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Optimizing gender
- Source :
-
Lingua . Sep2006, Vol. 116 Issue 9, p1394-1417. 24p. - Publication Year :
- 2006
-
Abstract
- Abstract: This paper develops optimal gender assignment theory, an approach to gender assignment couched within the formalism of Optimality Theory [Prince, Alan, Smolensky, Paul, 1993. Optimality Theory: Constraint Interaction in Generative Grammar. Rutgers University and University of Colorado, Boulder] and drawing on Steinmetz’ [Steinmetz, Donald, 1985. Gender in German and Icelandic: inanimate nouns. In: Faarlund, J.T. (Ed.), Germanic Linguistics. Papers from a Symposium at the University of Chicago. IULC, Bloomington, IN, pp. 10–28; Steinmetz, Donald, 1986. Two principles and some rules for gender in German: inanimate nouns. Word 37, 189–217] insights into the nature of gender assignment. We focus on cases of gender assignment conflict, i.e., cases in which a noun is within the domain of competing gender assignment principles. A typological of such conflicts is proposed, distinguishing balanced from imbalanced conflicts, and a formalism is developed. We argue that features relevant for gender assignment contribute equally to that process, such that there is no priority of principles sensitive to semantic features, contra Corbett [Corbett, Greville, 1991. Gender. CUP, Cambridge]. In the context of Optimality Theory, optimal gender assignment theory provides an example of crucial equal ranking, a formal option allowed but unexplored by Prince and Smolensky (1993). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Subjects :
- *GENERATIVE grammar
*NOUNS
*GRAMMATICAL gender
*SEMANTICS
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00243841
- Volume :
- 116
- Issue :
- 9
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Lingua
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 21191588
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lingua.2004.06.013