LING 222: Hedberg
Assignment 2
Due: May 31
(problems from Koutsoudas and Saeed)
1.
Swahili noun class agreement. Describe the formation of simple sentences in Swahili based on
the following data. Include a lexicon, with each Swahili morpheme categorized. The data exhibit
the phenomenon of noun class or gender. In distinguishing noun classes, you can give each class
an identifying number. Give a general statement explaining noun class agreement in Swahili.
1.
kisu kidogo kimoja kilitoša
One small knife sufficed.
2.
visu vidogo vitatu vilitoša
Three small knives sufficed.
3.
kikapu kikubwa kile kitatoša
That big basket will suffice.
4.
vikapu vikubwa vile vitatoša
Those big baskets will suffice.
5.
vikapu vizuri vile vitatoša
Those good baskets will suffice.
6.
mtoto mzuri mmoja atatoša
One good boy will suffice.
7.
watoto wazuri watatu watatoša
Three good boys will suffice.
8.
mtu mrefu yule alitoša
That tall man sufficed.
9.
watu warefu wale walitoša
Those tall men sufficed.
10.
mtu mzuri mmoja atatoša
One good man will suffice.
11.
mkate mzuri ule utatoša
That good loaf of bread will suffice.
12.
mikate mizuri ile itatoša
Those good loaves of bread will suffice.
13.
mzizi mrefu ule utatoša
That long root will suffice.
14.
mizizi mirefu ile itatoša
Those long roots will suffice.
15.
mizizi midogo itatu itatoša
Three small roots will suffice.
16.
yai kubwa lile lilitoša
That large egg sufficed.
17.
mayai makubwa yale yalitoša
Those large eggs sufficed.
18.
cungwa dogo litatoša
The small orange will suffice.
19.
macungwa madogo yatatoša
The small oranges will suffice.
2.
Incompatible pairs. Below is a list of incompatible pairs. Classify each pair into one of
the following types of relation: simple antonyms, gradable antonyms, reverses,
converses, or taxonomic sisters. Explain the tests you used to decide on your
classifications and discuss any shortcomings you encountered in using them.
temporary/permanent
strong/weak
assemble/dismantle
clean/dirty
monarch/subject
buyer/seller
messy/neat
open/shut
advance/retreat
boot/sandal
tea/coffee
friend/enemy
3.
Hyponymy. First, using nouns, provide two unrelated examples to show the relationship
of hyponomy. Use your examples to show how many levels of hyponymy a noun might
be involved in. Second, provide one example of the relationship of hyponomy with
verbs. Try to establish the number of levels of hyponymy that are involved.
4.
Verb classes.
a.
Stative verbs typically cannot occur in the progressive aspect nor as imperatives.
Use these two facts as tests to decide which of the following verbs are stative:
comprise
seize
b.
imitate
think
possess
lose
know resemble
prefer
lack
We noted that adding a durative adverb like all night or for three hours to a
punctual (semelfactive) verb like cough results in an iterative or repetitive
interpretation (i.e. 'again and again'). Thus in the patient coughed all night we
interpret the activity as a sequence of individual coughs throughout the night. Use
this behavior to identify the punctual verbs amongst the following:
drive ring
c.
own
last
tap
sigh
fly
twitch
sob
float
read
We saw that some verbs may describe bounded (telic) or unbounded (atelic)
processes, depending on the form of their complements. Thus while build a
bridge is a bounded process, build bridges is an unbounded process. Below is a
list of verb phrases. For each one decide whether it is bounded or unbounded, then
see if you can change this value by altering the verb's complement.
dismantle a car
swim
rig an election
put out fires
ripen
direct movies
drink a beer