Lithuanian SSR. 5. Reform and Revolt. 5: The Caucasus. 1. Overview of the Caucasus. 2. The Georgian SSR. 3. The Armenian SSR. 4. The Azerbaijan SSR. 5. The North Caucasus. 6. Summary View of the Caucasus. 6: Central Asia. 1. Overview of Central Asia. 2. Turkestan. 3. The Uzbek SSR. 4. Central Asia Prior to World War II. 5. Central Asia after Stalin. 6. Language Reform. 7: The North. 1. Languages of the North. 2. The Literacy Campaign in the North. 3. Small Languages of the North. 4. Language Development. 5. The 'Large' Minorities. 6. Language Endangerment. 8: The Impact of Soviet Language Policy. 1. Language Shift. 2. Shifting Demographics. 3. The New 'Nativization' Movements. 4. Conclusion. Appendix: Works Consulted. Language Index. Subject Index. Map of the Soviet Union, 1980.