But there's a far simpler explanation of the data that does not need Porter's overwrought prominence model.
New series on Wittgenstein in March
Can you imagine how much more complicated it could have been for Elmer Fudd to figure out if its rabbit season or duck season?
Perfects, telicity, & the stative modifier test
Telicity tests and syntactic diagnostics are surprisingly relevant for understanding the semantics of the Ancient Greek perfect.
Against monosemy: The complete series
This is the entirety of my series of discussion of Charles Ruhl's (1989) monograph On monosemy.
Gender & voice: marriage, divorce, adultery
A few days ago, the Classics Blog, Sententiae Antiquae, had a lovely piece on how language, grammar, and gender often intersect. A man marries, a woman gets married, but what about divorce & adultery? Rachel Aubrey investigates.
Passing Grammar Notes: Perfects & Persistent Situations
It is sort of taken as a given in grammars that the perfects in these two languages are different, but there is surprisingly little discussion of exactly what that means or how they are different.
Against Monosemy, pt 6: Using Ruhl (1989) in language description
There are bits to be salvaged from Ruhl (1989), perhaps, but it might be easier to start elsewhere entirely.
Against monosemy, pt 5: The methodological gap
I fully acknowledge there is certainly an appeal for monosemy as a theoretical construct. The ability to schematize all usages or senses within a single abstract sense does indeed simplified and elegant semantic theory. Such a theory is an attractive prospect for all linguists.
Against monosemy, pt 4: Moving Greek letters
Generative grammar has moved on from its old theories about syntax. Can we please do the same with their semantic theories, too?
