Null Objects in Uzbek

doi:10.18627/jslg.38.4.202302.405

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2023 Vol.38, Issue 4 Preview Page Next Page

Research Article

Null Objects in Uzbek: Michael Jonathan Mathew Barrie¹, Yosuke Sato^2*; ¹Sogang University
²Tsuda University

28 February 2023. pp. 405-417

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Abstract

The current study investigates null objects in Uzbek, a Turkic language of central Asia. Building on Gribanova’s (2020) study of null arguments and predicate formation, we confirm her analysis of null subjects arising by pro-drop, but we amend her analysis of null objects. She argues that null objects arise either by argument ellipsis or by verb-stranding VP ellipsis. In light of Landau’s (2020) claim that verb-stranding VP ellipsis is a theoretical impossibility, we re-evaluate Gribanova’s arguments. We agree with Gribanova that null objects arise by ellipsis, but we show that her examples of verb-stranding VP ellipsis are either run-of-the-mill argument ellipsis or verb-stranding TP ellipsis.

Keywords

Uzbek

argument ellipsis

null arguments

VP ellipsis

pro-drop

References

Ahn, H. D. and Cho, S. 2011. On Sloppy-like Interpretation of Null Arguments. Linguistic Research 28.3, 471-492. 10.17250/khisli.28.3.201112.002
An, D. H. and Saito, M. 2014. A comparative syntax of ellipsis in Japanese and Korean. In M. Saito (ed.), Japanese Syntax in Comparative Perspective. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 117-138. 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199945207.003.0005
Chomsky, N. 1981. Lectures on Government and Binding. Dordrecht: Foris.
Funakoshi, K. 2016. Verb-stranding verb phrase ellipsis in Japanese. Journal of East Asian Linguistics 25.2, 113-142. 10.1007/s10831-016-9143-8
Gilligan, G. 1987. A Cross-Linguistic Approach to the Pro-drop Parameter. Doctoral dissertation, Los Angeles, CA: University of Southern California.
Goldberg, L. M. 2005. Verb-Stranding VP Ellipsis: A Cross-Linguistic Study. Doctoral dissertation, Montreal, QC: McGill University.
Gribanova, V. 2020. Predicate formation and verb-stranding ellipsis in Uzbek. Glossa: a journal of general linguistics 5.1, 1-40. 10.5334/gjgl.1042
Huang, C. T. J. 1984. On the Distribution and Reference of Empty Pronouns. Linguistic Inquiry 15.4, 531-544.
Huang, C. T. J. 1991. Remarks on the Status of the Null Object. In R. Freidin (ed.), Principles and Parameters in Comparative Grammar. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 56-76.
Jaeggli, O. and Hyams, N. 1987. Morphological Uniformity and the Setting of the Null Subject Parameter. In J. Blevins and J. Carter (eds.), North East Linguistics Society 18 vol 1. Amherst, MA: GLSA University of Massachusetts. 238-252.
Kim, S. 1999. Sloppy/Strict Identity, Empty Objects, and NP Ellipsis. Journal of East Asian Linguistics 8.4, 255-284. 10.1023/A:1008354600813
Laka, I. 1994. On the Syntax of Negation. New York City, NY: Taylor & Francis.
Landau, I. 2020a. On the Nonexistence of Verb-Stranding VP-Ellipsis. Linguistic Inquiry 51.2, 341-365. 10.1162/ling_a_00346
Landau, I. 2020b. Constraining Head-Stranding Ellipsis. Linguistic Inquiry 51.2, 281-318. 10.1162/ling_a_00347
Landau, I. to appear. More Doubts on V-stranding VP-ellipsis: Reply to Simpson. Syntax.
Manetta, E. 2019. Verb-phrase ellipsis and complex predicates in Hindi-Urdu. Natural Language & Linguistic Theory 37.3, 915-953. 10.1007/s11049-018-9429-9
Merchant, J. 2001. The Syntax of Silence: Sluicing, Islands and the Theory of Ellipsis. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Otani, K. and Whitman, J. 1991. V-Raising and VP-Ellipsis. Linguistic Inquiry 22.2, 345-358.
Park, M. K. 1997. The Syntax of VP Ellipsis in Korean. Language Research 33.4, 629-648.
Saito, M. 2007. Notes on East Asian Argument Ellipsis. Language Research 43.2, 203-227.
Sato, Y. 2014. Argument ellipsis in Colloquial Singapore English and the Anti-Agreement Hypothesis. Journal of Linguistics 50.2, 365-401. 10.1017/S0022226713000303
Sato, Y. 2016. Remarks on the Parameters of Argument Ellipsis: A New Perspective from Colloquial Singapore English. Syntax 19.4, 392-411. 10.1111/synt.12127
Sato, Y. 2019. Comparative syntax of argument ellipsis in languages without agreement: A case study with Mandarin Chinese. Journal of Linguistics 55.3, 643-669. 10.1017/S0022226718000403
Sjoberg, A. F. 1963. Uzbek Structural Grammar. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University (republished in 1997 by Routledge/Taylor & Francis).
Takahashi, D. 2007. Argument ellipsis from a cross-linguistic perspective: An interim report. Presented at GLOW in Asia VI, Dec 26-29, 2007. The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Türker, L. 2019. Noun Phrases in Article-less Languages: Uzbek and beyond. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company. 10.1075/la.253

