Editorial note
Péter Antonyi
Phrasal verbs and VP shells
The Even Yearbook 3: 1–15 ⟨#21⟩
⟨abstract⟩ This paper first looks at the most important syntactic properties and possible movements regarding phrasal verbs, on the basis of which it aims to question the validity of the traditional distinction between phrasal and prepositional verbs. By claiming that the particle of a phrasal verb is a PP, it then puts phrasal verbs into a larger framework of double object/complement constructions proposed by Larson (1988) and investigates the extent to which the linguistic phenomena and properties that phrasal verbs exhibit may be explained through rules and principles that apply to other double object/complement constructions. This more general approach is also believed to shed light on the real nature of the difference between transitive phrasal and prepositional verbs, namely the status of the particle and the preposition.
⟨full text⟩ ⟨more…⟩
András Cser
What is nasal loss before fricatives?
The Even Yearbook 3: 16–23 ⟨#22⟩
⟨abstract⟩ In this paper sound changes are presented which show that changes affecting the feature [continuant] on contact display different behaviour depending on the sounds involved: obstruents dissimilate from each other in this feature, whereas obstruents and sonorants assimilate one way or the other. This asymmetry may have to do with the fact that continuancy is normally distinctive in obstruents, but nondistinctive in sonorants. It is argued that nasal loss before fricatives, a widely attested phenomenon in the languages of the world, is an instance of continuancy assimilation. It is further argued that the preference for [+continuant] [−continuant] is a syllable contact rule similar to the rule involving sonority.
⟨full text⟩ ⟨more…⟩
Zoltán Benedek Gráf
Some issues of segment length and syllable weight
The Even Yearbook 3: 25–42 ⟨#23⟩
⟨abstract⟩ The paper consists of two major parts: the first one (section 2) compares rival analyses of syllable weight, focusing, in particular, on some compensatory lengthening phenomena, and offering some alternative solutions, claiming that moraic phenomena take place on a separate autosegmental tier, independently of syllabic organisation. The second part (section 3) tackles problems of Hungarian surface vowel shortening and lengthening, and claims that phenomena that have earlier been treated as instances of moraic compensatory lengthening are not, in fact, moraic in nature.
⟨full text⟩ ⟨more…⟩
Judit Kormos
A new psycholinguistic taxonomy of self-repairs in L2: A qualitative analysis with retrospection
The Even Yearbook 3: 43–68 ⟨#24⟩
⟨abstract⟩ On the basis of a retrospective study conducted with 30 Hungarian speakers of English of varying levels of proficiency the paper aims at devising a new comprehensive psycholinguistic taxonomy of self-repairs. On the basis of the results of the research, it is argued that certain modifications are needed in Levelt’s (1983) taxonomy so that it could be applied for the analysis of repairs in L2. The paper further specifies the categories of different information and appropriate level of information repairs and aims at providing a more precise definition of the various subtypes of error repairs. It is proposed that psycholinguistically more accurate results could be obtained in both L1 and L2 self-repair research if error repairs were not classified on the basis of the surface representation of the reparandum, but according to the location of the lapse in the speech processing phase. In addition, the paper identifies a new category of self-corrections: rephrasing repair, which is employed when the speaker is uncertain about the correctness of the utterances and rephrases parts of his/her original message.
⟨full text⟩ ⟨more…⟩
Péter A. Lázár
Towards a taxonomy of “false friends”: Faux amis for Hungarian users of English
The Even Yearbook 3: 69–118 ⟨#25⟩
⟨abstract⟩ This paper does not concern itself with three things: (a) it does not suggest ways for a more effective teaching the vocabulary of any L2. Neither do I wish to comment on the issue of whether the inductive methods that have been favoured over the past decades have helped the acquisition of vocabulary by discouraging recourse to L1 for meaning. (b) I do not compare the bodies of data in the available lists of false friends, since I look at false friends/cognates in just one particular bilingual and unidirectional fashion, cataloguing English false friends for Hungarians. Ideally, it will be found that other language pairs show similar patterns, thus these findings can be applied to other situations. © I do not evaluate the available lists of false friends: these bodies of data do exhibit inconsistencies, but it must be borne in mind that there is a great risk of error involved in such compilation. Where, however, questions of principle are involved, I shall not refrain from making critical comments.
