On Information Structure, Meaning and Form
Generalizations across languages
Editors
Kerstin Schwabe | ZAS, Berlin
Susanne Winkler | University of Tuebingen
This collection of articles offers a new and compelling perspective on the interface connecting syntax, phonology, semantics and pragmatics. At the core of this volume is the hypothesis that information structure represents the common interface of these grammatical components. Information structure is investigated here from different theoretical viewpoints yielding typologically relevant information and structural generalizations. In the volume's introductory chapter, the editors identify two central approaches to information structure: the formal and the interpretive view. The remainder of the book is organized accordingly. The first part examines information structure and grammar, concentrating on generalizations across languages. The second part investigates information structure and pragmatics, concentrating on clause structure and context. Through concrete analyses of topic, focus, and related phenomena across different languages, the contributors add new and convincing evidence to the research on information structure.
[Linguistik Aktuell/Linguistics Today, 100] 2007. vii, 570 pp.
Publishing status: Available
© John Benjamins Publishing Company
Table of Contents
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Acknowledgments | p. ix
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On Information Structure, Meaning and Form: Generalizations Across LanguagesKerstin Schwabe and Susanne Winkler | pp. 1–29
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Part I Information structure and grammar: Generalizations across languages
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Phases and the typology of focus constructionsHans Bernhard Drubig | pp. 33–66
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1.1 Topics and topicalization across languages
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The prosody of topicalizationCaroline Féry | pp. 69–86
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Types of topics in German and ItalianMara Frascarelli and Roland Hinterhölzl | pp. 87–116
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The Korean particle nun, the English fall-rise accent, and thetic/categorical judgementsJorunn Hetland | pp. 117–127
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Topicalization in Malagasy, Tagalog and TsouPaul Law | pp. 129–154
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On the discourse configurationality of West GermanicLászló Molnárfi | pp. 155–181
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Topic, focus and default vs. contrastive accent: typological differences with respect to discourse prominenceWerner Abraham | pp. 183–203
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1.2 Focus and focus movement across languages
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Identifying inferences in focusDan Wedgwood | pp. 207–227
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Focus structure and the interpretation of multiple questionsBalázs Surányi | pp. 229–253
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Focus structure, movement to spec-Foc and syntactic processingCarsten Breul | pp. 255–274
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Focus and marked positions for VP adverbsEdward Göbbel | pp. 275–300
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Ellipsis and inversion: A feature-based focus accountRemus Gergel, Kirsten Gengel and Susanne Winkler | pp. 301–322
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Subject/object-asymmetry in Northern SothoSabine Zerbian | pp. 323–345
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Wide focus interpretation with fronted focus exponents in CzechDenisa Lenertová and Uwe Junghanns | pp. 347–363
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In place — out of place? Focus strategies in HausaKatharina Hartmann and Malte Zimmermann | pp. 365–403
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Part II Information structure and pragmatics: Clause structure and context
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Instructions for interpretation as separate performativesPaul Portner | pp. 407–425
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Interrogative complement clausesKerstin Schwabe | pp. 427–446
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The syntax and pragmatics of embedded yes/no questionsRegine Eckardt | pp. 447–466
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Toward a uniform analysis of short answers and gappingIngo Reich | pp. 467–484
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Alternative Semantics for definite NPsKlaus von Heusinger | pp. 485–508
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The information structure of bare plurals in English and ItalianAriel Cohen | pp. 509–521
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Name index | pp. 559–562
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Subject index | pp. 563–566
“
On Information Structure, Meaning and Form is an attractive collection of papers which addresses the interfaces of information structure from both the formal perspective (prosody, morphosyntax) and the interpretive perspective (semantics, pragmatics). The book not only shows that information structure is essential in all disciplines of linguistics, but also demonstrates how information structure may be linked to the various areas of linguistic research and how this link can be formalised. In doing so, it fits in the recently increased interest in information structure and contributes to the ongoing discussions in the study of information structure itself and the way it interfaces with semantics, pragmatics, phonology and morphosyntax.”
Jenneke van der Wal, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Gramis Project, Tervuren, in Linguistische Berichte 222: 253-256
Cited by
Cited by 6 other publications
Al-Horais, Nasser
2017. On Negation and Focus in Standard Arabic: Interface-based Approach.
Journal of Universal Language 18:1 ► pp. 1 ff. 
Bauer, Matthias, Joachim Knape, Peter Koch & Susanne Winkler
2010. Dimensionen der Ambiguität.
Zeitschrift für Literaturwissenschaft und Linguistik 40:2 ► pp. 7 ff.
Breul, Carsten
2008. On identifiability and definiteness in English and German.
Languages in Contrast 8:2 ► pp. 287 ff.
Matić, Dejan
2022.
In When Data Challenges Theory [Linguistik Aktuell/Linguistics Today, 273],
► pp. 92 ff.
van der Wal, Jenneke
2015. Information structure, (inter)subjectivity and objectification.
Journal of Linguistics 51:2 ► pp. 425 ff.
Wowro, Iwona
2021. Aequivocatio mater errorum? Ambiquitäten und Äquivokationen im Bereich des scherzhaften „Definierens“.
Prace Językoznawcze 23:4 ► pp. 23 ff.
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 01 november 2022. 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.
Subjects & Metadata
BIC Subject: CF – Linguistics
BISAC Subject: LAN009000 – LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Linguistics / General