The Role of VN In Functional Syntax: Some OE Patterns
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26754/ojs_misc/mj.199711292Abstract
In this paper we restrict, in favour of X constituents, the role played by VN in a functional syntax. More specifically, we suggest that the element central to the formulation of synchronic and diachronic expression rules is the focusbearing constituent, that is, X-not VN-in languages that show full or partial OV morphosyntax. We comment on the inadequacy of the V2 Rule and formulate a hypothetical description and explanation of Old English passive constructions: we shall speak of "unmarked topic" whenever this pragmatic function is assigned to a constituent that does not occupy clauseinitial position and of unmaJked focus whenever this function is assigned to the constituent that lies in inter-verbal position, clause-initial, second and final position. This explanation is consistent with the pragmatic mode advanced by Bossuyt (1985: 15ft) and Tejada (1988: 83ff) and with the explanations for OE constituent order put forward by Dik (1980: 153) and Bossuyt (1985: 27). We find points of convergence with Bean (1983: 136) as well. We also put forward the hypothesis that a markedness hierarchy as regards pragmatic function assignment may be proposed, whose validity we try to demonstrate.
Downloads
References
ANDREWS, E. 1990. Markedness Theory. Durham: Duke UP.
BEAN, M. 1983. The Development of Word Order Patterns in Old English. London: Croom Helm.
LKESTEIN, A. M., C. DE GROOT and J.L. MACKENZIE, eds. 1985. Predicates and Terms in Functional Grammar. Dordrccht: Faris.
BOSSONG, G. 1989. "Morphemic Marking of Topic and Focus." Belgian Joumal of Linguistics 4: 27-51.
Bossun, A. 1985. "The Typology of Embedded Predications and the SOV/SVO Shift in Western Germanic." In Bolkestein, de Groot and Mackenzie, eds. I 985: 1-30.
BRODY, J. 1984. "Some Problems wilh the Concept of Basic Word Order." Linguistics 22: 711-736.
CONNOLLY, J. H. 1991. Constituent order in Functional Grammar: Synchronic and diachronic perspectives. Berlin: Faris.
CONTE, M., et al. eds. 1978. Wortstellung und Bedeutung. T0bingen: Niemeyer.
CROFT, W. 1990. Typology and Universals. Cambridge UP.
DENISON, D. 1993. English Historical Syntax. London: Longman.
DEZSO, L. 1978. "Towards a Typology of Theme and Rheme: SOY Languages." In Conte et al., eds. 1978: 3-1 I.
DIK, S. 1978. Functional Grammar. Dordrecht: Faris.
---. 1980. Studies in Functional Grammar. New York: Academic Press.
---. 1989. The Theory of Functional Grammar I: The Structure of the Clause. Dordrecht: Faris.
DJK, S., et al. 1981. "On the Typology of Focus Phenomena." In Hoekstra et al. eds. 1981: 41-74.
DOWNING, A., and P. LOCKE. 1992. A University Course in English Grammar. Herne. Hempstead: Prentice Hall International.
FISCHER, 0. 1992. "The development of quasi-auxiliaries in English and changes in word order." International Congress of English Historical Linguistics. Unpublished paper.
GARMONSWAY, G. N., ed. 1972. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. New York: Dent.
GAVIN, T. 1984/1990. Syntax: A Functional-Typological Introduction. 2 vols. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
---. 1995. Functionalism and Grammar. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
HALLIDAY, M. 1985. An Introduction to Functional Grammar. London: Arnold.
HANNA y, M. 1990. "Pragmatic function assignment and word order variation in a Functionil Grammar of English." Working Papers in Functional Grammar 38. Amsterdam: U of Amsterdam.
HARRIS, A., and L. CAMPBELL. 1995. Historical Syntax in Cross-Linguistic Perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge UP.
HOEKSTRA, T., et al., eds. 1981. Perspectives on Functional Grammar. Dordrecht: Faris.
HOPPER, P., and E. C. TRAUGOTT. 1993. Grammaticalization. Cambridge: Cambridge UP.
HUCK, G. J., and A. E. OJEDA , eds. 1987. Syntax and Semantics 20: Discontinuous Constituency. San Diego: Academic Press.
JACOBSON, P. 1987. "Phrase Structure, Grammatical Relations, and Discontinuous Constituents." In Huck and Ojeda, eds. 1987: 27-6.9.
JONG, J. DE 1981. "On the Treatment of Focus Phenomena in Functional Grammar." In Hoekstra et al., eds. 1981: 89-115.
KOOPMAN, W. ·p_ 1992. "Main Clauses with OV Order in Old English Prose." International Congress of English Historical Linguistics-?. Unpublished paper.
LIGHTFOOT; D. 1991. How to Set Parameters. Cambridge (MA):.MIT Press.
---. 1977. "Syntactic Change and the Autonomy Thesis." Journal of linguistics 13: 191-216.
MACKENZIE, J., and E. KEIZER. 1991. "On Assigning Pragmatic Functions in English." Pragmatics I: 169-215.
MALSCH, D. L. 1976. "Clauses and Quasi-clauses: VO Order in Old English." Glossa 10: 28-43.
MARTIN ARISTA, J. 1994a. "Funciones pragmáticas marcadas y no marcadas." Misceldnea 15: 391 A04.
---. 1994b. "Aspectos semánticos y pragmáticos de la operación de las reglas de expresión." In Martin Arista, ed. 1994: 193-238.
---. (forthcoming). "The Prefield-Postfield Drift and the Evolution of the English Passive." Revista Canaria de Estudios Ingleses.
---. ed. J 994. Estudios de Gramdtica Funcional. Zaragoza: Mira editores.
McCAWLEY, J. D. 1987. "Some Additional Evidence for Discontinuity." In Huck and Ojeda, eds. 1987: 185-199.
MITCHELL, B. 1985. Old English Syntax. 2 vols. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
NEEDHAM, G. I. I 966. IE!fric's Lives o,f Three English Saints. London: Methuen.
REDDICK, R. J. 1982. "On the Underlying Order of Early West Saxon." Journal of Linguistics 18: 37-56.
TEJADA, P. 1988. "Pcrspectivas para el estudio del orden de palabras en rngles antiguo." Revista Canaria de Estudios lngleses 16: 85-104.
VISSER, F. 1984. A Historical Syntax of the English Language. 1963-1973, 4 vols. Leiden: Brill.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
