On Understanding Grammar 1st edition by Talmy Givon 902721252X 9789027212528

Chapter 1: Fact, Method, and Explanation: On the Recalcitrant Legacy of Structuralism

1.1 Orientation

1.2 Saussure’s Firewall

1.3 Structuralism and the Philosophy of Science

1.4 The Three Dogmas of Structuralism

1.4.1 Arbitrariness

1.4.2 Idealization: Langue vs. Parole

1.4.3 Segregation: Synchrony vs. Diachrony

1.5 Latter-Day Structuralism

1.6 Explanatory Biology: Aristotle Revisited

1.7 Synchrony as Diachrony

1.7.1 Example: The Diachronic Typology of Passive Constructions

1.7.2 The Diachronic Provenance of Synchronic Structural Properties

1.7.3 Grammatical Relations in the Passive Clause

1.8 Closure

Abbreviations of Grammatical Terms

Chapter 2: Toward a Discourse Definition of Syntax: The Communicative Correlates of Grammar

2.1 Antecedence

2.2 The Role of Grammar in Human Information Processing

2.2.1 Overview: The Functional Organization of Language

2.2.2 The Conceptual Lexicon

2.2.3 Propositional Information

2.2.4 Multi-Propositional Discourse

2.2.5 The Interaction Between Words, Propositions, and Discourse

2.3 The Communicative Function of Grammar

2.3.1 Grammar as a Structural Code

2.3.2 Grammar as Communicative Function

2.4 Theme-and-Variation in Syntax and the Markedness of Clause-Types

2.4.1 Overview

2.4.2 Theme and Variations in Syntax

2.4.3 The Text-Frequency Distribution of Major Clause-Types

2.5 The Grammar of Referential Coherence

2.5.1 Preliminaries

2.5.2 Discourse Structure and Referential Coherence

2.5.3 High-Continuity Devices

2.5.4 Low-Continuity Devices

2.5.5 Quantitative Text-Distribution of Referent-Coding Devices

2.5.6 Word Order and Referential Continuity

2.6 Cataphoric Aspects of Topicality

2.6.1 Methodological Preliminaries

2.6.2 Indefiniteness and Cataphoric Topicality

2.6.2.1 The Semantics of Reference

2.6.2.2 The Numeral ‘One’ as an Indefinite Marker in Modern Hebrew

2.6.2.3 The Numeral ‘One’ as an Indefinite Marker in Krio

2.6.2.4 The Demonstrative ‘This’ as an Indefinite Marker in English

2.7 Voice Constructions and Cataphoric Topicality

2.7.1 Anaphoric vs. Cataphoric Zero

2.7.2 The Functional Domain of Pragmatic Voice

2.7.3 Cataphoric Zero in Passive Clauses

2.7.3.1 Prelude: Typology and Functional Domains

2.7.3.2 Diachrony of the Zeroed-Out Agents in Non-Promotional Passives

2.7.3.3 Diachrony of the Zeroed-Out Agents in Promotional Passives

2.8 Cataphoric Zero in Antipassive Clauses

2.8.1 Functional Definition of Antipassive Voice

2.8.2 A Diachronic Typology of Zero in Antipassives

2.8.3 Zero, Incorporation, and the Rise of Antipassive Morphology

2.9 Closure

Abbreviations of Grammatical Terms

Chapter 3: Negation in Language: Between Semantics and Pragmatics

3.1 Logic, Psycho-Logic, and Pragmatics

3.2 The Puzzling Distributional Restrictions on Referring Indefinite Objects

3.3 The Communicative Pragmatics of Negation

3.4 Negative Assertion as a Distinct Speech Act

3.5 The Cognitive Status of Negation

3.5.1 Change vs. Stasis

3.5.2 The Ontology of Negative Events

3.5.3 The Ontology of Negative States

3.6 The Scope of Negation

3.6.1 Presupposition, Assertion, and Negation

3.6.2 Negation and Contrastive Focus

3.6.3 Negation and Optional Constituents

3.6.4 Grammatical Marking of the Scope of Assertion – and Negation

3.7 Negation and Social Interaction

3.8 Closure

Abbreviations of Grammatical Terms

Chapter 4: The Grammar of Case: Semantic Role, Pragmatic Function, Morphology, and Syntactic Control

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Clausal Participants and Semantic Roles

4.2.1 States, Events, and Actions

4.2.2 Semantic Roles

4.2.3 Grammatical Roles

4.2.4 Topicality and Grammatical Relations

4.3 The Accessibility Hierarchy: Government of Complex Construction

4.3.1 Preliminaries

4.3.2 Functional Definition of Relative Clauses

4.3.2.1 Anaphoric Grounding: Restrictive Relative Clauses Modifying Definite Head Nouns

4.3.2.2 Cataphoric Grounding: Restrictive Relative Clauses Modifying Indefinite Head Nouns

4.3.2.3 Ancillary Asserted Information: Non-Restrictive Relative Clauses