Stylistic Fronting at the Interface of Syntax and Discourse
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Valéria Molnár
Abstract
This paper presents a novel analysis of the discourse properties of the phenomenon called “Stylistic Fronting” (SF). The widely held view according to which Stylistic Fronting has no discourse-semantic effects in Icelandic, but is related to topic or focus interpretation in Romance, is challenged. It is argued that SF is not simply triggered by formal features but has relevance for information structure (IS) in both Romance and Scandinavian. The impact of SF on discourse interpretation is, however, dependent on the type of syntactic derivation. In Icelandic, the “stylistic” movement can be either a locally (and informationstructurally) restricted “formal movement” (STYL-inversion) into the subject gap without changing the IS-properties of the moved constituent or a “true” discoursetriggered movement (STYL-preposing) with an obligatory contrastive effect. Since SF also seems to vary with respect to syntactic properties and discourse interpretation in Romance, the triggers and interpretive properties of SF in Scandinavian seem not to be as different from those in Romance as generally suggested in the literature.
Abstract
This paper presents a novel analysis of the discourse properties of the phenomenon called “Stylistic Fronting” (SF). The widely held view according to which Stylistic Fronting has no discourse-semantic effects in Icelandic, but is related to topic or focus interpretation in Romance, is challenged. It is argued that SF is not simply triggered by formal features but has relevance for information structure (IS) in both Romance and Scandinavian. The impact of SF on discourse interpretation is, however, dependent on the type of syntactic derivation. In Icelandic, the “stylistic” movement can be either a locally (and informationstructurally) restricted “formal movement” (STYL-inversion) into the subject gap without changing the IS-properties of the moved constituent or a “true” discoursetriggered movement (STYL-preposing) with an obligatory contrastive effect. Since SF also seems to vary with respect to syntactic properties and discourse interpretation in Romance, the triggers and interpretive properties of SF in Scandinavian seem not to be as different from those in Romance as generally suggested in the literature.
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
