Anaphoric properties of German right dislocation
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Maria Averintseva-Klisch
Abstract
I argue that the so-called ‚German right dislocation’ in fact comprises two formally and functionally distinct constructions, which I label right dislocation proper and afterthought. The main focus of the paper lies on right dislocation proper (RD) and its discourse function. I show, that RD is used as a discourse-structuring device. RD marks the referent of the right-dislocated noun phrase as the discourse topic for the following discourse segment. This explains certain anaphoric constraints on the following discourse segment. Thus, the corresponding referent has to be anaphorically resumed as sentence topic of the corresponding sentence at the level of the ‘main structure’ (i.e., the main story line).
Abstract
I argue that the so-called ‚German right dislocation’ in fact comprises two formally and functionally distinct constructions, which I label right dislocation proper and afterthought. The main focus of the paper lies on right dislocation proper (RD) and its discourse function. I show, that RD is used as a discourse-structuring device. RD marks the referent of the right-dislocated noun phrase as the discourse topic for the following discourse segment. This explains certain anaphoric constraints on the following discourse segment. Thus, the corresponding referent has to be anaphorically resumed as sentence topic of the corresponding sentence at the level of the ‘main structure’ (i.e., the main story line).
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Anaphors in text – Introduction vii
-
Anaphors in Cognitive, Text- and Discourse Linguistics
- Indirect anaphora in text 3
- Indirect pronominal anaphora in English and French 21
- Lexical anaphors in Danish and French 37
- Referential collaboration with computers 49
- Reflexivity and temporality in discourse deixis 69
- The function of complex anaphors in texts 81
- Metaphorical anaphors 103
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The Syntax and Semantic of Anaphors
- Accessibility and definite noun phrases 123
- The non-subject bias of German demonstrative pronouns 145
- Anaphoric properties of German right dislocation 165
- Antecedents of diverse types 183
- Corpus-based and machine learning approaches to anaphora resolution 207
-
Neurolinguistic Studies
- Neuroimaging studies of coherence processes 225
- Reference assignment in the absence of sufficient semantic content 241
- Resolving complex anaphors 259
- Index 279
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Anaphors in text – Introduction vii
-
Anaphors in Cognitive, Text- and Discourse Linguistics
- Indirect anaphora in text 3
- Indirect pronominal anaphora in English and French 21
- Lexical anaphors in Danish and French 37
- Referential collaboration with computers 49
- Reflexivity and temporality in discourse deixis 69
- The function of complex anaphors in texts 81
- Metaphorical anaphors 103
-
The Syntax and Semantic of Anaphors
- Accessibility and definite noun phrases 123
- The non-subject bias of German demonstrative pronouns 145
- Anaphoric properties of German right dislocation 165
- Antecedents of diverse types 183
- Corpus-based and machine learning approaches to anaphora resolution 207
-
Neurolinguistic Studies
- Neuroimaging studies of coherence processes 225
- Reference assignment in the absence of sufficient semantic content 241
- Resolving complex anaphors 259
- Index 279
