Apropos the Topic
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Verner Egerland
Abstract
The inquiry into topicality calls for a deeper understanding of explicit “topic markers” such as apropos and concerning, which are found in many if not all the languages of Europe. From a syntactic perspective, phrases introduced by such expressions are not identifiable with any of the construction types that alter the information structure of the clause involving the left periphery. Thus, apropos and concerning do not introduce a syntactically topicalized element, nor a dislocated element, nor a hanging topic, given some commonly assumed criteria. Instead, it is argued here that phrases introduced by apropos and concerning represent a fourth such construction type. From the view point of information structure, apropos and concerning, and presumably similar topic-marking expressions, differ in the sense that they lexicalize pragmatic features such as aboutness and givenness in different ways. The argumentation is based on Swedish data and limited to two such expressions: apropå ‘apropos’ and beträffande ‘concerning’.
Abstract
The inquiry into topicality calls for a deeper understanding of explicit “topic markers” such as apropos and concerning, which are found in many if not all the languages of Europe. From a syntactic perspective, phrases introduced by such expressions are not identifiable with any of the construction types that alter the information structure of the clause involving the left periphery. Thus, apropos and concerning do not introduce a syntactically topicalized element, nor a dislocated element, nor a hanging topic, given some commonly assumed criteria. Instead, it is argued here that phrases introduced by apropos and concerning represent a fourth such construction type. From the view point of information structure, apropos and concerning, and presumably similar topic-marking expressions, differ in the sense that they lexicalize pragmatic features such as aboutness and givenness in different ways. The argumentation is based on Swedish data and limited to two such expressions: apropå ‘apropos’ and beträffande ‘concerning’.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Acknowledgements V
- Contents IX
- Exploring the Architecture of Topic at the Interface of Grammar and Discourse 1
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Part I: Semantic and Discourse-pragmatic Correlates of Topicality
- Topics and Givenness 47
- The Role of Topics in Licensing Anaphoric Relations in VP-ellipsis 67
- Topic Marking and Illocutionary Force 95
- Topics, Conversational Dynamics and the Root/Non-root Distinction: Adverbial Clauses at the Discourse-syntax Interface 139
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Part II: Variation in the Grammatical Encoding of Topicality: Clause-internal, Clause-external and Null Topics
- Why Topicalize VP? 173
- Information-structural Constraints on PP Topicalization from NPs 203
- Stage Topics and their Architecture 223
- Topicality in Icelandic: Null Arguments and Narrative Inversion 249
- Apropos the Topic 273
- Discourse Topic vs. Sentence Topic Exploiting the Right Periphery of German Verb-second Sentences 293
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PART III: Topics from the Diachronic Perspective
- Topichood and the Margins of the German Clause from a Historical Perspective 337
- Stylistic Fronting at the Interface of Syntax and Discourse 373
- Index 425
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Acknowledgements V
- Contents IX
- Exploring the Architecture of Topic at the Interface of Grammar and Discourse 1
-
Part I: Semantic and Discourse-pragmatic Correlates of Topicality
- Topics and Givenness 47
- The Role of Topics in Licensing Anaphoric Relations in VP-ellipsis 67
- Topic Marking and Illocutionary Force 95
- Topics, Conversational Dynamics and the Root/Non-root Distinction: Adverbial Clauses at the Discourse-syntax Interface 139
-
Part II: Variation in the Grammatical Encoding of Topicality: Clause-internal, Clause-external and Null Topics
- Why Topicalize VP? 173
- Information-structural Constraints on PP Topicalization from NPs 203
- Stage Topics and their Architecture 223
- Topicality in Icelandic: Null Arguments and Narrative Inversion 249
- Apropos the Topic 273
- Discourse Topic vs. Sentence Topic Exploiting the Right Periphery of German Verb-second Sentences 293
-
PART III: Topics from the Diachronic Perspective
- Topichood and the Margins of the German Clause from a Historical Perspective 337
- Stylistic Fronting at the Interface of Syntax and Discourse 373
- Index 425
