University of Groningen
Experimental investigations into the semantics of distributive marking
Bosnić, Ana
DOI:
10.33612/diss.171644158
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Publication date: 2021
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Bosnić, A. (2021). Experimental investigations into the semantics of distributive marking: Data from Serbian, Korean and Dutch. University of Groningen. https://doi.org/10.33612/diss.171644158
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Experimental investigations into the
semantics of distributive marking
Data from Serbian, Korean and Dutch
This PhD project was funded by the Ubbo Emmius programme 2014 (University of Groningen) and the French Ministry of Research and Higher Education (University of Nantes). Printed by: Eikon +
Layout by: Lovebird design. www.lovebird-design.com
The cover and all original illustrations for the experiments were designed by Biljana Mihalek. @bm_artz
© Ana Bosnić, Groningen, The Netherlands, 2021
3
Experimental investigations into the
semantics of distributive marking
Data from Serbian, Korean and Dutch
PhD thesisto obtain the degree of PhD of the University of Groningen
on the authority of the Rector Magnificus Prof. C. Wijmenga
and in accordance with the decision by the College of Deans
and
to obtain the degree of PhD of the University of Nantes on the authority of the President Prof. C. Bernault
and in accordance with
the decision by the Doctoral School ELICC Double PhD degree
This thesis will be defended in public Friday 25 June 2021 at 14.30 hours
by
Ana Bosnić
born on 24 March 1988 in Sombor, Serbia
This PhD project was funded by the Ubbo Emmius programme 2014 (University of Groningen) and the French Ministry of Research and Higher Education (University of Nantes). Printed by: Eikon +
Layout by: Lovebird design. www.lovebird-design.com
The cover and all original illustrations for the experiments were designed by Biljana Mihalek. @bm_artz
© Ana Bosnić, Groningen, The Netherlands, 2021
3
Experimental investigations into the
semantics of distributive marking
Data from Serbian, Korean and Dutch
PhD thesisto obtain the degree of PhD of the University of Groningen
on the authority of the Rector Magnificus Prof. C. Wijmenga
and in accordance with the decision by the College of Deans
and
to obtain the degree of PhD of the University of Nantes on the authority of the President Prof. C. Bernault
and in accordance with
the decision by the Doctoral School ELICC Double PhD degree
This thesis will be defended in public Friday 25 June 2021 at 14.30 hours
by
Ana Bosnić
born on 24 March 1988 in Sombor, Serbia
4
Supervisors
Prof. N.A. Taatgen Prof. H. Demirdache
Co-supervisor
Dr. J.K. SpenaderAssessment committee
Prof. P. Hendriks Prof. I. A. Sekerina Dr. S. Cable Dr. P. Cabredo HofherrIn memoriam
Jadranka Raičević
1960 – 2017
4
Supervisors
Prof. N.A. Taatgen Prof. H. Demirdache
Co-supervisor
Dr. J.K. SpenaderAssessment committee
Prof. P. Hendriks Prof. I. A. Sekerina Dr. S. Cable Dr. P. Cabredo HofherrIn memoriam
Jadranka Raičević
1960 – 2017
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ... 11
Chapter 1 Introduction ... 19
1 Introduction ... 21
1.1 The scope of the thesis ... 22
1.2 The roadmap ... 24
Chapter 2 Acquisition path of distributive markers in Serbian and Dutch – evidence from an act-out task ... 27
1 Introduction ... 29
2 Background ... 30
2.1 Acquisition of distributive key and distributive share markers ... 30
2.1.1 NQEs and scope ... 31
2.1.2 NQEs and po ... 34
2.1.3 NQEs and morphosyntactic marking ... 36
2.1.4 Svaki and po – individually exhaustive readings ... 37
2.2 Using a new task ... 39
3 Act-out task with Serbian and Dutch children... 39
3.1 Method ... 40 3.2 Results ... 43 3.2.1 Adult results ... 43 3.2.2 Child results ... 44 3.2.2.1 Distributive answers ... 44 3.2.2.2 Collective answers... 45
3.2.2.3 Cumulative (1-to-1) answers ... 46
4 Discussion of the results ... 47
4.1 Being adult-like ... 47
4.2 The role of pragmatics ... 50
4.3 Late acquisition of svaki and po ... 52
4.3.1 Additional meanings of po ... 54
5 Conclusion ... 56
Chapter 3 Dancing monkeys in Serbian and Korean – exhaustivity requirements on distributive share markers ... 59
1 Introduction ... 61
2 Distributive shave vs. Distributive key markers across languages ... 62
2.1 Distributive share markers as distributive universal quantifiers ... 64
2.2 Distributive share markers as event plurality markers ... 68
2.2.1 Lack of atomicity and exhaustivity requirements ... 71
3 Testing exhaustivity requirements with spatial event distribution ... 73
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ... 11
Chapter 1 Introduction ... 19
1 Introduction ... 21
1.1 The scope of the thesis ... 22
1.2 The roadmap ... 24
Chapter 2 Acquisition path of distributive markers in Serbian and Dutch – evidence from an act-out task ... 27
