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  • © 2019

Thematic Relations

A Study in the Grammar-Cognition Interface

Authors:

  • Presents new solutions to important theoretical and practical problems in the description of the structure of languages

  • Proposes a system to relate morphosyntactic units and functions and elaborate thematic relations (ETRs)

  • Explores the relation between language and cognition to offer new criteria to define semantic roles

  • Offers a more robust conceptual framework to the analysis of verb valency

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Table of contents (15 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xv
  2. Introduction

    • Mário A. Perini
    Pages 1-7
  3. Grammar and Cognition

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 9-9
    2. Language and Cognition

      • Mário A. Perini
      Pages 11-25
    3. Semantic Role Elaboration

      • Mário A. Perini
      Pages 27-45
    4. Notes on Methodology

      • Mário A. Perini
      Pages 47-67
  4. Valency

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 69-69
    2. Valency

      • Mário A. Perini
      Pages 71-80
    3. The Limits of Valency

      • Mário A. Perini
      Pages 81-89
    4. Assignment by Default

      • Mário A. Perini
      Pages 91-108
    5. Thematic Potential

      • Mário A. Perini
      Pages 109-116
    6. Prototypes and Prototype Rules

      • Mário A. Perini
      Pages 117-132
    7. ETRs and Semantic Roles

      • Mário A. Perini
      Pages 133-146
  5. Descriptive Application

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 147-147
    2. What Is a Patient?

      • Mário A. Perini
      Pages 149-161
    3. Experiencer, Theme, Goal, and Patient

      • Mário A. Perini
      Pages 163-171
    4. Case Studies

      • Mário A. Perini
      Pages 173-215
    5. Apology of the Lexicon

      • Mário A. Perini
      Pages 217-232
    6. Results and Conclusions

      • Mário A. Perini
      Pages 233-241
  6. Back Matter

    Pages 243-245

About this book

This book presents a proposal to better define thematic relations by exploring the relation between language and cognition. It analyzes the relation between grammatically defined roles such as agent and patient (semantic roles), and elaborate thematic relations (ETRs) actually accessible to language users. It shows that many phenomena previously analyzed as grammatical can be described in a more simple and convenient way by postulating direct connection between syntactic complements and cognitive relations present in the schema evoked by the verb.

The volume focuses on a topic which has been the object of much discussion in the recent literature, namely the definition and delimitation of semantic roles, proposing new solutions to some important theoretical and practical problems in the description of the lexicogrammatical structure of languages, and in particular of verb valency. It shows that in many cases a direct relation can be established between morphosyntactic units and functions, on one hand, and ETRs, on the other, without the intermediation of grammatically defined semantic roles. This makes it possible to analyze thematic relations that have been traditionally problematic, such as the patient, in a linguistically simple and cognitively well-motivated way.

Thematic Relations – A Study in the Grammar-Cognition Interface will be a useful resource for practicing linguists working on the analysis of natural languages, in particular on verb valency; verb subcategorization and thematic structure; semantic (thematic) roles, their definition and syntactic coding; the relation between grammatical structure and cognitive schemata (frames); and the structure of the lexicon.


Authors and Affiliations

  • Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

    Mário A. Perini

About the author

Mário A. Perini is Professor Emeritus of Linguistics at Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil. He has taught at Campinas University (UNICAMP), Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (PUCMinas), University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign), and University of Mississippi (Oxford). His current research deals with general and Portuguese lexicology, semantics and syntax, in a cognitive perspective. This is his sixteenth published book, all in the areas of linguistics and language teaching; the list includes: Modern Portuguese: a reference grammar (2002. Yale University Press); Talking Brazilian: a Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation workbook (2004. Yale University Press); A língua do Brasil amanhã e outros mistérios (2004. Parábola Editorial); Princípios de linguística descritiva: introdução ao pensamento gramatical (2006. Parábola Editorial); Describing verb valency: practical and theoretical issues. (2015. Springer); Gramática descritiva do português brasileiro (2016. Editora Vozes); Sintaxe (2019, Parábola Editorial).


Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Thematic Relations

  • Book Subtitle: A Study in the Grammar-Cognition Interface

  • Authors: Mário A. Perini

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28538-8

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and Psychology, Behavioral Science and Psychology (R0)

  • Copyright Information: Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-28537-1Published: 04 November 2019

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-28540-1Published: 04 November 2020

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-28538-8Published: 23 October 2019

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XV, 245

  • Number of Illustrations: 1 b/w illustrations, 2 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: Cognitive Psychology, Cognitive Linguistics

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access