⟨full text⟩ ⟨more…⟩
Lajos Marosán
Word classes and related issues
The Even Yearbook 3: 119–147 ⟨#26⟩
⟨abstract⟩ In this paper the author reviews and discusses the problems related to the ‘parts of speech’; this essay purports to be a chapter of a textbook that surveys and discusses topics which are not sufficiently covered in standards textbooks.
⟨full text⟩ ⟨more…⟩
Ádám Nádasdy and Péter Siptár
Vowel length in present-day spoken Hungarian
The Even Yearbook 3: 149–172 ⟨#27⟩
⟨abstract⟩ The paper claims that the traditional fully symmetrical vowel-system of Hungarian (as still suggested by the spelling, e.g. i/í, ö/ő) is collapsing, giving way to a system where length is nondistinctive in high vowels and in final mid vowels, while it is replaced by quality differences in low (and possibly also in nonfinal mid) vowels.
⟨full text⟩ ⟨more…⟩
Mark Newson
Pronominalisation, reflexivity and the partial pronunciation of traces: Binding goes OT
The Even Yearbook 3: 173–222 ⟨#28⟩
⟨abstract⟩ In this paper, I want to reconsider binding phenomena in light of the Optimality Theory framework originally devised in Newson 1996. It will be shown that a radically different view of the nature of pronouns enabled in this framework avoids the uncomfortable problems which face Standard Binding Theory (SBT). In forming this theory, I will heavily rely on the already radically different views (from the perspective of SBT at least) of Reinhart and Reuland (1993) and Pesetsky (forthcoming).
⟨full text⟩ ⟨more…⟩
Péter Szigetvári
Voice assimilation in Hungarian: the hitches
The Even Yearbook 3: 223–236 ⟨#29⟩
⟨abstract⟩ Voice assimilation is a much discussed issue recently. The topics involved are whether the feature voiced is privative or equipollent and whether the process can be described by making reference to prosodic structure or by specifying the environment linearly. By analysing voice assimilation in Hungarian, I attempt to show that a privative feature is capable of doing the job ­ though not unproblematically ­ and that the environment is much more easy to describe simply by making reference to the next segment(s) than by identifying the position of the target and the trigger by traditional syllabic constituents, like onset and coda. The last section of the paper treats three segments, [v h j], the ambivalent behaviour of which raises a number of problems to be solved. The aim is not so much to provide solutions to each problematic detail, but to gather the points that have to be sorted out.
⟨full text⟩ ⟨more…⟩
Zsuzsa Tóth
Analysis of tonal sequences in English
The Even Yearbook 3: 237–249 ⟨#30⟩
⟨abstract⟩ This paper examines the intonation of English sentences containing more than one intonation phrase. The analysis of the sequential properties of nuclear tones in O’Connor and Arnold ‘s classic Intonation of Colloquial English (1961) provides some insight into what nuclear tone sequences seem to occur most frequently in English, what syntactic units align with separate tone units, and it also investigates which tone sequences are missing from the data.
⟨full text⟩ ⟨more…⟩
László Varga
The Intonational Phrase and Secondary Intonational Phrase Formation in Hungarian
The Even Yearbook 3: 251–263 ⟨#31⟩
⟨abstract⟩ The first part of this article explores the possibility of analysing Hungarian intonation in terms of Intonational Phrases (IPs) consisting of Preparatory Part, Scale and Terminal Part, and shows that such an analysis, though not strictly necessary, has more advantages than the analysis without IPs. Then the second part examines the processes fo Secondary IP Formation, i.e., character insertion and character change, by which an originally syntax-related IP is split into two IPs, for attitudinal reasons. Secondary IP Formation is not a real counter-argument against the “IP” approach to Hungarian intonation.
⟨full text⟩ ⟨more…⟩
Nóra Wenszky
The stress patterns of -ative words
The Even Yearbook 3: 265–297 ⟨#32⟩
⟨abstract⟩ This essay examines the stress patterns displayed by words ending in -ative. After a brief introduction, the second section is devoted to rule-based approaches. Nanni’s (1977) and Halle and Vergnaud’s (1985) account is found to be inadequate for the description of the stress patterns of -ative items. However, Burzio’s (1994) constraint-based theory successfully accounts for the great majority of attested stress patterns, which is shown in the third section through the analysis of the possible pronunciations of 135 -ative words. Some modifications to the constraints are suggested. As a result, only 3 items are unaccounted for. Additionally, ternary feet with a heavy medial syllable ending in a sonorant or s are found to be well-formed, despite that Burzio occasionally refers to them as ill-formed.
⟨full text⟩ ⟨more…⟩
