Thesis Chapters by Sepideh Koohkan
Tarbiat modares University and University of Antwerp, 2019
Modality concerns with the modifications and semantic changes, which the speaker makes in the pro... more Modality concerns with the modifications and semantic changes, which the speaker makes in the proposition to indicate his/her commitment and assessment to the state of affairs. On the other hand, typology deals with the varieties in languages to achieve generalizations cross-linguistically. This thesis studies modality, as a semantic notion and typology, as mostly a formal category, in eleven modern West Iranian languages, including Balochi (Bamposht), Gerashi, Gilaki (Shafti dialect), Hawrami (Hawraman Takht), Kahangi, Kurdish (Central Kurdish, Sorani), Lori (Balagariveh dialect), Persian, Semnani, Tati (Takestani dialect) and Vafsi based on Nuyts (2005 and furthermore). The main goal of this dissertation is to examine the possibility of categorizing languages based on a semantic feature, which is modality here, and to discover the differences between this type of classification of languages and the other available categorizations which mostly have a morphological or syntactic basis. The results reveal that all these languages, enjoy different types of expressions to express modality, including modal auxiliaries, nouns, adjectives, adverbs and main verbs (mostly complex verbs). However, this enjoyment is systematic, i.e. first, in all above languages, these are the modal auxiliaries which not only have a high frequency in the languages, but they are also the more native elements. Secondly, some languages, including Balochi (Bamposht dialect) and Hawrami (Hawraman Takht dialect) apply adverbs to express those dimensions of modality which prototypically is on modal auxiliaries in other languages to express and that is why they contain less modal auxiliaries comparing to other languages. Finally, modal nouns and adjectives (and consequently modal main verbs, which are mostly complex verbs, constructed with modal nouns/adjectives and a light verb), directly or indirectly are loan words from Arabic language. Furthermore, modal auxiliaries, and also some of the other modal elements, are polysemous, that is, they are used to state several meanings in the domain of modality. In search for classifying languages based on a semantic feature, besides the semantic map of modality in these languages, two other methods were also suggested. One, classifying languages, according to the number of the elements they apply to express modality. In this method, instead of presenting branching which a language is or is not a member of, a continuum was proposed where all languages laid on it based on the number of modal auxiliaries and modal adverbs. The other, classifies languages, on the basis of their origin, where the modal auxiliaries with the same source, are grouped together as one category.
Drafts by Sepideh Koohkan
This paper studies a modal clause in some Iranian languages (in Central branch), which is semanti... more This paper studies a modal clause in some Iranian languages (in Central branch), which is semantically comparable to 'someone's razor cuts'. This clause is the only element to express 'ability' and 'participant-imposed' types of dynamic modality. It also shows some grammaticalized aspects that might prove, against traditional perspective of grammaticalization of modal verbs, modal auxiliaries are not only developed from main verbs; rather some clauses might also make suitable sources for them.
Papers by Sepideh Koohkan
De Gruyter eBooks, Jan 16, 2023
Linguistic Typology at the Crossroads, 2022
This paper aims to advance the general understanding of negative concord (as in English We don't ... more This paper aims to advance the general understanding of negative concord (as in English We don't need no education) and connective negation (as in English neither … nor') through an analysis of Persian. For negative concord with indefinites the analysis highlights differences between human vs. non-human and pronominal vs. nominal negative concord. It also deals with the problem that hič, the word that arguably marks negation in negative indefinites, also has a non-negative emphatic meaning in questions. For the relation between negative concord and connective negation the paper suggests the importance of two new parameters: (i) are the connective negator and the normal clausal negator similar? and (ii) can one of two negatively connected phrases precede the verb and the other follow it?
Australian Journal of Linguistics, 2021
This paper deals with the grammatical and semantic development of
a modal verb in four West Iran... more This paper deals with the grammatical and semantic development of
a modal verb in four West Iranian languages: gu/ga in Kahangi,
gijabon in Semnani, boGostæn/bogostæn in the Takestan dialect of
Tati and goan in Vafsi. Field work data demonstrate that, from the
perspective of the grammaticalization and (inter)subjectification
literature, this verb in these languages poses a challenge. It occurs
as a non-grammaticalized full verb and as a grammaticalized
auxiliary. Yet the full verb features an arguably more
(inter)subjectivized meaning than the auxiliary: the former
expresses volition, the latter dynamic, deontic and epistemic modal
meanings. The absence of historical data for these languages does
not allow the puzzle to be resolved directly, but a comparison with
the modal verb hoeven ‘need’ in Dutch, which in the present-day
language has properties similar to those of the Iranian verbs, and
which has been investigated diachronically, suggests a solution:
the present situation may be the result of a convoluted diachronic
evolution, in which the semantic and grammatical developments
do not align. The case thus demonstrates that one cannot easily
draw conclusions from synchronic observations about diachronic
relations between forms and/or meanings.
