Linguistics 539
Japanese/Korean Syntax and Theoretical Implications:
http://www.gges.org/index.shtml
Fall 2008, Time: W 2:00-4:30, Room: GFS 210
Hajime Hoji (hoji@usc.edu), Office: GFS 301T, Phone: 0-3882
Office Hours: M 2:00-5:001
[You need a password to have access to the web site for this course. As in my other graduate
courses, the handouts, discussion, papers, assignments, and various other materials will be
placed there.
You should check the site and post your questions/comments regularly at the
web site.]
1. A Foundation of Generative Grammar as an Empirical Science
The primary goal of generative grammar is as stated in (1).
(1)
The primary goal of generative grammar:
To discover the properties of the Computational System (CS) that is hypothesized to
be at the center of the language faculty.
The concern with (2) leads us to consider a fundamental question in (3).
(2)
A fundamental concern:
How could we proceed to make progress toward achieving the goal in (1)?
(3)
A fundamental empirical question:
What should count as data for a theory of the CS to explain and could serve as
evidence for or against a hypothesis about the CS?
1
On some Mondays, there will be a faculty meeting in Linguistics (9/22, 10/27, 11/24, 12/1), 2-3:30.
So, on those Mondays, my office hours will be 3:30-6:00.
and 11/17) my office hours will be 2-3 and 4:30-6.
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On some other Mondays (9/15, 10/6, 11/3,
We adopt the model of judgment making by the informant as in (4) and address (2) and (3) in
relation to empirical paradigms in Japanese and Korean, on the basis of this model.
(4)
The Model of Judgment Making by the Informant on the acceptability of sentence 
with interpretation (a, b):

=>
Parser
Lexicon
a, b)


≈≈>

=>

=>
LF()
=>
SR()
≈≈>


PF()




(5)
CS




pf()
a.
: presented sentence
b.
: numeration
c.
(a, b): the interpretation intended to be included in the 'meaning' of  involving
expressions a and b
d.
LF(): the LF representation that obtains on the basis of 
e.
SR(): the information that obtains in part on the basis of LF()
f.
PF(): the PF representation that obtains on the basis of 
g.
pf(): the surface phonetic string that obtains on the basis of PF()
h.
the informant judgment on the acceptability of  under (a, b)
2. Empirical discussion
2.1. Japanese paradigms
Some Japanese paradigms will be discussed as an illustration of the methodological points
in Part 1, including those pertaining to so-called Binding Principle A effects in Japanese, such
as 'zibunzisin-binding', 'otagai-binding'2 the structural and lexical conditions for bound variable
construal of an NP/DP, and so-called Binding Principle B effects.
We will also consider the
implications of the results of on-line experiments that have been conducted in relation to these
issues and assess the quality of the experiments in light of the discussion in the first part of the
2
Zibunzisin and otagai in Japanese are often regarded as corresponding to the English reflexives and
reciprocals, respectively.
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semester.
2.2. Korean paradigms
Some Korean analogues of the Japanese paradigms will be discussed. We will try to
design and run on-line experiments, following the suggestions made in the first part of the
semester, evaluate their results and discuss their implications for the relevant hypotheses about
the CS and about the specific lexical items in the Korean Lexicon.
3. Application
We will assess some syntax papers dealing with Japanese and Korean in light of the
discussion above. The choice of the papers will be made on the basis of the suggestions from
the students. The students' own papers can be a candidate. The papers will be evaluated in
terms of the following among other issues.
(6)
a.
Whether or not they put forth a hypothesis about the CS, if yes, what it is.
b.
Whether or not they put forth a hypothesis about (some items(s) of) the specific
Lexicon, if yes, what it is.
c.
How the hypotheses can be tested and what additional assumption(s) and
stipulation(s) would be needed in order to make them testable.
d.
The results of single-informant research (and those of multiple-informant research) in
regard to the experiments addressing the hypotheses in question.
4. Implications
We will address implications (and related issues) of what will have been discussed in the
first 3 parts of the course in regard to questions such as the following, among others.
(7)
a.
What is the relation between the model of judgment making and the model of
comprehension in general?
b.
What is the model of production?
c.
Given that the goal, as stated in (1), is the discovery of the Computational System,
not the discovery of the 'properties of a particular language', would it not be more
profitable to discuss empirical issue of various other languages?
d.
What would be some implications of the present proposal for research that deals with
cross-linguistic generalizations, so-called comparative syntax, for example?
e.
Is the research as proposed here meant to be a 'scientific research program' in the
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sense of Lakatos 1970/1978?
f.
Could the methodological point have been made and motivated equally well by using
empirical materials in English?
5. The students' responsibilities
(8)
For each session, post the following in the Discuss board in 539 Lab, two days before the
next session.
a.
How your understanding has advanced as the result of the lecture and the discussion,
as well as on the basis of your own thinking.
"No advancement." is a possible
answer. You may want to add remarks speculating why, but that is not necessary.
b.
What need to be clarified before you can proceed to evaluate or apply what is
suggested in the lecture.
(9)
Make appointments with me as suggested below and go over your understanding of the
lectures, discuss your own research, general concerns regarding linguistic research,
etc.3
a.
The first appointment should be made by the end of the 3rd week.
b.
The second appointment should be made by the end of the 7th week.
c.
The third appointment should be made by the end of the 11th week.
d.
The fourth appointment should be made by the end of the 14th week and you should
bring to the meeting an outline of your term paper for discussion.
(10) Grading
Your course grade will be determined how you will have fulfilled your
responsibilities noted in (8) and (9) as well as the quality of your term paper.
6. Weekly Schedule (subject to revision)
(CFJ# refers to Experiment#.)
Weeks Topics
Contents
1
An overview of the course, the
Lakatos
fundamental issues, the essentials of
1970
3
Introduction
Feel free to make more appointments than suggested in (9).
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CFJ#
Readings
or
the proposal, the hypotheses in the
Lakatos
hard
1973 (audio)
core,
some
examples
of
auxiliary hypotheses, heuristics
2
The model of judgment The model of judgment making by
Ueyama
making
appear
the informant and its 'relation' with
to
the Computational System, The
sense of acceptability judgment by
the informant
3
Judgments
on
the The minimal constitution of an
acceptability
sentence
of empirical paradigm in the context of

