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Letitia Naigles (University of Connecticut) Session 23Diane Lillo-Martin (University of Connecticut)Vanessa Petroj (University of Connecticut)William Snyder (University of Connecticut)The Compounding Parameter: new evidence from IPLSnyder (1995-2012) proposes “The Compounding Parameter” (±TCP), where [+TCP] is required for particle constructions (pullthe top off) as well as "creative" N-N compounding ('NNC': apple box lid). We tested TCP with Intermodal Preferential Looking.English-learning 2-year-olds viewed two, side-by-side images, and heard a directing audio that matched only one. Stimuli testedcomprehension of particles ("She's kicking it up/down!"), and NNC (“Look at the hand chair / hand on the chair!”). Children wholooked longer at the matching image for particles also looked significantly longer at the NNC match, and more quickly to theNNC match, as predicted by TCP.Sruthi Narayanan (Wellesley College) Session 40Elizabeth Stowell (Wellesley College)Igor Yanovich (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)Ought to be strongWe report a historical study into the semantics of ought, often called a “weak necessity” modal verb, in the 16th-18th centuries.We analyzed 263 instances of ought, taken from the Corpus of English Dialogues 1560-1760, as defined by a series ofparameters: scope, subject specificity/genericity, and source of obligation. We noted an overall shift in the focus of ought fromthe source of obligation to the necessity of the action. Our data shows that ought has a strong modal force, yet is “weakened” bythe ability to either accept or reject the set of principles surrounding the obligation.Verónica Nercesian (CONICET-UNAF) Session 89The word as a domain of linguistic level interactions in Wichi (Mataguayan)This paper analyzes different types of linguistic level interactions within the word in Wichi (Mataguayan) and argues that they areof two types: overlapping, on the one hand, and conditioning and alteration, on the other hand. The conditioning occurs only inthe morphophonology and morphosemantics interactions. Conversely, the overlapping is in the interaction of all levels: thephonological word and the grammatical word in the morphophonological relation; the word and the simple clause or nominalphrase in the morphosyntactic relation; and the word and the semantic unit in the morphosemantic relation. This analysis expectscontribute to the wordhood current discussions.Luiza Newlin-Łukowicz (New York University) Session 17TH-stopping as a female-led ethnic marker for Poles in New York CityThis paper presents evidence for substrate origins of TH-stopping in New York City, and argues for its status as an ethnic markerfor the Polish community there. The data come from sociolinguistic interviews and reading tasks. An acoustic analysis ofunderlying and “substituted” stops reveals that the latter employ the Polish voicing contrast, suggesting substrate origins. Asurvey of speakers’ cultural orientation and use of Polish found both to correlate strongly with TH-stopping rates. A multivariateanalysis identified second generation women as leaders in substitutions. I argue that this reflects their central role in the creationof Polish communities.Frederick J. Newmeyer (University of Washington) Session 74Some remarks on Chomsky’s reading of SaussureA passage in Chomsky (1986) maintains that Saussure’s langue “might be interpreted” as a rule system that characterizes aspeaker’s I-language. That appears inconsistent with everything Chomsky had previously written about Saussure. However, Iargue that by “interpreted,” Chomsky really meant “reinterpreted.” My arguments are based on the following: The same chapterreinterprets Quine’s theorizing in an analogous fashion; reinterpretations of his opponents’ ideas had long been one of Chomsky’sfavorite rhetorical strategies; 1986 is too early to point to a convergence between Chomsky and Saussure; Chomsky himself (pc)has denied that the quote represents a changed evaluation of Saussure.185