Chapter 13. Variation and the use of discourse markers in 16th-century Spanish
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Christopher J. Pountain
Abstract
This study aims to account for the differing uses and frequency profiles of a variety of discourse markers (DMs) in four roughly contemporaneous 16th-century Spanish texts which are contrasting in nature.1 Such a methodology complements previous studies which have used large heterogeneous corpora, in that it controls the variables of authorship and text-type as well as allowing for a closer philological appraisal of the data. It is able to show not only that the presence, absence or frequency of a particular DM is determined by the tenor and field of the text, as well as by its characteristic discourse type, but also that when DMs are variant exponents of the same function, they may also act as social indicators.
Abstract
This study aims to account for the differing uses and frequency profiles of a variety of discourse markers (DMs) in four roughly contemporaneous 16th-century Spanish texts which are contrasting in nature.1 Such a methodology complements previous studies which have used large heterogeneous corpora, in that it controls the variables of authorship and text-type as well as allowing for a closer philological appraisal of the data. It is able to show not only that the presence, absence or frequency of a particular DM is determined by the tenor and field of the text, as well as by its characteristic discourse type, but also that when DMs are variant exponents of the same function, they may also act as social indicators.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Chapter 1. Some introductory reflections 1
- Chapter 2. Velar allomorphy in Ibero-Romance 13
- Chapter 3. The history of concatenative compounds in Spanish 47
- Chapter 4. Intersubjectification and textual emphasis in the use of definite article + proper name in Spanish 75
- Chapter 5. Stylistic fronting in Old Spanish texts 99
- Chapter 6. The dative experiencer of Spanish gustar 123
- Chapter 7. Postverbal subjects of unaccusative verbs in the history of Portuguese 149
- Chapter 8. On the position of overt subjects in infinitival clauses in Spanish and Portuguese 173
- Chapter 9. Allative to purposive grammaticalisation 195
- Chapter 10. Recurrent processes in the evolution of concessive subordinators in Spanish and Catalan 223
- Chapter 11. Si as a Q-particle in Old Spanish 249
- Chapter 12. Realmente , verdaderamente and ciertamente 275
- Chapter 13. Variation and the use of discourse markers in 16th-century Spanish 303
- Chapter 14. Studying Ibero-Romance before 1200 325
- Index 337
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Chapter 1. Some introductory reflections 1
- Chapter 2. Velar allomorphy in Ibero-Romance 13
- Chapter 3. The history of concatenative compounds in Spanish 47
- Chapter 4. Intersubjectification and textual emphasis in the use of definite article + proper name in Spanish 75
- Chapter 5. Stylistic fronting in Old Spanish texts 99
- Chapter 6. The dative experiencer of Spanish gustar 123
- Chapter 7. Postverbal subjects of unaccusative verbs in the history of Portuguese 149
- Chapter 8. On the position of overt subjects in infinitival clauses in Spanish and Portuguese 173
- Chapter 9. Allative to purposive grammaticalisation 195
- Chapter 10. Recurrent processes in the evolution of concessive subordinators in Spanish and Catalan 223
- Chapter 11. Si as a Q-particle in Old Spanish 249
- Chapter 12. Realmente , verdaderamente and ciertamente 275
- Chapter 13. Variation and the use of discourse markers in 16th-century Spanish 303
- Chapter 14. Studying Ibero-Romance before 1200 325
- Index 337
