Discourse coherence and referent identification of subject ellipsis in Japanese
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Shigeko Nariyama
Abstract
This paper discusses two ellipsis-related issues using the MIC theory as the backbone of explanation: (1) ellipsis as a discourse coherence marker, which answers the question, why use ellipsis (i.e. the pragmatic issue); and (2) referent identification of ellipsis, which answers the question, how do we know who/what a zero encoding of ellipsis refers to? (i.e. the semantic issue.) The former is an issue also related to the speaker’s cognition whether or not to utilize ellipsis for enhancing a discourse coherence based on the speaker’s assumption of the addressee’s knowledge and ability to make sense of the zero encoding. On the other hand, the latter deals with a matter stemming from the other side of the same issue; namely, the addressee’s cognition to interpret and retrieve the referential identity of ellipsis. The paper examines the mechanisms of referent identification of ellipsis found in Japanese, the language that is said to utilize ellipsis with extremely high frequency but without conventional cross-referencing systems. It shows that Centre of Attention plays a central role in providing an adequate and consistent explanation of the mechanism of ellipsis. It also presents the importance of implicit lexical knowledge of Japanese that contributes to referent identification of ellipsis.
Abstract
This paper discusses two ellipsis-related issues using the MIC theory as the backbone of explanation: (1) ellipsis as a discourse coherence marker, which answers the question, why use ellipsis (i.e. the pragmatic issue); and (2) referent identification of ellipsis, which answers the question, how do we know who/what a zero encoding of ellipsis refers to? (i.e. the semantic issue.) The former is an issue also related to the speaker’s cognition whether or not to utilize ellipsis for enhancing a discourse coherence based on the speaker’s assumption of the addressee’s knowledge and ability to make sense of the zero encoding. On the other hand, the latter deals with a matter stemming from the other side of the same issue; namely, the addressee’s cognition to interpret and retrieve the referential identity of ellipsis. The paper examines the mechanisms of referent identification of ellipsis found in Japanese, the language that is said to utilize ellipsis with extremely high frequency but without conventional cross-referencing systems. It shows that Centre of Attention plays a central role in providing an adequate and consistent explanation of the mechanism of ellipsis. It also presents the importance of implicit lexical knowledge of Japanese that contributes to referent identification of ellipsis.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Introduction ix
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Part 1. Associative semantics and meta-informative centering
- Roles and anchors of semantic situations 3
- Frames of semantic situations 21
- Grounding of the meta-informative status of utterances 41
- Attention-centered information in language 59
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Part 2. Neuropsychological evidence for the MIC theory
- Semantic and episodic memory by reference to the ontological grounding of the old and new meta-informative status 103
- Tracing the role of memory and attention for the meta-informative validation of utterances 121
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Part 3. Meta-informative centering in languages
- It -clefts in the meta-informative structure of the utterance in Modern and Present-day English 145
- Discourse coherence and referent identification of subject ellipsis in Japanese 167
- Structure of centre of attention in a multi-party conversation in Japanese 183
- Verbal aspect in Slavic languages between semantics and pragmatics 193
- The position in the utterance and the melodic realisation of object and reflexive pronouns in classical modern literary Russian 231
- Accented and unaccented pronouns in Ancient Greek 259
- Personal subject pronouns and the meta-informative centering of utterances in classical Latin 285
- Glossary of defined terminology 297
- Index 303
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Introduction ix
-
Part 1. Associative semantics and meta-informative centering
- Roles and anchors of semantic situations 3
- Frames of semantic situations 21
- Grounding of the meta-informative status of utterances 41
- Attention-centered information in language 59
-
Part 2. Neuropsychological evidence for the MIC theory
- Semantic and episodic memory by reference to the ontological grounding of the old and new meta-informative status 103
- Tracing the role of memory and attention for the meta-informative validation of utterances 121
-
Part 3. Meta-informative centering in languages
- It -clefts in the meta-informative structure of the utterance in Modern and Present-day English 145
- Discourse coherence and referent identification of subject ellipsis in Japanese 167
- Structure of centre of attention in a multi-party conversation in Japanese 183
- Verbal aspect in Slavic languages between semantics and pragmatics 193
- The position in the utterance and the melodic realisation of object and reflexive pronouns in classical modern literary Russian 231
- Accented and unaccented pronouns in Ancient Greek 259
- Personal subject pronouns and the meta-informative centering of utterances in classical Latin 285
- Glossary of defined terminology 297
- Index 303
