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Chapter 5. Zero subject anaphors and extralinguistically motivated subject pro -drop in Hungarian language use

  • Enikő Németh T.
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Implicitness
This chapter is in the book Implicitness

Abstract

The present chapter aims to analyse implicit subject arguments in Hungarian language use, focusing especially on the zero subject anaphors and extralinguistically motivated subject pro-drop phenomena in utterance and discourse contexts. Zero anaphors are types of implicit arguments which have their own position in the syntactic structure of utterances and antecedents with which they are coreferential. When an implicit argument obtains its interpretation extralinguistically, for instance, from the physical context, it is a manifestation of exophoric reference. Exophoric implicit arguments do not have any antecedents; instead, they refer to items in the external world. On the basis of a detailed analysis of these kinds of implicit arguments, the chapter has two interrelated conclusions. Firstly, the use or interpretation of zero subject anaphors and exophoric subject pro-drop phenomena in Hungarian language use predicted by grammar can be considered only a typical, default use and interpretation that emerge due to the lack of any pieces of information from the encyclopaedic knowledge, general pragmatic knowledge and/or specific context. And secondly, grammar and pragmatics intensively interact in the course of use and interpretation of implicit arguments.

Abstract

The present chapter aims to analyse implicit subject arguments in Hungarian language use, focusing especially on the zero subject anaphors and extralinguistically motivated subject pro-drop phenomena in utterance and discourse contexts. Zero anaphors are types of implicit arguments which have their own position in the syntactic structure of utterances and antecedents with which they are coreferential. When an implicit argument obtains its interpretation extralinguistically, for instance, from the physical context, it is a manifestation of exophoric reference. Exophoric implicit arguments do not have any antecedents; instead, they refer to items in the external world. On the basis of a detailed analysis of these kinds of implicit arguments, the chapter has two interrelated conclusions. Firstly, the use or interpretation of zero subject anaphors and exophoric subject pro-drop phenomena in Hungarian language use predicted by grammar can be considered only a typical, default use and interpretation that emerge due to the lack of any pieces of information from the encyclopaedic knowledge, general pragmatic knowledge and/or specific context. And secondly, grammar and pragmatics intensively interact in the course of use and interpretation of implicit arguments.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Chapter 1. Implicitness 1
  4. Part I. Word and phrase
  5. Chapter 2. What’s a reading? 15
  6. Chapter 3. Pronouns and implicature 37
  7. Chapter 4. Implicitness in the lexis 67
  8. Chapter 5. Zero subject anaphors and extralinguistically motivated subject pro -drop in Hungarian language use 95
  9. Part II. Sentence and utterance
  10. Chapter 6. Implicitness via overt untruthfulness 121
  11. Chapter 7. Lexical pragmatics and implicit communication 147
  12. Chapter 8. Indirect ritual offence 177
  13. Chapter 9. Implicitness in the use of situation-bound utterances 201
  14. Chapter 10. Thematic silence as a speech act 217
  15. Part III. Text and discourse
  16. Chapter 11. The dynamics of discourse 235
  17. Chapter 12. Why don’t you tell it explicitly? 259
  18. Chapter 13. Implicature and the inferential substrate 281
  19. Index 305
  20. Index 305
https://doi.org/10.1075/pbns.276.05nem

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Chapter 1. Implicitness 1
  4. Part I. Word and phrase
  5. Chapter 2. What’s a reading? 15
  6. Chapter 3. Pronouns and implicature 37
  7. Chapter 4. Implicitness in the lexis 67
  8. Chapter 5. Zero subject anaphors and extralinguistically motivated subject pro -drop in Hungarian language use 95
  9. Part II. Sentence and utterance
  10. Chapter 6. Implicitness via overt untruthfulness 121
  11. Chapter 7. Lexical pragmatics and implicit communication 147
  12. Chapter 8. Indirect ritual offence 177
  13. Chapter 9. Implicitness in the use of situation-bound utterances 201
  14. Chapter 10. Thematic silence as a speech act 217
  15. Part III. Text and discourse
  16. Chapter 11. The dynamics of discourse 235
  17. Chapter 12. Why don’t you tell it explicitly? 259
  18. Chapter 13. Implicature and the inferential substrate 281
  19. Index 305
  20. Index 305
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