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Sesquipedalian #9, November 24, 1993


The SESQUIPEDALIAN WEEKLY HERALD		       Volume IV, Number 9
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Special Holiday Supplement                             November 24, 1993


		 -\-\-\ LINGUISTICS COLLOQUIUM /-/-/-

Instead of the regular Friday colloquium, there will be a very special
colloquium next Tuesday, 30 November, with Eva Hajicova (Charles
University, Prague).  Eva Hajicova is currently Research Professor in
the Institute of Formal and Applied Linguistics at Charles University,
Prague, the Czech Republic.  Her Candidate of Sciences thesis was on
negation and presupposition in the semantic structure of the sentence
and her Doctor of Sciences thesis on the semantic structure of the
sentence.  She has (co)authored several books, including three books
in English: A Functional Approach to Syntax in Generative Description
of Language (1969), Topic, Focus and Generative Semantics (1973), and
The Meaning of the Sentence in its Semantic and Pragmatic Aspects
(1986).  She has (co)authored articles on, among other topics, machine
translation, semantics of verbal categories, presuppositions,
computational linguistics, topic/comment and topic/focus,
questions/answers, valency, text understanding, inferencing, and
(co)reference.  Her current main research interests include the
syntactic and semantic structure of the sentence, discourse patterns,
and linguistic aspects of artificial intelligence.

There will be a reception immediately preceeding the talk in the
Cordura Sun Room, 5.15-6 pm.  The talk begins at 6 in the Cordura
Conference Room.

                         Topic-Focus Articulation
                  in its Syntactic and Semantic Aspects
                               Eva Hajicova
                            Charles University

Topic-focus articulation (TFA), based on "given-new" strategy, is of crucial
importance for understanding language as anchored in communication.  TFA can
be described as one of the hierarchies of the syntactic structure of the
sentence, which is expressed by the position of intonation centre, word order,
grammatical constructions (clefting, passivization), or morphemes (Japanese
wa). Operational tests (question test, negative response, commentary test) can
be used for the determination of topic and focus of a particular utterance as
well as for the determination of the scale of communicative dynamism
(underlying word order).  A strong hypothesis on the underlying order of
complementations of the verb (deep cases, theta roles) assumes that this
(systemic) ordering is reflected by the scale of communicative dynamism in the
focus part of the sentence.  The following ordering of the main
complementations has been postulated for English: Actor/Bearer - Addressee -
Objective (Patient) - Origin - Effect - Manner - Directional.1(from) - Means -
Directional.2(to) - Locative.
	TFA is not only a matter of contextual positions of sentences,
i.e. of pragmatics (or of stylistics); TFA is semantically relevant,
even for truth conditions.  This claim will be substantiated by
examples illustrating the relevance of TFA for scopes of quantifiers,
scope of negation, for the scope of other `focalizers', for the
meaning of sentence without overt quantification and also for the
triggering of presuppositions.
	Thus, the topic-focus articulation belongs to the system of
language, to grammar, rather than just to the domain of discourse (of
language use).

-- Eva Hajicova will be available for some afternoon meeting times on
Tuesday 30 November.  To take advantage of this special opportunity,
please contact Trudy Vizmanos (trudy@csli) for appointment
information.

COMING IN DECEMBER: Saule Tazhibaeva (12/3)
		    Lisa Green (12/10)

	       -\-\-\ FELLOWSHIPS/ASSISTANTSHIPS/-/-/-

-- The Stanford Humanities and Sciences Deanery announces the
following dissertation fellowships for the 1994-95 academic year: The
Dorothy Danforth Compton Dissertation Fellowships, The Humanities
Center Geballe Dissertation Prize Fellowships, The Lurcy Fellowship,
and the Whiting Fellowships in the Humanities.  Applications and
further information are available in the Fellowships Binder in the
Linguistics Department, or from the Dean's Office.  Completed
applications should be sent to the department chair, who will evaluate
all applicants from the department, and forward them in rank order to
the Dean's Office.  The deadline for receipt of applications in the
Dean's Office is February 12, 1994.  Decisions will be announced in
April.  For further information contact Jennifer Cairns, H&S Dean's
Office, Building 1, MC2070 (415/725-1572).

 	            -\-\-\ CALL FOR PAPERS /-/-/-

-- The Sixth Annual UCLA Indo-European Conference will be held on
26-28 May 1994 at the UCLA campus.  As in the past, we invite papers
on any aspect of Indo-European Studies: linguistics, archaeology,
comparative mythology and culture, etc.  Papers on both
interdisciplinary and specific topics (e.g. typology, methodology,
reconstruction, language groups, interpretation of material culture,
etc.) are welcome.  Abstracts should be approximately two typewritten
pages (double-spaced) and must be received by 28 February 1994.  A
period of twenty minutes will be alloted for each paper, followed by a
ten-minute discussion period.  Through the generosity of the donors,
the Friends and Alumni of Indo-European Studies (FAIES) will offer two
prizes for the best papers by a current student or recent Ph.D. (1989
or later), one prize for a paper in linguistics, and one for a paper
in either archaeology or mythology.  Address abstracts and inquiries to
	IE Conference Committee
	c/o Classics Department
	7349 Bunche Hall, UCLA
	405 Hilgard Avenue
	Los Angeles CA 90024-1475
	email: IEP0RMR@mvs.oac.ucla.edu
		  ^(note that that's a zero folks)
	phone: 310/206-4396

		     -\-\-\ TRUE LINGUISTS /-/-/-
                    
-- Sharp-eyed Linda Uyechi has spotted a change in Stanford Bookstore
policy: Starting with this quarter, all books are eligible for the
end-of-the-year rebate, EVEN IF you charged them on a credit card!
(Formerly, books were only available for the rebate if you payed with
cash or check.) Could mean big imaginary savings for some credit card
users... Good spotting, Linda...

