1. Introduction
First of all, and before I proceed with the actual description and basic layout of my term paper, it would be quite interesting to quote the thesis that roused by interest and became my first motivation concerning the study of a certain grammatical phenomenon in Singaporean English. As English is the most widely used language in the world, and it is used by at least 750 million people in addition to being the mother tongue of about 350 million people, it is therefore characterized by a great deal of variation. Nevertheless, it is remarkable that although these regional varieties differ from each other in terms of pronunciation and vocabulary, their grammar is significantly similar (cf. BACHE/ DAVIDSEN 1997: 4). Before we can go on to find out whether this assumption is also verified in the English of Singapore, I will present the main sections of my study.The main and most important part of this term paper is based upon a personal corpus- based study, which should from the start be clearly characterized as relatively restrictive and not quite large in size, in order to avoid any further problems and misunderstandings. This study I mentioned above concerns and tries to closely examine the overall frequencies of get- constructions, and to be more specific, we will try to examine the phenomenon of the get- passive in the English of Singapore, always with the hidden desire to finally come up with a reasonable conclusion towards the end of the paper. In order to succeed in this procedure, after having presented in brief the history of Singapore itself, and later on of the English language in this country, we will try to give some short definitions of the most basic notions, which are used in the following pages. Then, we will proceed in describing the corpora, as well as the methodology used. Moreover, we will point out the problems that automatically arise from this corpus- based study as a whole on the one hand, and from the fact of defining the get- passive itself on the other hand. After making these essential things clear, we will become more familiar with the theories regarding this subject; theories and theses that already exist, they have already been uttered and can be found in various books of grammar of the English language....
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Historical background
- History of Singapore
- History of the English language in Singapore
- Corpora used
- Definition of the Get-passive
- Overall frequencies
- Findings in the ICE-Sin Corpus
- Comparison to previous corpora-based findings
- Is the Get-passive used to express the responsibility of the subject?...
- Is the Get- passive used with a by- agent?
- Conclusion...
- References...
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This term paper focuses on examining the frequency and usage of the 'get-passive' construction in Singaporean English. The study aims to contribute to the understanding of grammatical variation in English, particularly in a context marked by diverse linguistic influences and historical development.
- Frequency and distribution of the 'get-passive' in Singaporean English
- Comparison of the 'get-passive' in Singaporean English to other varieties of English
- Potential semantic functions of the 'get-passive' in Singaporean English
- The influence of historical and sociolinguistic factors on the 'get-passive' construction
- The role of the 'get-passive' in understanding the evolution of Singaporean English
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The paper begins with an introduction outlining the research question and methodology. It then provides a historical context for the study, exploring the history of Singapore and the development of the English language in the country. The study subsequently introduces the corpora used for analysis, followed by a definition of the 'get-passive' construction. Chapter 5 delves into the findings of the corpus analysis, focusing on the frequency and distribution of the 'get-passive' in Singaporean English. This section also includes a comparison to previous research on the 'get-passive' in other English varieties. The paper concludes with a discussion of potential topics for further research and the implications of the study's findings.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Key themes and concepts explored in this paper include Singaporean English, the 'get-passive' construction, corpus linguistics, grammatical variation, sociolinguistics, and language contact.
- Quote paper
- Eleni Papadopoulou (Author), 2005, Get-passive in Singaporean English - A corpus-based study, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/41268
