The typology of syncretisms and the status of feature structure. Verbal paradigms across 355 Dutch dialects

In this article syncretic patterning in the present indicative paradigm of the verb kloppen (‘to knock’) is described for 355 Dutch dialects taken from the morphological atlas of Dutch dialects (Van den Berg 2003). Following Baerman et al. (2005, The syntax-morphology interface. A study of syncretism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press), I distinguish syncretisms driven by (universal) feature structure and language specific sources of syncretism. I present independent evidence for the role of phonology, pragmatics and amplification in the formation of syncretic patterns of Dutch. The benefit of the study of the interaction between language specific routes to syncretism and feature structure is threefold. We know language specific routes to syncretism can obscure feature structure. By distinguishing the different routes to syncretism we canalsorevealthe strength of feature structure. Secondly, distinguishing sources of syncretisms enables us to understand similarities and differences in the cross-linguistic patterning of syncretisms. Thirdly, we can link typological data to language acquisition patterns.     

On the origins of esterases

Comparisons among the primary sequences of five cloned eukaryotic esterases reveal two distinct lineages, neither bearing any significant overall sequence similarity to the functionally related serine protease multigene family. We have not eliminated the possibility that the esterases may have residual conformational similarities to the serine proteases. However, our profile analysis and analyses of the predicted conformations of the esterases reveal little similarity to the serine proteases. Four of the esterase proteins share 27%-53% overall sequence similarity and evidence of a catalytic mechanism involving the same Arg- Asp-Ser or His-Asp-Ser charge relay. We propose that these four esterases, three of them cholinesterases, form part of a multigene family essentially separate from the serine proteases.