1 Introduction ... 29
2 Background ... 30
2.1 Acquisition of distributive key and distributive share markers ... 30
2.1.1 NQEs and scope ... 31
2.1.2 NQEs and po ... 34
2.1.3 NQEs and morphosyntactic marking ... 36
2.1.4 Svaki and po – individually exhaustive readings ... 37
2.2 Using a new task ... 39
3 Act-out task with Serbian and Dutch children... 39
3.1 Method ... 40 3.2 Results ... 43 3.2.1 Adult results ... 43 3.2.2 Child results ... 44 3.2.2.1 Distributive answers ... 44 3.2.2.2 Collective answers... 45
3.2.2.3 Cumulative (1-to-1) answers ... 46
4 Discussion of the results ... 47
4.1 Being adult-like ... 47
4.2 The role of pragmatics ... 50
4.3 Late acquisition of svaki and po ... 52
4.3.1 Additional meanings of po ... 54
5 Conclusion ... 56
Chapter 3 Dancing monkeys in Serbian and Korean – exhaustivity requirements on distributive share markers ... 59
1 Introduction ... 61
2 Distributive shave vs. Distributive key markers across languages ... 62
2.1 Distributive share markers as distributive universal quantifiers ... 64
2.2 Distributive share markers as event plurality markers ... 68
2.2.1 Lack of atomicity and exhaustivity requirements ... 71
3 Testing exhaustivity requirements with spatial event distribution ... 73
3.1.1 Method and design ... 75
3.1.2 Predictions ... 76
3.1.3 Results ... 77
3.1.4 Discussion ... 78
3.2 Experiment 2 ... 79
3.2.1 Method and design ... 79
3.2.2 Predictions ... 79
3.2.3 Results ... 80
3.2.4 Discussion ... 81
4 General Discussion ... 82
4.1 Distribution over pluralities of non-atomic individuals ... 83
4.1.1 Distribution over spatio/temporal locations ... 86
5 Conclusion ... 87
Chapter 4 Exhaustivity and homogeneity effects with distributive share markers – experimental evidence from Serbian po ...91
1 Introduction ... 93
2 Background ... 94
2.1 Experimentally testing exhaustivity: Previous findings .... 98
2.2 Experimentally testing exhaustivity in transitive sentences: Overt subject arguments as DistKeys ...100
3 Experiment 1 – Transitive sentences with po ...101
3.2 Method and procedure ...101
3.2 Results Experiment 1 ...103
3.3 Discussion of Experiment 1 ...107
4 Experiment 2 – Forced definite interpretation of the Subject ... 108
4.1 Method and procedure ...109
4.2 Results Experiment 2 ...111
4.3 Discussion of Experiment 2 ...112
5 Experiment 3 – Maximality vs. Exhaustivity: Homogeneity effects with po ... 113
5.1 Method and procedure ...116
5.2 Results Experiment 3 ...118
5.3 Discussion of Experiment 3 ...120
6 Conclusions and Open Questions ... 121
Chapter 5 Non-exhaustive po. Event plurality marker or group-forming device? ... 127
1 Introduction ... 129
2 Event plurality vs. Group-forming device ... 130
2.1 Plurality of events ...131
2.1.1 Cable vs. Knežević ...132
2.2 Group-forming device ...134
2.2.1 Korean -ssik – type-lifting to group-forming ...134
2.2.2 NP-internal distributive readings ...137
2.2.3 Counterarguments to the group-forming analysis ..138
3 Spatial distribution, revisited ... 140
3.1 Individuating and counting events ...140
3.2 Differentiation condition ...143
3.3 (Non-)overlapping dimensions ...144
4 Single-event readings with DistShare markers ... 146
4.1 Possible counterexamples to the event plurality analysis – once-only predicates ...149
4.2 Directionality of change – exhaustive and non-exhaustive po ...150
5 Conclusion ... 151
Chapter 6 Conclusions and future work ... 155
1 Overview ... 157
2 Unsolved puzzles for future research ... 160
2.1 Svaki+po ...160
2.2 Homogeneity and non-atomic readings ...162
2.3 Temporal distribution and covariation...163
2.4 NP-internal distributive and cumulative readings ...164
Appendices ... 166 Chapter 2 ...166 Appendix A ...166 Appendix B ...167 Appendix C ...167 Appendix D ...167 Appendix E ...168 Chapter 3 ...169 Appendix A ...169 Appendix B ...170 Chapter 4 ...171 Appendix A ...171 Appendix B ...172 Appendix C ...172 References ... 174 Summary ... 181 Samenvatting ... 187 Résumé... 194
3.1.1 Method and design ... 75
3.1.2 Predictions ... 76
3.1.3 Results ... 77
3.1.4 Discussion ... 78
3.2 Experiment 2 ... 79
3.2.1 Method and design ... 79
3.2.2 Predictions ... 79
3.2.3 Results ... 80
3.2.4 Discussion ... 81
4 General Discussion ... 82
4.1 Distribution over pluralities of non-atomic individuals ... 83
4.1.1 Distribution over spatio/temporal locations ... 86
5 Conclusion ... 87
Chapter 4 Exhaustivity and homogeneity effects with distributive share markers – experimental evidence from Serbian po ...91
1 Introduction ... 93
2 Background ... 94
2.1 Experimentally testing exhaustivity: Previous findings .... 98
2.2 Experimentally testing exhaustivity in transitive sentences: Overt subject arguments as DistKeys ...100
3 Experiment 1 – Transitive sentences with po ...101
3.2 Method and procedure ...101