with (4);
Judgments
on
*Example
and
two
okExamples
interpretation(a, b)
4
one
the Why we work on the acceptability
of of sentence  with interpretation(a,
acceptability
sentence 
b) rather than just the acceptability
of sentence 
5
Heuristics
Negative and positive heuristics, the
heuristics
for
GGES,
the
Reinhartian heuristic
6a
A-NPs vs. so-NPs
Lexical properties and BVA
6b
Zibun-zisin and otagai
Lexical properties and the locality 37,
of anaphor binding
53
68,
71
7a
BVA paradigms
the 'binder' types and the 'bindee' 55
types
(7b)
Principle B and BVA
The major subject, the SO and the 92
OS constructions
(7c)
Principle
B
for Coreference based on FD
coreference
8
The Korean version of
A-NPs vs. so-NPs
9
The Korean version of
Zibun-zisin
10
The Korean version of
the BVA paradigms
11
TBA
Discussion of the papers selected by
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108
Hoji 2006b
the students
12
TBA
Discussion of the papers selected by
the students
13
TBA
Discussion of the papers selected by
the students
14
Implications
15
Review
7. References
Boeckx, Cedric. (2006) Linguistic Minimalism: Origins, Concepts, Methods, and Aims, Oxford
University Press.
Feyerabend, Paul. (1975) Against Method, New Left Books.
(The third edition published by
Verso 1993.)
Hoji, Hajime (2006a) "Assessing Competing Analyses: Two Hypotheses about 'Scrambling' in
Japanese," in Ayumi Ueyama, ed., Theoretical and Empirical Studies of Reference and
Anaphora—Toward the establishment of generative grammar as an empirical science, a
report of the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B), Project No. 15320052, Supported by
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Kyushu University, pp. 139-185.
Hoji, Hajime (2006b) "Otagai," in Ayumi Ueyama, ed., Theoretical and Empirical Studies of
Reference and Anaphora—Toward the establishment of generative grammar as an empirical
science, a report of the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B), Project No. 15320052,
Supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Kyushu University, pp. 126-138.
Kuhn, Thomas. (1962) The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, The Chicago University Press.
Lakatos, Imre. (1970) "Falsification and the Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes,"
in Criticism and the Growth of Knowledge, edited by Lakatos and Musgrave, 1970,
Cambridge University Press. pp. 91-195.
Lakatos, Imre. (1973) "Science and Pseudocience," a radio lecture, printed in Lakatos 1978, pp.
1-7
as
"Introduction:
Science
and
Pseudoscience,"
available
at:
http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/lakatos//Default.htm.
Lakatos, Imre. (1978) The Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes: Philosophical
Papers Volume 1, edited by John Worrall and Gregory Currie, Cambridge University Press.
Schütze, Carson. (1996) The Empirical Base of Linguistics: Grammaticality Judgments and
Linguistic Methodology, University of Chicago Press.
Ueyama, Ayumi (2005) "Generative Grammar as an Empirical Science---Grammaticality and
Acceptability---", Kyushu University Papers in Linguistics, vol.25/26, pp.189-213.
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Ueyama, Ayumi (to appear) "Model of Judgment Making and Hypotheses in Generative
Grammar," in the proceedings of J/K Linguistics vol. 17, CSLI, Standard.
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