GROUND AND FIGURE IN FIVE-COMPONENT HYPOTAXIS SYNTACTIC STRUCTURES WITH INCLUSION OF PARATAXIS
Abstract
The article introduces theoretical and methodological basis and methodical tools of the cognitive-discursive analysis of complex syntactic constructions used in public speeches of B. Obama and D. Cameron. It applies instruments of attention cognitive construal operations analysis to discover the patterns of the ground-figure change in five-component hypotaxis syntactic structures with inclusion of parataxis. The research results in identifying three types of semantic relations involved in constructing five-component hypotaxis syntactic structures with inclusion of parataxis in public speeches of B. Obama and D. Cameron: structural-semantic incorporation, semantic incorporation and chain attachment. These types of syntactic relations are explained in terms of cognitive construal operations of attention.
Semantic incorporation represents a nonlinear type of hypotaxis relations where the subordinate predication serves as the ground setting the time, cause / precondition or epistemic framework of the event, expressed by the main predication functioning as the figure. Structural-semantic incorporation is a linear type of hypotaxis relations where preceding predication in the syntagmatic chain contains information serving as the ground for the interpretation of the subsequent predication, functioning as the figure. Chain attachment is a linear type of parataxis relations where, similar to structural-semantic incorporation, preceding predication contains information serving as the ground for the interpretation of the subsequent predication, functioning as the figure. In a sentence built by structural-semantic incorporation and chain attachment the focus of attention is moved progressively in a syntagmatic chain due to linear type of ground-figure change characteristic of the types of syntactic arrangement engaged.
In a sentence involving semantic incorporation the focus of attention is determined by the position in the syntagmatic chain of the main clause, introduced by semantic incorporation, so the focus of attention can move progressively and regressively. Structural-semantic incorporation just complicates the structure of the clauses in a complex sentence while chain attachment increases the number of the same type of clauses.
References
2. Chafe W. L. Discourse, consciousness and time : the flow and displacement of conscious experience in speaking and writing / W. L. Chafe. – Chicago : Chicago University Press, 1994. – 327 p.
3. Croft W. Cognitive Linguistics / W. Croft, D. A. Cruse. – Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2004. – 356 p.
4. Langaсker R. W. Foundations of Cognitive Grammar : Theoretical prerequisites / R. W. Langaсker. – Stanford : Stanford University Press, 1987. – Vol. 1. – 395 p.
5. Langacker R. W. Grammar and conceptualization. / R. W. Langacker. – Berlin : Mouton de Gruyter, 1999. – 433 p.
6. Talmy L. Semantic structures in English and Atsugewi / L. Talmy. – Ph. D. dissertation, Department of Linguistics, Un-ty of California, Berkeley, 1972.
7. Talmy L. Rubber sheet cognition in language / L. Talmy // Papers from the 13th Regional Meeting, Chicago Linguistic Society / ed. W. A. Beach. – Chicago : Chicago Linguistic Society, 1977. – Р. 612-28.
8. Talmy L. The relation of grammar to cognition / L. Talmy // Topics in cognitive linguistics / [ed. B. Rudzka-Ostyn]. – Amsterdam : John Benjamins, 1982. – Р. 165-205.
9. Talmy L. Toward a cognitive semantics / L. Talmy. – Cambridge (Mass.); L. : A Bradford Book, The MIT Press, 2000. – Vol. 1. Concept Structuring Systems. – 565 p.
ISSN 
.png)
