A Compositional Semantic Approach to Distributivity over an Unarticulated Argument

오세랑 현대영미어문학회 2010 현대영미어문학 Vol.28 No.4

This paper discusses distributive interpretations over an argument which is not overtly realized in the sentence. Observing some pragmatic factors involved in the interpretation, this paper suggests how the relevant interpretations should be correctly captured in a compositional manner. Specifically, we propose that a contextual argument should be available for the LF structure of the distributive construction and get involved in the semantic derivation. This way, we can successfully derive the complicated distributive interpretations of the problematic constructions in a compositional manner.

Semantic Anomalies in Second Language Processing: An Electrophysiological Study

오세랑 경희대학교 언어정보연구소 2011 언어연구 Vol.28 No.3

How humans' language processing occurs in the brain in real-time has been one of the major issues to clarify in the field. Especially, it is interesting to see related to the issue how bilinguals do in their second language (L2) processing as compared to monolinguals of the language. This study conducts an event-related potential (ERP) study to investigate the temporal neural dynamics of semantic processing in bilinguals. The experiment was done with Korean speakers of English as an L2, divided into two groups depending on their L2 proficiency level. The typical semantic anomaly paradigm was adopted for the material; semantically anomalous sentences end with a word which is not congruent in the sentence context. It was investigated if semantically anomalous stimuli elicit N400, known as meaning-related ERP component since Kutas & Hillyard (1980). Overall, similar pattern of the N400 effect was observed in the high proficiency group, while no significant effect was found in the low proficiency group. Though the results do not show a complete match in every detail, the study suggests that the bilinguals' semantic processing resembles monolinguals' semantic processing to a significant extent. This study also suggests that proficiency has a close correlation with brain responses in semantic processing in L2.

On the Semantics of kakkak and each

오세랑 현대영미어문학회 2007 현대영미어문학 Vol.25 No.4

This paper investigates the semantic properties of the distributivity marker constructions including kakkak in Korean and each in English and proposes a compositional semantic analysis. Even though kakkak and each have been generally assumed as similar items, we find it is not the case that all their properties are shared. This paper also suggests based on the observed properties that kakkak should be distinguished from other floating quantifiers of the language. To account for the possible interpretations, we propose a lexical analysis, rather than a structural analysis, implementing the distributional force in its lexical denotation of the distributivity marker, thereby causing distribution over the members of the set denoted by the associated argument. With this lexical analysis, we can successfully account for the possible interpretations, deriving them in a compositional way.

On the Semantics of Again: a Crosslinguistic Perspective

오세랑 현대영미어문학회 2009 현대영미어문학 Vol.27 No.4

This paper investigates the semantic properties of the so-called decomposition adverb again and relevant Korean lexical items. We discuss how a structural analysis can be extended to the Korea case, arguing that the different semantic property of tasi and tto can be accounted for within the framework of a structural analysis. which assumes a constant lexical meaning but two different structures for its repetitive reading and a restitutive reading. Pointing out Yoon's (2007) shortcomings, we suggest that the different behavior of the Korean items can be captured by the Visibility Parameter proposed by Rapp and Stechow (1999), providing further support for the lexical parameter.

A Crosslinguistic Semantic Analysis of Again

오세랑 한국생성문법학회 2015 생성문법연구 Vol.25 No.4

This paper presents a semantic research of the crosslinguistic behavior of ‘again’ focusing on tasi in Korean. Even though its semantic behavior has been noted in some previous analyses like Yoon (2007) and Oh (2009), the semantic properties of tasi have not been fully investigated and explained. Based on a wider range of data and observations, this paper points out the shortcomings of Oh’s (2009) structural account. As an alternative, I propose a lexical account which assumes that tasi is polysemous and show that a lexical approach can provide a better account of the observed semantic properties of tasi in comparison with again in English. I also discuss the occurrence of tasi in negation and provide an observation that tasi-nun is only permitted in negation, suggesting a possible account.

Lexical Aspect in L2 Processing: an Electrophysiological Study

오세랑 현대영미어문학회 2012 현대영미어문학 Vol.30 No.4

This paper conducts an event-related potential (ERP) study to investigate the temporal neural dynamics of language processing in bilinguals. Examining how semantic processing occurs in bilinguals' brain in real-time, we tested the typical aspectual mismatch/coercion constructions with Korean L2 speakers of English. The experiment was done in a between-group design depending on the proficiency level. The experimental results show that the meaning-related ERP component (N400) was not observed with aspectual mismatch in any group. On the other hand, the P600 effect, known as a syntactic processing effect, was observed in the high proficiency group. Given the results, Korean-English bilinguals' processing pattern of lexical aspectual mismatch is somewhat different from L1 speakers', involving more syntactic processing rather than semantic processing. This study also suggests that proficiency has a close correlation with brain responses in L2 processing.

Are Quantifying Expressions Interpreted Incrementally?

오세랑,박범식 한국생성문법학회 2014 생성문법연구 Vol.24 No.2

This paper investigates the temporal neural dynamics of the semanticprocessing of quantifier constructions in bilinguals. Sentencecomprehension has been debated with different views, and weconducted an event-related potential(ERP) study to examine thehypothesis that sentence comprehension is done in an incrementalmanner, as suggested with quantifier constructions in Urbach & Kutas(2010). The experiment was done with Korean L2 speakers of English ina between-group design depending on the proficiency level. Theexperimental results show that the meaning-related ERP component(N400), which was observed in L1 speakers, was not significantlyobserved in either proficiency group. Given the different processingpattern observed, the results suggest that the immediate, incrementalinterpretation view is hard to be maintained in L2 processing, at leastnot in the same manner as L1.

A Compositional Semantic Analysis of Plurality and Distributivity

오세랑 한국생성문법학회 2018 생성문법연구 Vol.28 No.3

This paper discusses a recent analysis of distributivity proposed by de Vries (2017), which assumes that quantificational distributivity (D-operator based distributivity) and lexical distributivity should exist together in the semantic system. Specifically, de Vries argues that the interpretive pattern of group noun constructions is explained by a lexical approach assuming that their interpretations can be captured using pseudo-equivalences, with a pragmatic factor implemented in the framework. This paper points out that there are group noun constructions in Korean whose interpretive pattern cannot be easily explained by such a lexical analysis, and suggests an alternative, structural analysis to derive the available interpretations. The proposed analysis assumes that distributivity of the group noun constructions is based on the presence of a D-operator at LF and its interactions with other arguments in the sentence, and shows that it has an advantage over a lexical analysis in that it can adequately capture the puzzling interpretations in a compositional manner.

[김이구 선생 추모 특집] 추모사 : 아동문학계의 조용한 모험가, 김이구 선생을 생각하다

오세란(吳世蘭) 아동문학평론사 2017 兒童文學評論 Vol.42 No.4

On the Semantics of Distance-Distributivity Markers

오세랑 한국생성문법학회 2006 생성문법연구 Vol.16 No.2