The adverb truly in Present-Day English
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Anne-Marie Simon-Vandenbergen
Abstract
In comparison with the semantically and pragmatically related adverbs really, actually and in fact, the adverb truly has been studied much less extensively. One reason for the neglect may be its relatively low frequency. This is obvious if one consults the British National Corpus (BNC). This article takes a close look at truly on the basis of a sample of 200 instances from the BNC. It looks at the relative frequency and meaning of the various syntactic patterns in which it occurs in PDE. Lenker (2007) notes that in her diachronic corpus truly occurs as a clause-integrated manner adverb, a clause-integrated emphasiser, a propositional modifier, and a discourse marker. The present article compares these findings with the usage of truly in PDE. It also examines parallels and differences with the adverb really.
Abstract
In comparison with the semantically and pragmatically related adverbs really, actually and in fact, the adverb truly has been studied much less extensively. One reason for the neglect may be its relatively low frequency. This is obvious if one consults the British National Corpus (BNC). This article takes a close look at truly on the basis of a sample of 200 instances from the BNC. It looks at the relative frequency and meaning of the various syntactic patterns in which it occurs in PDE. Lenker (2007) notes that in her diachronic corpus truly occurs as a clause-integrated manner adverb, a clause-integrated emphasiser, a propositional modifier, and a discourse marker. The present article compares these findings with the usage of truly in PDE. It also examines parallels and differences with the adverb really.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Contributors vii
-
Introduction
- On the relatedness of functionalism and pragmatics 1
-
I. Methods in the analysis of language and discourse
- Developing comprehensive criteria of adequacy 19
- A method of analysing recontextualisation in the communication of science 37
- Contrastive corpus annotation in the CONTRANOT project 57
- Form and function in evaluative language 87
- Life before Nation 111
-
II. Pragmatics and grammar
- A lexico-paradigmatic approach to English setting-constructions 133
- How did we think? 149
- The adverb truly in Present-Day English 169
-
III. Current trends in pragmatics and discourse analysis
- Nominal reference and the dynamics of discourse 189
- ‘Pragmatic punting’ and prosody 209
- Besides as a connective 223
- Searle and Sinclair on communicative acts 243
- Strategies of (in)directness in Spanish speakers’ production of complaints and disagreements in English and Spanish 261
- Name index 285
- Term index 289
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Contributors vii
-
Introduction
- On the relatedness of functionalism and pragmatics 1
-
I. Methods in the analysis of language and discourse
- Developing comprehensive criteria of adequacy 19
- A method of analysing recontextualisation in the communication of science 37
- Contrastive corpus annotation in the CONTRANOT project 57
- Form and function in evaluative language 87
- Life before Nation 111
-
II. Pragmatics and grammar
- A lexico-paradigmatic approach to English setting-constructions 133
- How did we think? 149
- The adverb truly in Present-Day English 169
-
III. Current trends in pragmatics and discourse analysis
- Nominal reference and the dynamics of discourse 189
- ‘Pragmatic punting’ and prosody 209
- Besides as a connective 223
- Searle and Sinclair on communicative acts 243
- Strategies of (in)directness in Spanish speakers’ production of complaints and disagreements in English and Spanish 261
- Name index 285
- Term index 289
