John B. Whitman

Professor

Overview

Whitman's main interest is the problem of language variation: its limits (how much specific subsystems can vary across languages) and predictors (what typological features co-occur systematically). Exploration of this general problem has led him to work on historical linguistics and language acquisition in addition to his central interest in synchronic syntactic variation across typologically similar languages.

He works mostly on Japanese, secondly on Korean. He has also done research on Australian languages and German. In the general area of syntax, Whitman has been involved in the configurationality debate, an ongoing discourse which began 15 years ago with the widely held assumption that languages may vary radically in the degree of articulation of their syntactic structure. A truly remarkable result of research on this topic is that variation is much more limited than syntacticians were once willing to believe. Most recently, he has worked on the relationship between phrase structure and word order, structural universals in relative clause structure, and crosslinguistic parallels in rightward movement.

In the area of historical phonology, Whitman has recently completed work on the development of verbal conjugations in Japanese and Korean and their relation to transitivity. He is interested in the typological implications of developments like these, as well as their factual implications for the history of these two languages. His interests in Japanese historical linguistics are summarized .

Research Focus

Syntax
East Asian Linguistics
Problem of Language Variation
Historical Linguistics
Language Acquisition

Publications

Publications on Syntactic Variation:

. (2024). with Henhawk, S. In Phadnis, Shaunak, Carla Spellerberg, and Brynne Wilkinson (Eds.), NELS 54: Proceedings of the Fifty-Fourth Annual Meeting of the North East Linguistic Society, Vol. 1, 225-234. Amherst, MA: Graduate Linguistics Student Association.
. (2023). with Henhawk, S. In Huijsmans, Marianne , D. K. E. Reisinger, and Rose Underhill (Eds.), Proceedings of the Workshop on Structure and Constituency in the Languages of the Americas 25, Vancouver, BC: UBCWPL.
. (2022). with Dunagan, D., Zhang, S., Li, J., Bhattasali, S., Pallier, C., Yang, Y. & Hale, J. Brain and Language, 229.
. (2022). with Kaufmann, M. Linguistics Vanguard 8(s4): 479�C490.
. (2018). with ��?no, Y., Yoshino, R., & Hayashi, F. Mathematical Linguistics 31.4, 261-280.
. (2017). with Paul, W. In Everaert, Martin and Henk C. van Riemsdijk (Eds.), The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Syntax, Second Edition, 4473-4504. New York: Wiley and Sons.
. (2017). with ��?no, Y. In Mathieu, Eric and Robert Truswell (Eds.), From Micro-change to Macro Change, 43-60. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press.
. (2015). with Bugaeva, A. In Kenstowicz, Michael, Theodore Levin, and Ryo Masuda (Eds). Japanese/Korean Linguistics 23. Stanford: CSLI.
. (2015). with Yun, J., Chen, Z., Hunter, T., & Hale, J. Journal of East Asian Linguistics, 24(2), 113-148.
Iwayuru ajia-siki kankeisetsu ni tsuite ��륢��ʽ�v�S��ˤĤ�� []. (2015). In Fukuda, S., Nishida, K., and Tamura, T. (Eds.), Gengo kenky�� no shiza ��Z�о��ҕ�� [Perspectives of Linguistic Research]. Tokyo: Kaitakusha, 188-203.
(2013). In ?zge, U. (Ed.), Proceedings of the 8th Workshop on Altaic Formal Linguistic (pp. 361-380). Cambridge, MA: MIT Working Papers in Linguistics.
(2013). with Djamouri, R. & Paul, W. In Biberauer, T (Ed.) Theoretical approaches to disharmonic word orders, 74-105. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
. (2011). with Kornfilt, J. In J. Kornfilt & J. Whitman (Eds.), Lingua, 121(7), 1160-1163.
(2011). with Kornfilt, J. In J. Kornfilt & J. Whitman (Eds.), Lingua, 121(7), 1297-1313.
. (2010). with Paul, W. In Huidbro, S. et al (Eds.) Argument Structure and Syntactic Relations, 261-282. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
(2008). In J. Good (Ed.), Linguistic universals and language change, 233-252. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
(2008). with Paul, W. The Linguistic Review, 25(3-4), 413-451.
(2008). with Georgala, E. & Paul, W. In Proceedings of WCCFL 26, 181-189.
(2007). with Georgala, E. In Proceedings from the Annual Meeting of the Chicago Linguistic Society 43.1, 77-91. Chicago: Chicago Linguistic Society.
(2005). In G. Cinque & R. Kayne (Eds.), Handbook of Comparative Syntax, 880-902. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
. (2001). In G. Alexandrova & O. Artunova (Eds.), The Minimalist Parameter, 77-100. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
. (2000). with Tsubomot, A. Linguistic Inquiry, 31(1), 176-183.

