1887
  1. Home
  2. e-Journals
  3. Pragmatics
  4. Volume 24, Issue 2
  5. Article
The interaction between context and grammar in Functional Discourse Grammar
  • ISSN 1018-2101
  • E-ISSN: 2406-4238
PDF

Abstract

This paper discusses a recurring problem in the development and application of models of grammar: That of deciding which linguistically relevant contextual information forms part of (i.e. enters) the grammar, and which contextual information interacts with the grammar without being part of it. More specifically it considers the active-passive alternation in English within the framework of Functional Discourse Grammar. First, the possible factors recorded in the literature as determining the choice between an active and a passive construction are discussed. On the basis of an in-depth discussion of authentic examples it is concluded that the major determinant triggering the use of one of the two variants is not a single factor, but rather the composite notion of Speaker’s perspective, a systematically encoded cognitive notion covering a number of communicatively relevant (pragmatic and semantic) factors. Subsequently, it is argued that since the Speaker’s choice of perspective is the result of a cognitive process it is plausible to assume that this process takes place at a preverbal level, i.e. within the Conceptual Component. Since, however, in choosing the perspective the Speaker clearly draws on contextual information, stored in the Contextual Component, it can be concluded that information from the Contextual Component enters the Grammatical Component through the Conceptual Component), thereby indirectly influencing the choice of a particular grammatical construction.

© 2014 International Pragmatics Association
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/prag.24.2.10kei
2015-06-01
2025-04-30

