Invariance, Markedness and Distinctive Feature Analysis

A contrastive study of sign systems in English and Hebrew

Yishai Tobin

Hardbound – Available

ISBN 9789027236142 (Eur) | EUR 130.00

ISBN 9781556195655 (USA) | USD 195.00

e-Book –

ISBN 9789027276742 | EUR 130.00 | USD 195.00

This volume provides a new kind of contrastive analysis of two unrelated languages English and Hebrew based on the semiotic concepts of invariance, markedness and distinctive feature theory. It concentrates on linguistic forms and constructions which are remarkably different in each language despite the fact that they share the same familiar classifications and labels. Tobin demonstrates how and why traditional and modern syntactic categories such as grammatical number; verb tense, aspect, mood and voice; conditionals and interrogatives; etc., are not equivalent across languages. It is argued that these so-called universal concepts function differently in each language system because they belong to distinct language-specific semantic domains which are marked by different sets of semantic features. The data used in this volume have been taken from a wide range of both spoken and written discourse and texts reflecting people's actual use of language presented in their relevant linguistic and situational contexts.

[Current Issues in Linguistic Theory, 111] 1994. xxii, 406 pp.

Publishing status: Available

https://doi.org/10.1075/cilt.111

Table of Contents

List of figures | p. xi

List of tables | p. xiii

Preface | p. xvii

Part I: Theoretical and Methodological Background

1. The sign-oriented approach | p. 3

2. The sign-oriented model | p. 31

Part II: Semantic Integrality

3. Semantic Integrality | p. 71

4. Possessive constructions in English and Hebrew | p. 119

5. Contractions in English | p. 153

Part III: Process and Result in Language

6. Troublesome lexical pairs in English | p. 181

7. Troublesome lexical pairs in Hebrew | p. 201

8. The Hebrew root and conjugation (binyan) systems | p. 241

Part IV: Specification in Language

9. Here, now and where in English and Hebrew | p. 289

10. Interrogatives in English and Hebrew | p. 313

Notes | p. 363

Name Index | p. 393

Subject Index | p. 397

Cited by (16)

Cited by 16 other publications

Order by:

Mauder, Elisabeth & Angelita Martinez

2019. Being polite in Argentina. In Columbia School Linguistics in the 21st Century [Studies in Functional and Structural Linguistics, 77], ► pp. 233 ff.

Dreer, Igor, F. Neveu, B. Harmegnies, L. Hriba & S. Prévost

2018. L’application de la théorie de « phonologie comme comportement humain » à l’analyse de la distribution phonotactique des consonnes et des voyelles dans les mots monosyllabiques du français standard. SHS Web of Conferences 46 ► pp. 09002 ff.

Kupferberg, Irit & Izhak Gilat

2013. The discursive self-construction of suicidal help seekers in computer-mediated discourse. Communication and Medicine 9:1 ► pp. 23 ff.

Gilat, Itzhak, Yishai Tobin & Golan Shahar

2011. Offering Support to Suicidal Individuals in an Online Support Group. Archives of Suicide Research 15:3 ► pp. 195 ff.

Fuks, Orit

2009. The Status of “Movement” in the Semiotic Phonology of Israeli Sign Language. Asia Pacific Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing 12:2 ► pp. 201 ff.

Green, Hila

2009. Intonation in Hebrew-Speaking Children with High Functioning Autism. Asia Pacific Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing 12:2 ► pp. 187 ff.

Green, Hila & Yishai Tobin

2009. Prosodic analysis is difficult … but worth it: A study in high functioning autism. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology 11:4 ► pp. 308 ff.

Fuks, Orit & Yishai Tobin

2008. The signs B and B‐bent in Israeli sign language according to the theory of Phonology as Human Behavior. Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics 22:4-5 ► pp. 391 ff.

NILI MANDELBLIT

2001. The grammatical marking of conceptual integration: From syntax to morphology. cogl 11:3-4 ► pp. 197 ff.

Tobin, Yishai

1991. Review of Glinert (1989): The Grammar of Modern Hebrew. Studies in Language 15:2 ► pp. 423 ff.

Tobin, Yishai

2008. Looking at Sign Language as a Visual and Gestural Shorthand. Poznań Studies in Contemporary Linguistics 44:1

Tobin, Yishai

2009. Phonology as Human Behaviour: Clinical Phonetics, Phonology and Prosody. Poznań Studies in Contemporary Linguistics 45:2

Tobin, Yishai

2009. Comparing and Contrasting Natural Phonology, Optimality Theory and the Theory of Phonology as Human Behavior. Poznań Studies in Contemporary Linguistics 45:1

Tobin, Yishai

2009. Phonology as Human Behavior: Applying Theory to the Clinic. Asia Pacific Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing 12:2 ► pp. 81 ff.

[no author supplied]

2015. Case in Russian [Studies in Functional and Structural Linguistics, 70],

[no author supplied]

2016. Textplicating Iconophones [Studies in Functional and Structural Linguistics, 72],

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 25 september 2024. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.

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