Publications on Diachronic Topics:

. (2022), with Troberg, M. In L. Grestenberger, C. Reiss, H. A. Fellner, and G. Z. Pantillon (Eds.), Ha! Linguistic Studies in Honor of Mark R. Hale, 369-394. Weisbaden: Reichert Verlag.
. (2022). with Moran, P. Speculum 97.1, 112-139.
. (2020). In Wada, Yoko (ed.) Trends in Eastern and Western Literature, Medieval and Modern, 11, 43-72. Osaka: Kansai University T��zai gakujutsu kenky��sho.
. (2020). with Joseph, A. & Ko, S. In Robbeets, Martine, Alexander Savelyev, and Nataliia H��bler (Eds.) Oxford Guide to the Transeurasian Languages, 486-508. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
. (2018). with Kosukegawa, T. Journal of Vietnamese Studies 13.3, 28-49.
(2014). with Ko, S. & Joseph, A. In M. Robbeets & B. Bickel (Eds.), Paradigm Change: In the Transeurasian languages and beyond (pp. 141-176). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
(2012). with Joseph, A. In ?zge, U. (Ed.), Proceedings of the 8th Workshop on Altaic Formal Linguistics, Cambridge, MA: MIT Working Papers in Linguistics.
. (2012). In A. van Kemenade & N. de Haas (Eds.). Historical Linguistics 2009: Selected Papers from the 19th International Conference on Historical Linguistics, 69-87. John Benjamins Publishing.
(2013). with Djamouri, R. & Paul, W. In G. Cao, H. Chappell, R. Djamouri, & T. Wiebusch, Breaking down the barriers: Interdisciplinary studies in Chinese linguistics and beyond (557-594).
(2012). with Jonas, D. & Garrett, A. Grammatical change: origins, nature, outcomes (pp. 1-12). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
. (2012). with Yanagida, Y. In C. Galves, S. Cyrino, R. Lopes, F. Sandalo, J. Avelar (Eds.), Parameter theory and dynamics of change, 177-195. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
(2005). with Paul, W. In M Batlori (Ed.), Grammaticalization and parametric change (pp. 82-94). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
(2001). In S. Pintzuk, G. Tsoulas, & A. Warner (Eds.), Diachronic Syntax: Models and Mechanisms. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Publications on Japanese Synchrony:

Gengo shigen toshite no Nihongo (Japanese as a linguistic resource). (2011). with Kinsui, S., Shimizu, Y., & Yada, T. KinIn Bungaku (Iwanami Shoten), 12(3), 2-51.
. (2011). with Frellesvig, B. In W. McClure (Ed.), Japanese/Korean Linguistics, 18, 73-87. Stanford: CSLI Publications.
. (2008). with Cho, S. & Yanagida, Y. In Proceedings from the Annual Meeting of the Chicago Linguistic Society, 44(1), 61-77. Chicago: Chicago Linguistic Society.
Give as a Higher Verb: Reassessing Nakau. (2001). In Minoru Nakau Festschrift Editorial Committee (Eds.), Imi to katachi no intaafeesu (The interface of meaning and form) (pp. 445-470). Tokyo: Kuroshio Press.
Right dislocation in English and Japanese. (2000). In K. Takami & J. Whitman (Eds.), Syntactic and Functional Exploration: In Honor of Susumu Kuno (pp. 445-470). Kuroshio Press.
Gojun to kuk��z�� Z혤Ⱦ䘋�� [Word order and phrase structure]. (1998). In Takezawa, K. and J. Whitman, Kaku to gojun to t��go k��z�� Z혤Ƚy�Z��졻[Case, word order, and syntactic structure]. Nakau, M. (Ed.), Nichieigosensho ��Ӣ�Z�x�� 9��. Tokyo: Kenkyusha.

