Revisiting the role of the Accessibility Hierarchy for variation in relativizability and relativizers: An integrative approach of i-, p-, and s-factors (IPS)

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Lars Bülow; Privatdozentin Dr. Tabea Reiner
• Subject Area: Individual Linguistics, Historical Linguistics ; General and Comparative Linguistics, Experimental Linguistics, Typology, Non-European Languages
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 566740447

This project addresses the seemingly well-worn topic of relativizability and the choice of relativization strategies. The main aim is to take into account the diversity of potential factors. This includes linguistic as well as cognitive and sociolinguistic factors. In existing research, the focus is on Keenan & Comrie’s (1977) Noun Phrase Accessibility Hierarchy. But the hierarchy, however fundamental, cannot explain the full range of typological and dialectal variation that we find. Whenever researchers try to include other factors, they face a methodological quandary: on the one hand, including these factors requires an exceptionally high degree of systematicity; on the other hand, it is difficult to systematically test variants through tasks that are supposed to be ecologically valid (“natural”). We aim to reconcile these two aims by an innovative methodological approach, combining scientific gaming and a questionnaire study. For our research interests, Bavarian is a suitable testing ground because it shows rich systems of relativization and a high degree of inner variation. Both the methodological objective and the chosen testing ground are a means to the end of understanding exactly how linguistic systems not only reflect typological generalizations but interact with these patterns by supplying their own factors. As to the factors, we distinguish three groups: internal linguistic factors = i-factors, physiological and psychological factors = p-factors, sociostylistic factors = s-factors.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants