James N. Collins

I'm a software engineer at Propeller Aerobotics Pty Ltd based in Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia.

Besides building software, I enjoy writing and thinking about language.

I have taught linguistics and computer science at the University of Sydney, Stanford University, and the University of Hawaii.

Links

• Google Scholar
• Email me

Papers, Handouts & Slides

• A QUD-based theory of quantifier conjunction with but (w/ Crystal Zhong) The Proceedings of WCCFL 38 2021 [PDF]
• What's an excluded middle inference?: Neg-raising and presupposition accommodation. Unpublished Ms. 2021 [PDF]
• Mapping meaning to argument structure: The case of Samoan case Polynesian Syntax and Its Interfaces, 2020 [Pre-publication draft]
• Definiteness determined by syntax: A case study in Tagalog Nat Lang Linguist Theory 37: 1367--1420, 2019 [Pre-publication draft]
• The polarity of clauses embedded under neg-raising predicates The Proceedings of Sinn und Bedeutung 23, 2019 [PDF]
• Roviana fronting and the relationship between syntactic and morphological ergativity (w/ Peter Schuelke) The Proceedings of AFLA 26, 2019 [PDF]
• Ilokano free relatives with man The Proceedings of AFLA 21, 2019 [PDF]
• Review of Paul R. Kroeger. 2018 `Analyzing meaning: An introduction to semantics and pragmatics' Oceanic Linguistics 57: 503--509, 2018 [Pre-publication draft]
• Samoan predicate initial word order and object positions Nat Lang Linguist Theory 35: 1--59, 2017 [Pre-publication draft]
• Structure-Sensitive Interpretation PhD thesis, Stanford University, 2017 [PDF]
• Reasoning about definiteness in a language without articless The Proceedings of SALT 26, 2016 [PDF]
• Definiteness and implicatures in Tagalog The Proceedings of BLS 42, 2016 [PDF]
• Composition and Definiteness without articles: A case study in Tagalog The Proceedings of NELS 46, 2016 [Draft]
• Sluicing and the inquisitive potential of appositives (w/ Daria Popova, Ivan A. Sag, Tom Wasow) Parenthesis and ellipsis: cross-linguistic and theoretical perspectives, Studies in Generative Grammar, 121, 2015
• Diagnosing predicate fronting in Samoan The Proceedings of WCCFL 32, 2015 [PDF]
• Ergativity and nominalization: The case of Samoan Unpublished Ms, 2015 [PDF]
• Pseudo noun incorporation in discourse The Proceedings of AFLA 20, 2014 [PDF]
• The distribution of unmarked cases in Samoan Argument realisations and related constructions in Austronesian languages, 2014 [PDF]
• The discourse potential of narrow scope indefinites in Samoan Unpublished, Ms, 2013 [PDF]
• Syntactic derivations of Samoan predicates BA Thesis, University of Sydney, 2010 [PDF]

Last updated: April 2025.