Information

Publisher :The Modern Linguistic Society of Korea
Publisher(Ko) :한국현대언어학회
Journal Title :The Journal of Studies in Language
Journal Title(Ko) :언어연구
Volume : 38
No :4
Pages :405-417
DOI :https://doi.org/10.18627/jslg.38.4.202302.405

[1] Ahn, H. D. and Cho, S. 2011. On Sloppy-like Interpretation of Null Arguments. Linguistic Research 28.3, 471-492. 10.17250/khisli.28.3.201112.002

[2] An, D. H. and Saito, M. 2014. A comparative syntax of ellipsis in Japanese and Korean. In M. Saito (ed.), Japanese Syntax in Comparative Perspective. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 117-138. 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199945207.003.0005

[3] Chomsky, N. 1981. Lectures on Government and Binding. Dordrecht: Foris.

[4] Funakoshi, K. 2016. Verb-stranding verb phrase ellipsis in Japanese. Journal of East Asian Linguistics 25.2, 113-142. 10.1007/s10831-016-9143-8

[5] Gilligan, G. 1987. A Cross-Linguistic Approach to the Pro-drop Parameter. Doctoral dissertation, Los Angeles, CA: University of Southern California.

[6] Goldberg, L. M. 2005. Verb-Stranding VP Ellipsis: A Cross-Linguistic Study. Doctoral dissertation, Montreal, QC: McGill University.

[7] Gribanova, V. 2020. Predicate formation and verb-stranding ellipsis in Uzbek. Glossa: a journal of general linguistics 5.1, 1-40. 10.5334/gjgl.1042

[8] Huang, C. T. J. 1984. On the Distribution and Reference of Empty Pronouns. Linguistic Inquiry 15.4, 531-544.

[9] Huang, C. T. J. 1991. Remarks on the Status of the Null Object. In R. Freidin (ed.), Principles and Parameters in Comparative Grammar. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 56-76.

[10] Jaeggli, O. and Hyams, N. 1987. Morphological Uniformity and the Setting of the Null Subject Parameter. In J. Blevins and J. Carter (eds.), North East Linguistics Society 18 vol 1. Amherst, MA: GLSA University of Massachusetts. 238-252.

[11] Kim, S. 1999. Sloppy/Strict Identity, Empty Objects, and NP Ellipsis. Journal of East Asian Linguistics 8.4, 255-284. 10.1023/A:1008354600813

[12] Laka, I. 1994. On the Syntax of Negation. New York City, NY: Taylor & Francis.

[13] Landau, I. 2020a. On the Nonexistence of Verb-Stranding VP-Ellipsis. Linguistic Inquiry 51.2, 341-365. 10.1162/ling_a_00346

[14] Landau, I. 2020b. Constraining Head-Stranding Ellipsis. Linguistic Inquiry 51.2, 281-318. 10.1162/ling_a_00347

[15] Landau, I. to appear. More Doubts on V-stranding VP-ellipsis: Reply to Simpson. Syntax.

[16] Manetta, E. 2019. Verb-phrase ellipsis and complex predicates in Hindi-Urdu. Natural Language & Linguistic Theory 37.3, 915-953. 10.1007/s11049-018-9429-9

[17] Merchant, J. 2001. The Syntax of Silence: Sluicing, Islands and the Theory of Ellipsis. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[18] Otani, K. and Whitman, J. 1991. V-Raising and VP-Ellipsis. Linguistic Inquiry 22.2, 345-358.

[19] Park, M. K. 1997. The Syntax of VP Ellipsis in Korean. Language Research 33.4, 629-648.

[20] Saito, M. 2007. Notes on East Asian Argument Ellipsis. Language Research 43.2, 203-227.

[21] Sato, Y. 2014. Argument ellipsis in Colloquial Singapore English and the Anti-Agreement Hypothesis. Journal of Linguistics 50.2, 365-401. 10.1017/S0022226713000303

[22] Sato, Y. 2016. Remarks on the Parameters of Argument Ellipsis: A New Perspective from Colloquial Singapore English. Syntax 19.4, 392-411. 10.1111/synt.12127

[23] Sato, Y. 2019. Comparative syntax of argument ellipsis in languages without agreement: A case study with Mandarin Chinese. Journal of Linguistics 55.3, 643-669. 10.1017/S0022226718000403

[24] Sjoberg, A. F. 1963. Uzbek Structural Grammar. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University (republished in 1997 by Routledge/Taylor & Francis).

[25] Takahashi, D. 2007. Argument ellipsis from a cross-linguistic perspective: An interim report. Presented at GLOW in Asia VI, Dec 26-29, 2007. The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

[26] Türker, L. 2019. Noun Phrases in Article-less Languages: Uzbek and beyond. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company. 10.1075/la.253

The Journal of Studies in Language ISSN:1225-4770(Print) 2671-6151(Online) 언어연구

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