Chapter 10. Subjectivity and Causality in discourse and cognition
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Ted J.M. Sanders
Abstract
Cognitively oriented linguists have various linguistic resources at their disposal, and therefore need to develop methodological strategies of when to use which method. This chapter illustrates the benefits of using converging evidence. We review research results from several methodologies, including the use of corpus-based, acquisition and processing data, in order to illustrate what kinds of insights this brings at the level of discourse. The results suggest that Causality and Subjectivity are two basic cognitive notions that organize our knowledge of coherence relations. They help us explain the system and use of causal relations and their linguistic expressions in everyday language use, and they account for discourse processing and representation, as well as the acquisition order of connectives.
Abstract
Cognitively oriented linguists have various linguistic resources at their disposal, and therefore need to develop methodological strategies of when to use which method. This chapter illustrates the benefits of using converging evidence. We review research results from several methodologies, including the use of corpus-based, acquisition and processing data, in order to illustrate what kinds of insights this brings at the level of discourse. The results suggest that Causality and Subjectivity are two basic cognitive notions that organize our knowledge of coherence relations. They help us explain the system and use of causal relations and their linguistic expressions in everyday language use, and they account for discourse processing and representation, as well as the acquisition order of connectives.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Part I. Corpus-based studies
- Chapter 1. Challenges in the contrastive study of discourse markers 17
- Chapter 2. Local vs. global scope of discourse markers 43
- Chapter 3. Prosodic versatility, hierarchical rank and pragmatic function in conversational markers 61
- Chapter 4. A preliminary typology of interactional figures based on a tool for visualizing conversational structure 93
- Chapter 5. Causal relations between discourse and grammar 131
- Chapter 6. A corpus-based comparative study of concessive connectives in English, German and Spanish 151
-
Part II. Experiment-based studies
- Chapter 7. Processing patterns of focusing in Spanish 195
- Chapter 8. Expectation changes over time 229
- Chapter 9. Processing implicit and explicit causality in Spanish 253
-
Part III. Combined approaches
- Chapter 10. Subjectivity and Causality in discourse and cognition 273
- Chapter 11. Subjectivity of English connectives 299
- Index 319
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Part I. Corpus-based studies
- Chapter 1. Challenges in the contrastive study of discourse markers 17
- Chapter 2. Local vs. global scope of discourse markers 43
- Chapter 3. Prosodic versatility, hierarchical rank and pragmatic function in conversational markers 61
- Chapter 4. A preliminary typology of interactional figures based on a tool for visualizing conversational structure 93
- Chapter 5. Causal relations between discourse and grammar 131
- Chapter 6. A corpus-based comparative study of concessive connectives in English, German and Spanish 151
-
Part II. Experiment-based studies
- Chapter 7. Processing patterns of focusing in Spanish 195
- Chapter 8. Expectation changes over time 229
- Chapter 9. Processing implicit and explicit causality in Spanish 253
-
Part III. Combined approaches
- Chapter 10. Subjectivity and Causality in discourse and cognition 273
- Chapter 11. Subjectivity of English connectives 299
- Index 319
