The Swiss linguist Mongin Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913) counts for the most important pioneer of modern linguistics. With his epochal work Cours de Linguistique Générale, published posthumously in 1916, he introduced a structural approach to linguistics, which we describe today as functional linguistics. He distinguished between parole and langue (speech and language system) and this way enriched linguistic research with another level to work on. De Saussure is also famous for establishing the view of the arbitrary linguistic sign, whose meaning is not naturally given, but subjectively related to certain conventions of the speaker and the receiver. At any rate, it was his conceptual framework that allows us today to describe language not only in terms of lexical meaning, but also to recognise different information units within texts and sentences whose information value may differ, pragmatically, depending on e.g. the speakers intention; or even grammatically, depending on the element ’s arrangement. We can evaluate smallest units of meaning relating to their form and function within the sentence, and we are able to identify rules within language that help us to understand or produce verbal information correctly. It is the goal of this paper to give an insight into a grammatical description of a particular ‘part-of-speech category’, as I will deal with the syntactic and semantic behaviour of adverbials. I will show in the following how a structural, say functional expertise of language can contribute to sentence and text meaning; for that purpose, the grammatical concept of the linking adverbial shall be a useful example to be discussed and to be focussed upon. In the beginning I will once more sketch the use of syntax for making a statement concerning textual structure, particularly cohesion, to supply the layman with the conceptual background, and to put the topic in its proper place. Then, I will try to develop an understanding for semantic roles and grammatical functions of adverbials while discussing two different approaches to the classification of the English adverbial in the light of modern linguistic theory. The first approach can be found in Greenbaum & Quirk’s Stundent’s Grammar of the English Language (1990), and the second in Biber et al.’s Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English (2002). [...]
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Adverbials in Grammar
2.1 Grammar, Syntax, and Cohesion - What Are We Talking About?
2.2 Adverbial Characteristic
3. Two Approaches to the Classification of Adverbials
3.1 Greenbaum & Quirk’s Semantic Roles and Grammatical Functions of Adverbials
3.2 Biber et al.’s Classes and Semantic Categories of Adverbials
4. Linking Adverbials and Cohesion
4.1 Cohesive Relations
4.2 Types and Planes of Conjunction
4.3 The Role of Linking Adverbials for Conjunction and Cohesion in General
5. Summary
Objectives and Core Topics
This paper aims to provide a grammatical description of the syntactic and semantic behavior of adverbials, with a specific focus on the function of linking adverbials in establishing textual cohesion. By analyzing different linguistic frameworks, the work explores how these elements contribute to the comprehensibility and unity of discourse.
- Syntactic and semantic properties of adverbials
- Comparison of adverbial classification models (Greenbaum & Quirk vs. Biber et al.)
- The role of linking adverbials as cohesive agents in discourse
- Application of Halliday & Hasan’s theory of conjunction
- Interaction between theme-rheme structure and communicative dynamism
Excerpt from the Book
The Role of Linking Adverbials for Conjunction and Cohesion in General
Remarkably, two of Halliday & Hasan’s typical markers of conjunction, namely so and then (see Tab 2.) are the same Biber et al. (2002) found out to be some of the most common linking adverbials in conversation and academic prose (see Biber et al., 2002, p 393). Most of the examples used by Halliday & Hasan (1976) belong to the ‘parts-of-speech-category’ of adverbials, specifically linking adverbials.
The reason for adverbials functioning nicely as cohesive device, linking two units of discourse, is obvious. As we know from Greenbaum & Quirk’s (1990) and Biber et al.’s grammars, adverbials are relatively mobile, that is they occur in various positions within the clauses, depending on their syntactic form and semantic function. They offer more choice in their placement than other clause elements and can therefore be used as means of style. Linking adverbials also provide practical means for describing and analyzing texts.
The nature of the English language seems to support such possibilities, since English is an analytic language, meaning that the word order is quite fixed, that is subject + verb + object + adverbial (SVOA). Thus, English is very sensitive for a so-called theme-rheme information arrangement. Generally, we tend to put new information (rheme) to the end of the sentence and begin with information that is given (theme). So to say, the beginning of each sentence is the theme and the rest of the sentence tells us something about the theme. When we change that basic structure of a sentence, while bringing an element to the beginning of the sentence, we put emphasis on that particular element. This formula is called fronting, that is, bringing elements that are normally in end position to initial position for emphasizing them.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the functional linguistic framework and the paper's goal to describe the syntactic and semantic behavior of adverbials.
2. Adverbials in Grammar: Defines basic grammatical concepts and introduces the function of adverbials as optional or obligatory sentence constituents that influence cohesion.
3. Two Approaches to the Classification of Adverbials: Compares the classification models of Greenbaum & Quirk and Biber et al., focusing on the functional categorization of adverbials.
4. Linking Adverbials and Cohesion: Examines cohesive relations and the role of linking adverbials as primary devices for conjunction according to Halliday & Hasan.
5. Summary: Recaps the importance of linking adverbials in creating textual texture and managing communicative dynamism.
Keywords
Adverbials, Linking Adverbials, Syntax, Semantics, Cohesion, Conjuncts, Discourse, Grammar, Functional Linguistics, Theme-Rheme, Communicative Dynamism, Conjunction, Halliday & Hasan, Greenbaum & Quirk, Biber et al.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper focuses on the functional classification of English adverbials and their specific role in creating cohesion within a text.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
It covers syntactic structure, semantic roles of adverbials, text cohesion, and the concept of theme-rheme information arrangement in English.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to provide a grammatical description of the behavior of linking adverbials and demonstrate their significance in text production and discourse analysis.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The paper utilizes a comparative theoretical approach, analyzing established grammatical frameworks by Greenbaum & Quirk, Biber et al., and Halliday & Hasan.
What is the main focus of the middle chapters?
The middle chapters detail different classification systems for adverbials and explore how these elements function as cohesive agents to connect discourse units.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Essential keywords include Adverbials, Linking Adverbials, Syntax, Cohesion, Discourse, and Functional Linguistics.
How does the author define linking adverbials?
Linking adverbials are defined as elements that serve a connective function, showing relationships between two units of discourse rather than simply adding information to a clause.
What is the significance of the theme-rheme structure?
The theme-rheme structure is significant because it dictates how information is organized in a sentence; using linking adverbials in the initial position allows for fronting, which emphasizes specific discourse linkages.
How do external and internal relations differ in conjunction?
External relations concern the content or processes being described, while internal relations pertain to the communication process and the interaction between speaker and hearer.
- Quote paper
- Christian Kuhn (Author), 2004, Functional Classification of Adverbials: Linking Adverbials and Their Cohesive Role, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/38680
