| The Meaning of Focus Particles: A Comparative Perspective Contributor(s): König, Ekkehard (Author) |
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ISBN: 0415060443 ISBN-13: 9780415060448 Publisher: Routledge OUR PRICE: $171.00 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: November 1991 Annotation: Focus particles-- i even, only, also, merely /i --play an important role in English in various syntactic and semantic domains such as coordination, focusing, emphatic reflexives, concessive constructions, and quantification. The syntactic properties of these expressions pose numerous problems for current syntactic frameworks and the highly context-dependent and subjective nature of their meaning presents a challenge for semantic theories. br br b /b b i The Meaning of Focus Particles /i /b presents a comprehensive analysis of the syntax, meaning, and use of focus particles and related function words. It combines an in-depth analysis of English with a comparative study of many other languages. Ekkehard Konig also provides a historical perspective on focus particles by examining their diachronic sources and the relevant process of grammaticalization. br br b /b b i The Meaning of Focus Particles /i /b will appeal to philosophers of language and semanticists of all persuasions. Specialists in English will find a new approach to the syntactic and semantic properties of a class of adverbs' whose analysis until now has been problematic. The comparative aspect is of real interest to language typologists, since this is the first time that a cross-linguistic typology of this pragmatic-semantic area has been proposed. For the historical linguist there are detailed discussions of grammaticalization processes, of correlations between historical sources and targets in focus particle development, and of the pragmatic-semantic interaction in historical change. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Language Arts & Disciplines | Grammar & Punctuation - Language Arts & Disciplines | Linguistics - General |
| Dewey: 415 |
| LCCN: 91009504 |
| Lexile Measure: 1410 |
| Series: Theoretical Linguistics |
| Physical Information: 0.69" H x 5.5" W x 8.5" (0.98 lbs) 228 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Focus particles (words such as even, only, also) play an important role in English, in various syntactic and semantic domains, but their characteristics pose numerous problems for current syntactic frameworks and semantic theories. This book presents a comprehensive analysis of the syntax, meaning and use of focus particles and related function words in English and many other languages. It also provides a historical perspective on their development. |
