Null Objects in Korean: Experimental Evidence for the Argument Ellipsis Analysis

Han, Chung–hye; Kim, Kyeong-min; Moulton, Keir; Lidz, Jeffrey

doi:10.1162/ling_a_00342

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 28 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The speaker's variation seems to support our claim that missing clausal complement is closely tied to the presence of pronominal replacement. As pointed out by Han et al (2020), in the case of speakers' variation, there is a correlation between related phenomena. A speaker's acceptance of null clausal complement seems to positively correlate with acceptance of replacement by kukes 'it'.…”

Section: I-topmentioning

confidence: 92%

On the Distribution of Missing Arguments and Adjuncts under the Pro Approach

Ahn¹,

Cho²

2021

Lang. Res.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper focuses on different behaviors of missing arguments and adjuncts. More specifically, this paper shows that interpretations of missing arguments can be freely recovered regardless of their environments while those of missing adjuncts can be recovered in very restricted environments. With respect to this difference, we suggest that missing arguments are syntactically present as silent forms. Hence, their interpretations are relatively less influenced by pragmatic processes. We also suggest that missing adjuncts can be classified into two types. Adjunct reading of one type is obtained through mandatory pragmatic enrichment processes like saturation, and that of the other type is obtained through optional free pragmatic enrichment. Hence, interpretations of missing adjuncts are more influenced by context. We further show that the analysis advanced here can provide a solid explanation for the data pointed out by Yim (2020). We also discuss some advantages of pronoun analysis in comparison to argument ellipsis analyses and Verb-Stranding VP ellipsis analyses.

show abstract

Section: I-topmentioning

confidence: 92%

On the Distribution of Missing Arguments and Adjuncts under the Pro Approach

Ahn¹,

Cho²

2021

Lang. Res.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…If we defend an analysis in terms of pro, indefinite NSs and NOs are equivalent to a null pronominal. The alternative view is an analysis in terms of ellipsis (Cyrino 2001(Cyrino , 2016(Cyrino , 2019Duguine 2014;Giannakidou & Merchant 1997;Han et al 2020;Paparounas & Sitaridou 2018;Saito 2007;Takahashi 2008Takahashi , 2013Takahashi , 2014. If NSs and NOs are deleted arguments, and there is no empty category in internal argument position, definiteness could be dispensed with.…”

Section: Towards a Unified Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several researchers have argued that null arguments are better analyzed involving argument ellipsis (Kim 1999;Oku 1998aOku , 1998b. Most pieces of evidence for Argument Ellipsis (henceforth, AE) come from Asian languages, such as Korean (Han et al 2020), Japanese (Saito 2007;Takahashi 2008Takahashi , 2013Takahashi , 2014 and Javanese (Sato 2014), but also from Hebrew (Landau 2018), Turkish and Malayalam (Takahashi 2013).…”

Section: In Favor Of An Analysis As Argument Ellipsismentioning

confidence: 99%

Indefinite readings of referential null subjects and null objects in Spanish

Martínez García

2023

Borealis

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

It has been claimed in the literature that referential null subjects receive definite readings in consistent null-subject languages, like Spanish. That is why they are said to display the typical behavior of definite pronouns (pro). However, referential null subjects can receive indefinite readings under the following conditions: i) the antecedent must be a bare plural, ii) the indefinite null argument is interpreted as a bare noun, typically as an internal argument, and iii) identity of sense anaphora is involved. Crucially, referential null objects appear under the same conditions, and receive indefinite readings in Peninsular Spanish. This suggests that the gap could be analyzed in the same way. In this paper, I argue that both null arguments should not be analyzed as empty pronominals (pro), given the syntactic behavior that they show. By contrast, I will argue that an argument ellipsis analysis should be assumed, given that the internal argument position is occupied by an indefinite, non-specific bare noun, the null gap can receive sloppy readings, and the omission is not as ‘big’ as the one at verb-stranding VP-ellipsis, nor as ‘small’ as the one at nominal ellipsis.

show abstract

“…First, a distinction can be drawn between randomized between-subject designs, of the type just described, and non-randomized within-subject designs, also known as repeated measures designs, where each subject is exposed to all levels of the independent variable being manipulated, thereby controlling for differences across groups and allowing for causation to be tested directly (Charness et al 2012). For example, Han et al (2020) investigated the syntactic status of null objects in Korean based on two within-subjects experiments, where subjects were asked to judge if a range of sentences, both with and without null objects, accurately represented a specific situation, as described in a longer text, finding evidence for an ellipsis-based analysis. In general, there are advantages and disadvantages to both designs, and the choice should depend primarily on the nature of the hypotheses being investigated (Charness et al 2012).…”

Section: Empirical Approaches To Linguisticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Observation, experimentation, and replication in linguistics

Grieve

2021

Linguistics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In this paper, I propose that replication failure in linguistics may be due primarily to inherent issues with the application of experimental methods to analyze an inextricably social phenomenon like language, as opposed to poor research practices. Because language use varies across social contexts, and because social context must vary across independent experimental replications, linguists should not be surprised when experimental results fail to replicate at the expected rate. To address issues with replication failure in linguistics, and to increase methodological rigor in our field more generally, I argue that linguists must use experimental methods carefully, keeping in mind their inherent limitations, while acknowledging the scientific value of observational methods, which are often the only way to pursue basic questions in our field.

show abstract

Null Objects in Korean: Experimental Evidence for the Argument Ellipsis Analysis

Cited by 4 publications

References 28 publications

On the Distribution of Missing Arguments and Adjuncts under the Pro Approach

On the Distribution of Missing Arguments and Adjuncts under the Pro Approach

Indefinite readings of referential null subjects and null objects in Spanish

Observation, experimentation, and replication in linguistics

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About