Testing the theory:  Information structure in Old English

Ann Taylor; Susan Pintzuk

Testing the theory: Information structure in Old English

Language and Linguistic Science

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed)

Abstract

Various information structure (IS) distinctions have been proposed in the literature to account for differences in word order in languages both modern and historic. We use the schemes adopted by several ongoing IS annotation projects and examine their effect on object position (pre-/post-verbal) in Old English. While most of the schemes make the same major distinctions, some apparently small differences (e.g. elaborating vs. bridging inferables) have relatively large effects. Although these distinctions are frequently difficult to make, the effort to operationalise them is useful, since failing to include them in the annotation can produce misleading results. Other distinctions (e.g. different types of ‘old’ information) show virtually no effect, supporting the wide-spread view that they constitute a single category.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Information Structure and Syntactic Change in Germanic and Romance Languages
Editors	Kristin Bech, Kristine Gunn Eide
Place of Publication	Amsterdam/Philadelphia
Publisher	John Benjamins Publishing Company
Pages	53-78
Number of pages	26
ISBN (Electronic)	9789027270467
ISBN (Print)	9789027255969
Publication status	Published - 2014

Access to Document

https://benjamins.com/#catalog/books/la.213.03tay/details

Ann Taylor
- at9york.acuk
- Language and Linguistic Science - Professor, Former employee
Person: Academic

Workshop: Information structure and word order change in Germanic and Romance
Ann Taylor (Participant)
8 Jun 2012 → 9 Jun 2012
Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Seminar/workshop/course

Cite this

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title = "Testing the theory: Information structure in Old English",

abstract = "Various information structure (IS) distinctions have been proposed in the literature to account for differences in word order in languages both modern and historic. We use the schemes adopted by several ongoing IS annotation projects and examine their effect on object position (pre-/post-verbal) in Old English. While most of the schemes make the same major distinctions, some apparently small differences (e.g. elaborating vs. bridging inferables) have relatively large effects. Although these distinctions are frequently difficult to make, the effort to operationalise them is useful, since failing to include them in the annotation can produce misleading results. Other distinctions (e.g. different types of {\textquoteleft}old{\textquoteright} information) show virtually no effect, supporting the wide-spread view that they constitute a single category.",

author = "Ann Taylor and Susan Pintzuk",

year = "2014",

language = "English",

isbn = "9789027255969",

pages = "53--78",

editor = "Kristin Bech and Eide, {Kristine Gunn}",

booktitle = "Information Structure and Syntactic Change in Germanic and Romance Languages",

publisher = "John Benjamins Publishing Company",

address = "Netherlands",

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Testing the theory: Information structure in Old English. / Taylor, Ann ; Pintzuk, Susan.
Information Structure and Syntactic Change in Germanic and Romance Languages. ed. / Kristin Bech; Kristine Gunn Eide. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2014. p. 53-78.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed)

TY - CHAP

T1 - Testing the theory

T2 - Information structure in Old English

AU - Taylor, Ann

AU - Pintzuk, Susan

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - Various information structure (IS) distinctions have been proposed in the literature to account for differences in word order in languages both modern and historic. We use the schemes adopted by several ongoing IS annotation projects and examine their effect on object position (pre-/post-verbal) in Old English. While most of the schemes make the same major distinctions, some apparently small differences (e.g. elaborating vs. bridging inferables) have relatively large effects. Although these distinctions are frequently difficult to make, the effort to operationalise them is useful, since failing to include them in the annotation can produce misleading results. Other distinctions (e.g. different types of ‘old’ information) show virtually no effect, supporting the wide-spread view that they constitute a single category.

AB - Various information structure (IS) distinctions have been proposed in the literature to account for differences in word order in languages both modern and historic. We use the schemes adopted by several ongoing IS annotation projects and examine their effect on object position (pre-/post-verbal) in Old English. While most of the schemes make the same major distinctions, some apparently small differences (e.g. elaborating vs. bridging inferables) have relatively large effects. Although these distinctions are frequently difficult to make, the effort to operationalise them is useful, since failing to include them in the annotation can produce misleading results. Other distinctions (e.g. different types of ‘old’ information) show virtually no effect, supporting the wide-spread view that they constitute a single category.

M3 - Chapter (peer-reviewed)

SN - 9789027255969

SP - 53

EP - 78

BT - Information Structure and Syntactic Change in Germanic and Romance Languages

A2 - Bech, Kristin

A2 - Eide, Kristine Gunn

PB - John Benjamins Publishing Company

CY - Amsterdam/Philadelphia

ER -

Testing the theory: Information structure in Old English

Abstract

Access to Document

Profiles

Ann Taylor

Activities

Workshop: Information structure and word order change in Germanic and Romance

Cite this