3.2 Results Experiment 1 ...103
3.3 Discussion of Experiment 1 ...107
4 Experiment 2 – Forced definite interpretation of the Subject ... 108
4.1 Method and procedure ...109
4.2 Results Experiment 2 ...111
4.3 Discussion of Experiment 2 ...112
5 Experiment 3 – Maximality vs. Exhaustivity: Homogeneity effects with po ... 113
5.1 Method and procedure ...116
5.2 Results Experiment 3 ...118
5.3 Discussion of Experiment 3 ...120
6 Conclusions and Open Questions ... 121
Chapter 5 Non-exhaustive po. Event plurality marker or group-forming device? ... 127
1 Introduction ... 129
2 Event plurality vs. Group-forming device ... 130
2.1 Plurality of events ...131
2.1.1 Cable vs. Knežević ...132
2.2 Group-forming device ...134
2.2.1 Korean -ssik – type-lifting to group-forming ...134
2.2.2 NP-internal distributive readings ...137
2.2.3 Counterarguments to the group-forming analysis ..138
3 Spatial distribution, revisited ... 140
3.1 Individuating and counting events ...140
3.2 Differentiation condition ...143
3.3 (Non-)overlapping dimensions ...144
4 Single-event readings with DistShare markers ... 146
4.1 Possible counterexamples to the event plurality analysis – once-only predicates ...149
4.2 Directionality of change – exhaustive and non-exhaustive po ...150
5 Conclusion ... 151
Chapter 6 Conclusions and future work ... 155
1 Overview ... 157
2 Unsolved puzzles for future research ... 160
2.1 Svaki+po ...160
2.2 Homogeneity and non-atomic readings ...162
2.3 Temporal distribution and covariation...163
2.4 NP-internal distributive and cumulative readings ...164
Appendices ... 166 Chapter 2 ...166 Appendix A ...166 Appendix B ...167 Appendix C ...167 Appendix D ...167 Appendix E ...168 Chapter 3 ...169 Appendix A ...169 Appendix B ...170 Chapter 4 ...171 Appendix A ...171 Appendix B ...172 Appendix C ...172 References ... 174 Summary ... 181 Samenvatting ... 187 Résumé... 194
Acknowledgments
Here I am, at the end of a very big chapter of my life, getting ready for new ones to start.
It was an exciting and exploratory journey that took a bit longer, but offered some really nice side quests and rewards in return. However, this was certainly not a solitary journey, and these pages are dedicated to people who helped and supported me along the way.
First and foremost, this project would have not been possible without my two supervisors – Jennifer Spenader and Hamida Demirdache. Back in 2014, they organized a joint project and (sort of blindly) offered me a position to be their PhD student. All of a sudden, I was given a possibility to do a double degree program, and the months and years that followed were completely surreal and exhilarating.
Jennifer, you made me feel so welcome at the AI department and I was instantly relaxed around you, which made the whole experience of starting a PhD very enjoyable. Your approach was to give me practical skills as soon as possible and I remember that one of the first things I did when I started was a small pilot experiment. You taught me all about the experimental design and statistical analysis at the very beginning, so I had plenty of time to improve in those areas. For that, I will be eternally grateful. Thank you for all the ideas, feedback and comments on my work, small talks, guidance, encouragement, friendliness, optimism and positive energy that you always exude.
Hamida, it took some time before we actually had the opportunity to work together more regularly. But once that happened, I felt supported by you and it was clear to me that you really care about this project and my topic, and that was really motivating. I will never forget our long and fruitful meetings, interrupted by tasty food and your playful cats. We had so many discussions and eureka moments that it was really a pleasure to work together and figure out all the little details. Your vast theoretical knowledge and insight into many linguistic phenomena were always making our conversations more interesting. Thank you for your motivation, dedication and persistence, guidance, advice and everlasting curiosity about linguistics.
I am looking forward to our future projects and collaborations! I would like to thank the members of my reading committee for reading my thesis and making my defense possible: Seth Cable, Petra Hendriks, Patricia Cabredo Hofherr and Irina Sekerina. Thank you for your valuable feedback and suggestions, and for always being approachable and available for all the meetings we had in the past. Further thanks go to Niels Taatgen, for being my promotor and welcoming me to the AI department and the Cognitive Modeling research group.
If this book ever reaches any of them, I would also like to thank all our anonymous reviewers for reviewing the journal articles that are part of this book – yes, they repeatedly challenged us, but, in the end, it was definitely worth it!
