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Contrast and Information Structure: A Focus-Based Analysis of but

Veröffentlicht/Copyright: 27. Juli 2005
Linguistics
Aus der Zeitschrift Band 43 Heft 1

Abstract

This article presents a novel analysis of the contrastive connector but based on the observation that (i) the contrast induced by but relates to the information structure of the conjuncts, and (ii) the use of but requires a denial with respect to an implicit question. It is shown that but combines additivity, as in and/also, and exclusion, as in only. This analysis provides a uniform basis to explain the apparently different uses of but, including semantic opposition, denial-of-expectation, and topic change. Moreover, it sheds new light on the concessive use of but.

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Correspondence address: Institut für Kognitionswissenschaft, Universität Osnabrück, Kolpingstr. 7, D-49069 Osnabrück, Germany. E-mail: .
Published Online: 2005-07-27
Published in Print: 2005-01-01

© Walter de Gruyter

Artikel in diesem Heft

  1. Introduction: Language-Specific Conditions for Discourse Linking and Appropriateness
  2. Elusive Connectives. A Case Study on the Explicitness Dimension of Discourse Coherence
  3. Interpretation of Leftward-Moved Constituents: Processing Topicalizations in German
  4. Pragmatic Properties of Certain German and English Left Peripheral Constructions
  5. Event Types and Discourse Linking in Hungarian
  6. A Discourse-Based Account of Spanish ser/estar
  7. Topic-Worthiness in German and English
  8. Contrast and Information Structure: A Focus-Based Analysis of but
  9. Notice from the Board of Editors
https://doi.org/10.1515/ling.2005.43.1.207

Artikel in diesem Heft

  1. Introduction: Language-Specific Conditions for Discourse Linking and Appropriateness
  2. Elusive Connectives. A Case Study on the Explicitness Dimension of Discourse Coherence
  3. Interpretation of Leftward-Moved Constituents: Processing Topicalizations in German
  4. Pragmatic Properties of Certain German and English Left Peripheral Constructions
  5. Event Types and Discourse Linking in Hungarian
  6. A Discourse-Based Account of Spanish ser/estar
  7. Topic-Worthiness in German and English
  8. Contrast and Information Structure: A Focus-Based Analysis of but
  9. Notice from the Board of Editors
Heruntergeladen am 17.4.2026 von https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/ling.2005.43.1.207/html
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