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Chapter 7. The scalar operator even and its German equivalents

Pragmatic and syntactic factors determining the use of auch, selbst and sogar in the Europarl corpus
  • Volker Gast
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Focus on Additivity
This chapter is in the book Focus on Additivity

Abstract

The English scalar additive operator even has a broad distribution, e.g. insofar as it is used in upward- as well as downward-entailing contexts. Other languages, such as German, use a variety of expressions to render the function(s) of even. The question arises what conditions and determines the use of the various operators of German. The present study addresses this question with respect to the particles selbst, sogar and auch as translation equivalents of even in upward-entailing contexts. On the basis of a sample of 300 translation pairs from the Europarl corpus, the influence of four syntactic and three pragmatic variables on the choice of an operator in German is investigated. The results show that the operators are mainly sensitive to two of the pragmatic variables, the presence or absence of overt focus alternatives in the clausal environment, and the size of the set of alternatives. From a syntatic point of view, a clear difference between selbst and sogar is shown, with selbst exhibiting a tendency to attach to higher levels of syntax than sogar. The quantitative findings are interpreted against the background of historical developments, the assumption being that synchronic distributions reflect diachronic developments (‘distributional intertia’).

Abstract

The English scalar additive operator even has a broad distribution, e.g. insofar as it is used in upward- as well as downward-entailing contexts. Other languages, such as German, use a variety of expressions to render the function(s) of even. The question arises what conditions and determines the use of the various operators of German. The present study addresses this question with respect to the particles selbst, sogar and auch as translation equivalents of even in upward-entailing contexts. On the basis of a sample of 300 translation pairs from the Europarl corpus, the influence of four syntactic and three pragmatic variables on the choice of an operator in German is investigated. The results show that the operators are mainly sensitive to two of the pragmatic variables, the presence or absence of overt focus alternatives in the clausal environment, and the size of the set of alternatives. From a syntatic point of view, a clear difference between selbst and sogar is shown, with selbst exhibiting a tendency to attach to higher levels of syntax than sogar. The quantitative findings are interpreted against the background of historical developments, the assumption being that synchronic distributions reflect diachronic developments (‘distributional intertia’).

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Part I. Additive Focusing Modifiers from a typological and historical perspective
  5. Chapter 1. Syntax and semantics of additive focus markers from a cross-linguistic perspective 23
  6. Chapter 2. Meaning both ‘also’ and ‘only’? 45
  7. Part II. Additive Focusing Modifiers from a semantic, prosodic and pragmatic perspective
  8. Chapter 3. On the distribution of additive focus particles addirittura and perfino/persino in Italian 79
  9. Chapter 4. French additive particle aussi 107
  10. Chapter 5. Processing additivity in Spanish 137
  11. Part III. Additive Focusing Modifiers from a discourse-oriented perspective
  12. Chapter 6. Mapping additivity through translation 157
  13. Chapter 7. The scalar operator even and its German equivalents 201
  14. Part IV. Additive Focusing Modifiers from a language contact perspective
  15. Chapter 8. Additive focus particles in German-speaking learners of Italian as L2 237
  16. Chapter 9. Additive relations in L2 French 265
  17. Chapter 10. Ënghe, ence and also anche 311
  18. Focusing modifiers index 331
  19. General index 333
https://doi.org/10.1075/pbns.278.07gas

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Part I. Additive Focusing Modifiers from a typological and historical perspective
  5. Chapter 1. Syntax and semantics of additive focus markers from a cross-linguistic perspective 23
  6. Chapter 2. Meaning both ‘also’ and ‘only’? 45
  7. Part II. Additive Focusing Modifiers from a semantic, prosodic and pragmatic perspective
  8. Chapter 3. On the distribution of additive focus particles addirittura and perfino/persino in Italian 79
  9. Chapter 4. French additive particle aussi 107
  10. Chapter 5. Processing additivity in Spanish 137
  11. Part III. Additive Focusing Modifiers from a discourse-oriented perspective
  12. Chapter 6. Mapping additivity through translation 157
  13. Chapter 7. The scalar operator even and its German equivalents 201
  14. Part IV. Additive Focusing Modifiers from a language contact perspective
  15. Chapter 8. Additive focus particles in German-speaking learners of Italian as L2 237
  16. Chapter 9. Additive relations in L2 French 265
  17. Chapter 10. Ënghe, ence and also anche 311
  18. Focusing modifiers index 331
  19. General index 333
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