  • From This Site

    /content/journals/10.1075/prag.24.2.10kei
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Journal -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Abb, Bernd , Michael Herweg , and Kai Lebeth
    (1993) The incremental generation of passive sentences. InProceedings of the Sixth Conference of the European Chapter of the Association for Computational Linguistics, 21-23April1993, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
     [Google Scholar]
  2. Beedham, Christopher
    (1982) The Passive Aspect in English, German and Russian. Tübingen: Gunter Narr Verlag.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Biber, Douglas , Stig Johansson , Geoffrey Leech , Susan Conrad , and Edward Finegan
    (1999) Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English. Harlow: Longman.
     [Google Scholar]
  4. Biber, Douglas , Susan Conrad , and Geoffrey Leech
    (2002) Longman Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English. Harlow: Longman.
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Bock, J. Kathryn
    (1986) Syntactic persistence in language production. Cognitive Psychology18: 355-387. doi: 10.1016/0010‑0285(86)90004‑6
     https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-0285(86)90004-6 [Google Scholar]
  6. Bolkestein, A. Machteld
    (1985) Discourse and case-marking: Three-place predicates in Latin. In C. Touratier (ed.), Syntaxe et latin. Aix-en-Provence: Université de Provence, pp.191-225.
     [Google Scholar]
  7. Bolkestein, A. Machteld , and Rodie Risselada
    (1987) The pragmatic motivation of syntactic and semantic perspective. In J. Verschueren , and M. Bertuccelli-Papi (eds.), The Pragmatic Perspective. Amsterdam and Philadelphia PA: John Benjamins Publishing Company, pp.497-512. doi: 10.1075/pbcs.5.37bol
     https://doi.org/10.1075/pbcs.5.37bol [Google Scholar]
  8. Bresnan, Joan
    (1982) The passive in lexical theory. In J. Bresnan (ed.), The Mental Representation in Grammatical Theories. Cambridge MA: MIT Press, pp.3-86.
     [Google Scholar]
  9. Butler, Christopher S
    (2008) Interpersonal meaning in the noun phrase. In D. García Velasco , and J. Rijkhoff (eds.), The Noun Phrase in Functional Discourse Grammar. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, pp.221-261.
     [Google Scholar]
  10. Chomsky, Noam
    (1957) Syntactic Structures. The Hague: Mouton.
     [Google Scholar]
  11. (1965) Aspects of the Theory of Syntax. Cambridge MA: MIT Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  12. (1970) Remarks on nominalization. In R.A. Jacobs , and P.S. Rosenbaum (eds.), Readings in English Transformational Grammar. Waltham MA: Ginn, pp.184-221.
     [Google Scholar]
  13. Comrie, Bernard
    (1988) Passive and voice. In M. Shibatani (ed.), Passive and Voice. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, pp.9-23. doi: 10.1075/tsl.16.04com
     https://doi.org/10.1075/tsl.16.04com [Google Scholar]
  14. Connolly, John H
    (2004) The question of discourse representation in Functional Discourse Grammar. In J.L. Mackenzie , and M.A. Gómez-González (eds.), A New Architecture for Functional Grammar. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, pp.89-116. doi: 10.1515/9783110197112.89
     https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110197112.89 [Google Scholar]
  15. (2007) Context in Functional Discourse Grammar. Alfa: Revista de Lingüística51/2: 11-33.
     [Google Scholar]
  16. (2008) Freestanding noun phrases within documents: A pragmatic approach based on Functional Discourse Grammar. In D. García Velasco , and J. Rijkhoff (eds.), The Noun Phrase in Functional Discourse Grammar. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, pp.263-285.
     [Google Scholar]
  17. (2010) Accommodating multimodality in Functional Discourse Grammar. In G. Wanders , and E. Keizer (eds.), Web Papers in Functional Discourse Grammar83: 1-18. Available athome.hum.uva.nl/fdg/working_papers/WP-FDG-83_Connolly.pdf
     [Google Scholar]
  18. Cornish, Francis
    (2009)  Text and discourse as context: Discourse anaphora and the FDG contextual component. In E. Keizer , and G. Wanders (eds.), Web Papers in Functional Discourse Grammar82: 97-115. Available athome.hum.uva.nl/fdg/working_papers/WP-FDG-82_Cornish.pdf
     [Google Scholar]
  19. Dik, Simon C
    (1997) The Theory of Functional Grammar. Part 1: The Structure of the Clause. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Dowty, D
    (1991) Thematic proto-roles and argument selection. Language67.3: 547-619. doi: 10.1353/lan.1991.0021
     https://doi.org/10.1353/lan.1991.0021 [Google Scholar]
  21. Freidin, R
    (1975) The analysis of passives. Language51.2: 384-405. doi: 10.2307/412862
     https://doi.org/10.2307/412862 [Google Scholar]
  22. García Velasco, Daniel
    (2008) Functional Discourse Grammar and extraction from (complex) noun phrases. In D. García Velasco , and J. Rijkhoff (eds.), The Noun Phrase in Functional Discourse Grammar. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, pp.321-363.
     [Google Scholar]
  23. Gries, Stephan Th
    (2005) Syntactic priming: A corpus-based approach. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research34.4: 365-399. doi: 10.1007/s10936‑005‑6139‑3
     https://doi.org/10.1007/s10936-005-6139-3 [Google Scholar]
  24. Halliday, M.A.K
    (1967) Notes on transitivity and theme in English, Part 2. Journal of Linguistics3: 199-244. doi: 10.1017/S0022226700016613
     https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022226700016613 [Google Scholar]
  25. Hawkins, J.A
    (1994) A Performance Theory of Order and Constituency. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  26. Hengeveld, K. , and J.L. Mackenzie
    (2008) Functional Discourse Grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199278107.001.0001
     https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199278107.001.0001 [Google Scholar]
  27. Hinrichs, Lars , and Benedikt Szmrecsanyi
