11. The use of the it-cleft construction in 19th-century English
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Christine Johansson
Abstract
This chapter offers a new description of the use of the it-cleft construction in nineteenth-century English. The data for the present study are primarily from historical corpora (a corpus of nineteenth-century English, CONCE, and the Helsinki Corpus of English Texts), but findings from modern corpora and studies of cleft constructions in present-day English (e.g. Collins 1991) are also presented. The results show that it-clefts become more frequent in the 19th century and particularly in speech-related texts, such as trials. This is contrary to both earlier and later periods of English, where it-clefts are more common in written English. The chapter discusses how the structure of the it-cleft and its thematic organisation may have contributed to its increased frequency in 19th-century English. An in-depth analysis of the forms and functions of it-clefts in trials, the genre that most closely represents spoken English of the period, is provided.
Abstract
This chapter offers a new description of the use of the it-cleft construction in nineteenth-century English. The data for the present study are primarily from historical corpora (a corpus of nineteenth-century English, CONCE, and the Helsinki Corpus of English Texts), but findings from modern corpora and studies of cleft constructions in present-day English (e.g. Collins 1991) are also presented. The results show that it-clefts become more frequent in the 19th century and particularly in speech-related texts, such as trials. This is contrary to both earlier and later periods of English, where it-clefts are more common in written English. The chapter discusses how the structure of the it-cleft and its thematic organisation may have contributed to its increased frequency in 19th-century English. An in-depth analysis of the forms and functions of it-clefts in trials, the genre that most closely represents spoken English of the period, is provided.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- 1. The challenges of different settings: An overview 1
-
Section I. Exploring discourse in academic settings
- 2. '…post-colonialism, multi-culturalism, structuralism, feminism, post-modernism and so on and so forth' : A comparative analysis of vague category markers in academic discourse 9
- 3. Emphatics in academic discourse: Integrating corpus and discourse tools in the study of cross-disciplinary variation 31
- 4. Interaction, identity and culture in academic writing: The case of German, British and American academics in the humanities 57
-
Section II. Exploring discourse in workplace settings
- 5 . 'Got a date or something?': A corpus analysis of the role of humour and laughter in the workplace meetings of English language teachers 95
- 6. Determining discourse-based moves in professional reports 117
- 7. // --> ONE country two SYStems //: The discourse intonation patterns of word associations 135
-
Section III. Exploring discourse in news and entertainment
- 8. Who's speaking?: Evidentiality in US newspapers during the 2004 presidential campaign 157
- 9. Television dialogue and natural conversation: Linguistic similarities and functional differences 189
- 10. A corpus approach to discursive construction of hip-hop identity 211
-
Section IV. Exploring discourse through specific linguistic features
- 11. The use of the it-cleft construction in 19th-century English 243
- 12. Place and time adverbials in native and non-native English student writing 267
- Author index 289
- Corpus and tools index 291
- Subject index 293
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- 1. The challenges of different settings: An overview 1
-
Section I. Exploring discourse in academic settings
- 2. '…post-colonialism, multi-culturalism, structuralism, feminism, post-modernism and so on and so forth' : A comparative analysis of vague category markers in academic discourse 9
- 3. Emphatics in academic discourse: Integrating corpus and discourse tools in the study of cross-disciplinary variation 31
- 4. Interaction, identity and culture in academic writing: The case of German, British and American academics in the humanities 57
-
Section II. Exploring discourse in workplace settings
- 5 . 'Got a date or something?': A corpus analysis of the role of humour and laughter in the workplace meetings of English language teachers 95
- 6. Determining discourse-based moves in professional reports 117
- 7. // --> ONE country two SYStems //: The discourse intonation patterns of word associations 135
-
Section III. Exploring discourse in news and entertainment
- 8. Who's speaking?: Evidentiality in US newspapers during the 2004 presidential campaign 157
- 9. Television dialogue and natural conversation: Linguistic similarities and functional differences 189
- 10. A corpus approach to discursive construction of hip-hop identity 211
-
Section IV. Exploring discourse through specific linguistic features
- 11. The use of the it-cleft construction in 19th-century English 243
- 12. Place and time adverbials in native and non-native English student writing 267
- Author index 289
- Corpus and tools index 291
- Subject index 293