Publications on Japanese Diachrony:

. (2022). In Clarke, Michael and N�� Mhaonaigh, M��ire (eds.) Medieval Multilingual Manuscripts: Case Studies from Ireland to Japan, 13-33. Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter.
. (2020). with Hudson, M. & Nakagome, S. Evolutionary Human �鶹��Ƶ 2, E6.
. (2020). with Cho, S. In Barrie, Michael (ed.) Japanese/Korean Linguistics 27. Stanford: CSLI.
. (2018). with Narrog, H. & Rhee, S. In Narrog, Heiko and Bernd Heine (Eds.) Grammaticalization from a Typological Perspective, 166-188. Oxford, Oxford University Press.
Raten-go ky��ten no dokuh�� to butten no kundoku ��ƥ��Z�̵��i��ȁ��Ӗ (). (2015). In Niikawa, T. �´��ǁw�� (Ed.) Bunmei id�� tosite no "bukky�� j�� : Z��kei, gengo, moji ��ƄӤȤ��ƤΡ��̡��?��?��Z?��֡�(Buddhism as movement of civilization: The plastic arts, language, and writing). Tokyo: Benseisha.
(2012). with Yanagida, Y. In S. Nam, H. Ko, & J. Jun (Eds.) Japanese/Korean Linguistics, 21. Stanford: CSLI Publications.
(2012). In D. N. Tranter (Ed.), The Languages of Japan and Korea, 24.
. (2011). with Kinuhata, T. In W. McClure (Ed.), Japanese/Korean Linguistics, 18, 88-100. Stanford: CSLI Publications.
Hiteik��z�� to rekishiteki henka �C shuy��bu to hitei kyokusei hy��gen o ch��sin ni (). (2010). In Y. Kat�� et al (Eds.), Hitei to gengo riron (Negation and linguistic theory) (141-169). Tokyo: Kaitakusha.
Ninsh�� to kakkaku ruikei �C J��dai Nihongo no daimeishi taikei no kanten kara (). (2009). with Yanagida, Y. In A. Tsubomoto et al (Eds.), Uchi to soto no gengogaku (The linguistics of ��inside�� and ��outside��). Tokyo: Kaitakusha.
(2009). with Yanagida, Y. Journal of East Asian Linguistics, 18(2), 101-144.
, 294. (2009). with Frellesvig, B. John Benjamins Publishing.
(2008). with Frellesvig, B. In M. E. Hudson et al (Eds.), Japanese/Korean Linguistics, 13, 15�C28. Stanford: CSLI Publications.
(2008). with Frellesvig, B. Proto-Japanese (15-41). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
. (2008). In B. Frellesvig & J. Whitman (Eds.), Proto-Japanese, 159-174. Amsterdam, John Benjamins.
. (2004). with Frellesvig, B. Japanese language and literature, 281-299.
(1999). Function and Structure: In Honor of Susumu Kuno (pp. 357-386). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

Publications on Korean:

. (2021). with Hwang, H.K. In Kageyama, Taro, Peter Hook, and Prashant Pardeshi (Eds.) Verb-Verb Complexes in Asian Languages. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
(2015). In L. Brown & J. H. Yeon (Eds.), The Handbook of Korean Linguistics (pp. 421-438). London: Wiley-Blackwell.
(2010). with Yun, J. & Hale, J. In Proceedings of the 32nd Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society.
(2009). In C. Lee et al. (Eds.) The Handbook of East Asian Psycholinguistics (221-230). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
(2004). with Kuno, S. In Y. Kim-Renaud & J. Whitman (Eds.), Studies in Korean Syntax and Semantics by Susumu Kuno, 207-228.
(2003). with Park, S. D. In W. McClure (Ed.), Japanese/Korean Linguistics, 12, 307-321. Stanford: CSLI Publications.
The proto-Korean shape of ha-��do'. (2003). In S.O. Lee (Ed.), Pathways into Korean Language and Culture: Essays in Honor of Young-Key Kim-Renaud (pp. 463-470). Seoul: Pajigong Press.

Other Topics:

(2011). Scripta, 3, 95-121.
. (2011). Rice, 4(3-4), 149-158.
(�h��Ӗ�x Hanwen Xundu). (2010). with Alberizzi, V. L., Tsukimoto, M., Kosukegawa, T., Takada, T., Oh, M., & Park, J. Scripta, 2, 61-83.
(2009). In M. Bourdaghs (Ed.), The Linguistic Turn in Contemporary Japanese Literary Studies: Textuality, Language, Politics. Michigan: University of Michigan Center for Japanese Literary Studies.

Reviews:

[Review of A history of Korean, by K.M. Lee & S.R. Ramsey]. (2013). In Korean Linguistics, 15(2).
[ by J. Marshall Unger]. (2010). The Journal of Asian Studies, 69(4), 1268-1270.
[, by M. Nakayama (Ed.)]. (2006). Language, 82(3), 662-665.
[Review of Ruins of identity: Ethnogenesis in the Japanese Islands, by M. Hudson]. (2002). Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, 62(1), 256-265.

�鶹��Ƶ

John B. Whitman

Professor

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