    (2007) Recent changes in the function and frequency of Standard English genitive constructions: A multivariate analysis of tagged corpora. English Language and Linguistics11.3: 437-474. doi: 10.1017/S1360674307002341
     https://doi.org/10.1017/S1360674307002341 [Google Scholar]
  28. Hopper, Paul , and Sandra A. Thompson
    (1980) Transitivity in grammar and discourse. Language56.2: 251-299. doi: 10.1353/lan.1980.0017
     https://doi.org/10.1353/lan.1980.0017 [Google Scholar]
  29. Huddleston, Rodney , and Geoffrey K. Pullum
    (2002) The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  30. Jespersen, Otto
    (1933) Essentials of English Grammar. London: George Allen and Unwin.
     [Google Scholar]
  31. Katz, J.J. , and Paul. M. Postal
    (1964) An Integrated Theory of Linguistic Descriptions. Cambridge MA: MIT Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  32. Keizer, Evelien
    (2008) Reference and Ascription in F(D)G: An inventory of problems and some possible solutions. In J. Rijkhoff , and D. García Velasco (eds.), The Noun Phrase in Functional Discourse Grammar. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, pp.181-220.
     [Google Scholar]
  33. (forthc.) Context, cognition and grammar: The active-passive alternation in Functional Discourse Grammar. To appear in Trilhas Linguísticas, Unesp, Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Brazil.
     [Google Scholar]
  34. Lambrecht, Knud
    (1994) Information Structure and Sentence Form: Topic, Focus and the Mental Representations of Discourse Referents. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/CBO9780511620607
     https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511620607 [Google Scholar]
  35. Langacker, Ronald W
    (1982) Space grammar, analysability, and the English passive. Language58.1: 22-79. doi: 10.2307/413531
     https://doi.org/10.2307/413531 [Google Scholar]
  36. Langacker , Ronald, W
    (1987) Foundations of Cognitive Grammar, Vol. 1: Theoretical Prerequisites. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  37. Langacker, Ronald W
    (2002) Concept, Image, and Symbol. The Cognitive Basis of Language. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
     [Google Scholar]
  38. Levelt, Willem J.M
    (1989) Speaking. Cambridge MA: MIT Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  39. Liberman, M
    (2006) The ancient roots of passive avoidance. Language Log, itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/003382.html.
     [Google Scholar]
  40. Mallinson, G. , and B.J. Blake
    (1981) Language Typology: Cross-linguistic Studies in Syntax. Amsterdam: North-Holland.
     [Google Scholar]
  41. Pickering, Martin J. , and Simon Garrod
    (2006) Alignment as the basis for successful communication. Research on Language and Computation4: 203-228. doi: 10.1007/s11168‑006‑9004‑0
     https://doi.org/10.1007/s11168-006-9004-0 [Google Scholar]
  42. Pickering, Martin J. , and Victor S. Ferreira
    (2008) Structural priming: A critical review. Psychological Bulletin134.3: 427-459. doi: 10.1037/0033‑2909.134.3.427
     https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.134.3.427 [Google Scholar]
  43. Poutsma, H
    (1926) A Grammar of Late Modern English, Part II, The Parts of Speech, Section II: The Verb and the Particles. Groningen: Noordhoff.
     [Google Scholar]
  44. (1928) A grammar of late modern English, Part I: The Sentence, First Half: The Elements of the Sentence. 2nd edition. Groningen: Noordhoff.
     [Google Scholar]
  45. Pullum, Geoffrey K
    (2009) 50 Years of stupid grammar advice. The Chronicle of Higher Education, chronicle.com/article/50-Years-of-Stupid-Grammar/25497.
     [Google Scholar]
  46. (2011) The BBC enlightens us on passives. Language Log, languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=2990.
     [Google Scholar]
  47. Quirk, R. , S. Greenbaum , G. Leech , and J. Svartvik
    (1985) A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language. London: Longman.
     [Google Scholar]
  48. Rijkhoff, Jan
    (2008) Layers, levels and contexts in Functional Discourse Grammar. In D. García Velasco , and J. Rijkhoff (eds.), The Noun Phrase in Functional Discourse Grammar. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, pp.63-115.
     [Google Scholar]
  49. Shibatani, Masayoshi
    (1988) Introduction. In M. Shinatani (ed.), Passive and Voice. Amsterdam: John Benjamnins Publishing Company, pp.1-8. doi: 10.1075/tsl.16.03shi
     https://doi.org/10.1075/tsl.16.03shi [Google Scholar]
  50. Svartvik, Jan
    (1966) On Voice in the English Verb. The Hague: Mouton.
     [Google Scholar]
  51. Tannenbaum, Percy H. , and Frederick Williams
    (1968) Generation of active and passive sentences as a function of subject or object focus. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior7.1: 246-250. doi: 10.1016/S0022‑5371(68)80197‑5
     https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5371(68)80197-5 [Google Scholar]
  52. Thompson, Sandra
    (1987) The passive in English: A discourse perspective. In R. Channon , and L. Chockey (eds.), In Honor of Ilse Lehiste. Dordrecht: Foris, pp.497-511.
     [Google Scholar]
  53. Toyota, Junichi
    (2009) Fossilisation of passive in English: Analysis of passive verbs. English Studies90.4: 476-497. doi: 10.1080/00138380902990283
     https://doi.org/10.1080/00138380902990283 [Google Scholar]
  54. Wanner, Anja
    (2009) Deconstructing the English Passive. Berlin: Mouton the Gruyter. doi: 10.1515/9783110199215
     https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110199215 [Google Scholar]
  55. Zwicky, Arnold
    (2006) How long have we been avoiding the passive, and why?Language Log, itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/003380.html.
     [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/prag.24.2.10kei
Loading
  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): Active-passive alternation; Cognition; Context; Functional Discourse Grammar; Perspective

Most Cited

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error