Modality concerns with the modifications and semantic changes, which the speaker makes in the pro... more Modality concerns with the modifications and semantic changes, which the speaker makes in the proposition to indicate his/her commitment and assessment to the state of affairs. On the other hand, typology deals with the varieties in languages to achieve generalizations cross-linguistically. This thesis studies modality, as a semantic notion and typology, as mostly a formal category, in eleven modern West Iranian languages, including Balochi (Bamposht), Gerashi, Gilaki (Shafti dialect), Hawrami (Hawraman Takht), Kahangi, Kurdish (Central Kurdish, Sorani), Lori (Balagariveh dialect), Persian, Semnani, Tati (Takestani dialect) and Vafsi based on Nuyts (2005 and furthermore). The main goal of this dissertation is to examine the possibility of categorizing languages based on a semantic feature, which is modality here, and to discover the differences between this type of classification of languages and the other available categorizations which mostly have a morphological or syntactic basis. The results reveal that all these languages, enjoy different types of expressions to express modality, including modal auxiliaries, nouns, adjectives, adverbs and main verbs (mostly complex verbs). However, this enjoyment is systematic, i.e. first, in all above languages, these are the modal auxiliaries which not only have a high frequency in the languages, but they are also the more native elements. Secondly, some languages, including Balochi (Bamposht dialect) and Hawrami (Hawraman Takht dialect) apply adverbs to express those dimensions of modality which prototypically is on modal auxiliaries in other languages to express and that is why they contain less modal auxiliaries comparing to other languages. Finally, modal nouns and adjectives (and consequently modal main verbs, which are mostly complex verbs, constructed with modal nouns/adjectives and a light verb), directly or indirectly are loan words from Arabic language. Furthermore, modal auxiliaries, and also some of the other modal elements, are polysemous, that is, they are used to state several meanings in the domain of modality. In search for classifying languages based on a semantic feature, besides the semantic map of modality in these languages, two other methods were also suggested. One, classifying languages, according to the number of the elements they apply to express modality. In this method, instead of presenting branching which a language is or is not a member of, a continuum was proposed where all languages laid on it based on the number of modal auxiliaries and modal adverbs. The other, classifies languages, on the basis of their origin, where the modal auxiliaries with the same source, are grouped together as one category.
This article aims to study the modal elements equal to bɑjæd in Persian, meaning ‘must, should, a... more This article aims to study the modal elements equal to bɑjæd in Persian, meaning ‘must, should, and have to’ in some West Iranian languages, including Balochi, Gerashi, Gilaki, Hawrami, Kahangi, Kurdish, Lori, Persian, Semnani, Tati and Vafsi. It also presents the semantic map of these expressions beside a categorization of these languages based on a modal element. The investigations have indicated that some of these languages (Balochi, Bamposht dialect and Hawrami, Hawraman Takht dialect) use adverbial modals to express these notions, while as least in one case (i.e. Kahangi), there are two distinctive auxiliaries which signify ‘must, have to, and should’. Moreover, classification of these languages, according to a semantic feature, ends in a continuum on which languages are laid next to each other, where some of them are closer to some languages and further from the others; this is against the traditional categorizations which are mostly based on morpho-syntactic features, in whic...
Dialectologia, 2020
In investigating modal concept ‘be able to’ in 104 modern west Iranian varieties, we found four m... more In investigating modal concept ‘be able to’ in 104 modern west Iranian varieties, we found four main lexical sources for the verbs meaning ‘to be able to’: i) *xšāya; ii) tav-; iii) zan; and iv) šaw/šiyaw. Therewith the above sources, in some of the language varieties in Central of Iran, the idiomatic clause tiG=clitic vontemonmeaning ‘someone’s razor cuts’ has the same semantic roles which are predominately on auxiliary verbs meaning ‘to be able to/can’ in other languages to express. At the same time, in each variety, there is an auxiliary with (almost) the same semantic domain in the field of modality. This paper studies these constructions in one of these language varieties (Kahangi) and shows how the mentioned clause is competing with and winning over an auxiliary meaning ‘can’ (be-š) in this variety.
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Thesis Chapters by Sepideh Koohkan
Drafts by Sepideh Koohkan
Papers by Sepideh Koohkan
a modal verb in four West Iranian languages: gu/ga in Kahangi,
gijabon in Semnani, boGostæn/bogostæn in the Takestan dialect of
Tati and goan in Vafsi. Field work data demonstrate that, from the
perspective of the grammaticalization and (inter)subjectification
literature, this verb in these languages poses a challenge. It occurs
as a non-grammaticalized full verb and as a grammaticalized
auxiliary. Yet the full verb features an arguably more
(inter)subjectivized meaning than the auxiliary: the former
expresses volition, the latter dynamic, deontic and epistemic modal
meanings. The absence of historical data for these languages does
not allow the puzzle to be resolved directly, but a comparison with
the modal verb hoeven ‘need’ in Dutch, which in the present-day
language has properties similar to those of the Iranian verbs, and
which has been investigated diachronically, suggests a solution:
the present situation may be the result of a convoluted diachronic
evolution, in which the semantic and grammatical developments
do not align. The case thus demonstrates that one cannot easily
draw conclusions from synchronic observations about diachronic
relations between forms and/or meanings.
a modal verb in four West Iranian languages: gu/ga in Kahangi,
gijabon in Semnani, boGostæn/bogostæn in the Takestan dialect of
Tati and goan in Vafsi. Field work data demonstrate that, from the
perspective of the grammaticalization and (inter)subjectification
literature, this verb in these languages poses a challenge. It occurs
as a non-grammaticalized full verb and as a grammaticalized
auxiliary. Yet the full verb features an arguably more
(inter)subjectivized meaning than the auxiliary: the former
expresses volition, the latter dynamic, deontic and epistemic modal
meanings. The absence of historical data for these languages does
not allow the puzzle to be resolved directly, but a comparison with
the modal verb hoeven ‘need’ in Dutch, which in the present-day
language has properties similar to those of the Iranian verbs, and
which has been investigated diachronically, suggests a solution:
the present situation may be the result of a convoluted diachronic
evolution, in which the semantic and grammatical developments
do not align. The case thus demonstrates that one cannot easily
draw conclusions from synchronic observations about diachronic
relations between forms and/or meanings.