		   -\-\-\ JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS /-/-/-

(REDUNDANCY NOTICE: For fuller listings of these and other jobs, don't
forget to check the Jobs binder in the Greenberg Room, and the file
'jobslist.txt' on the CSLI directory /user/linguistics.)

-- MARY WASHINGTON COLLEGE: Tenure-track Opening.  Entry-level,
tenure-track position for a sociolinguist with demonstrated strength
in teaching and in conducting research based on fieldwork.
Specialization in discourse analysis and commitment to directing
undergraduate research strongly preferred, ability to teach
composition required. PhD must be in hand by date of appointment.
Linguistics courses are an integral part of the English major program
and are popular with non-majors. Twelve-hour load will include upper
and lower level linguistics courses and freshman composition (all
department faculty teach composition), with opportunities to teach
literature and interdisciplinary courses.  Mary Washington College is
committed to Affirmative Action.  We especially invite minorities,
women, and international candidates to apply. Mary Washington, located
an hour from Washington D.C. and Richmond Va., is a selective, public,
co- educational, liberal arts college emphasizing excellent teaching.
Send curriculum vitae, list of graduate courses, and letter of
application addressing the requirements to
	Linguistics Search
	Box 615
	Mary Washington College
	Fredericksburg, VA 22401-5358.
Telephone inquiries to Susan Hanna, Chair, (703) 899 4386. Deadline
December 10, 1993.

-- SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY: Assistant Professor (tenure-track),
Applied Linguistics.  Applications are being accepted for a
tenure-track position in Linguistics starting September 1, 1994,
subject to approval of funding. Appointment will be made at the as-
sistant professor rank. A primary specialization in applied
linguistics and a strong secondary field of expertise within
Linguistics are required for this position.  The successful candidate
will be assigned primary responsibilities in the department's programs
for teachers of English as a Second Language. Teaching duties will
include courses on Teaching English as a Second Language and otheer
applied linguistics courses, as well as a range of other linguistics
courses at various levels. Teaching in this area involves supervision
of students in TESL programs as they gain practical experience as
assistants in ESL classrooms.  Candidates should hold a Ph.D. in
Linguistics or other field with a linguistics specialization, show
strong promise as a researcher; be prepared to become active in the
development and management of undergraduate programs, particularly in
the TESL area, and to accept graduate supervision duties.  Send a
letter of application, curriculum vitae, and sample publications (by
January 15, 1994) to:
         Dr. T. Perry, Chair
         Linguistics Department
         Simon Fraser University
         Burnaby, B. C. V5A lS6
         Canada
         Telephone: (604) 291-3554
         FAX:      (604) 291-5659
         E-mail: perry@sfu.ca
Candidates should arrange for three letters of recommendation to be
sent to the Department by the deadline.

-- THE UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS: School of English, Lecturer in the English
Language.  Applications are invited for the above post available from
1 February 1994 for a fixed period of three years.  Applicants should
have a higher degree in English Language or Linguistics, and teaching
and research interests in one or more of the following: Discourse
Analysis, Language Acquistion, the Phonology of English, International
Englishes.  Informal enquiries may be made to Mr A P Cowie, tel: 0532
334740.  Previous applicants do not need to re-apply.  Salary will be
on the scale for Lecturer Grade A (#13,601 - #18,855) according to
qualifications and relevant experience.  Application forms and further
particulars may be obtained from the Personnel Office (Academic
Section), The University, Leeds LS2 9JT, England, tel 0532 335771
quoting reference number 3/58.  Closing date for applications: 10
December 1993.  The University of Leeds promotes an equal
opportunities policy.

-- INDIANA UNIVERSITY: The Department of Linguistics seeks to appoint
a tenure-track assistant professor in theoretical syntax, starting
August 1994.  Familiarity with more than one theoretical framework,
clear promise of distinction in theoretical research, and excellence
in teaching are required.  A Ph.D. in hand by June 1994 is a must and
some publications are preferred.  Please send letter of interest, CV,
a concise description of your research program, three letters of
recommendation, and a maximum of two samples of written work to
	Syntax Search Committee
	Department of Linguistics
	Indiana University
	Bloomington IN 47405
Applications received by January 21 1994 are assured of consideration.
Interviews may be conducted at the LSA meeting in Boston.  EOE/AA

(REDUNDANCY NOTICE: For fuller listings of these and other jobs, don't
forget to check the Jobs binder in the Greenberg Room, and the file
'jobslist.txt' on the CSLI directory /user/linguistics.)

		      -\-\-\ INSTA-PRIZE /-/-/-

GLASS MENAGERIE II: Sheep cost $10, turkeys cost $3, and pigs cost
$.50.  A farmer spent $100, buying at least one animal of each type.
How many of each animal did he buy? 

		      -\-\-\ FINAL SCORE /-/-/-

SHARKS DEFEAT REDWINGS 6-4: Last night the Sharks defeated the Detroit
Redwings, for the first time in franchise history.  This was the most
goals the Sharks have scored in a single game yet this season, and
one of them was Pat Falloon's 100th career goal.  Also noted: If the
playoffs were held today, the Sharks would be in them.

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  		   -\-\-\ CONSERVE DISK SPACE /-/-/-

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before you've read it), the Sesquipedalian Weekly Herald is stored
online both at Stanford (in directory /user/linguistics/Sesquip), and
at Berkeley (in the directory /usr/pub.)  The most current issue of
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Neither Stanford University nor the Linguistics Department, nor any of
their employees, makes any warranty, whatsoever, implied, or assumes
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