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The Interface of Theory and Description: Notes on Modern Hebrew Relativization

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 March 2026

Peter Cole
Peter Cole*
Affiliation:
University of Illinois
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Abstract

This article is concerned with the interaction of linguistic theory and linguistic description. It is shown that an independently needed extension of the Keenan-Comrie Accessibility Hierarchy to island structures predicts that an asymmetry in relativization strategies in Modern Hebrew (which, at first glance, would appear to be caused by constraints on NP accessibility), has in fact another explanation. A detailed examination of aspects of case-marking and relativization in Modern Hebrew supports this prediction. The asymmetry in relativization strategies turns out to be caused by the interaction of case-marking, relativization, and a constraint against the stranding of prepositions. The article demonstrates how the results of theoretical linguistics (here the Extended Accessibility Hierarchy) may be of direct use to the descriptive linguist in making language-particular descriptions.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Language , Volume 52 , Issue 3 , September 1976 , pp. 563 - 583
Copyright
Copyright © 1976 by Linguistic Society of America

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