A Corpus-Based Analysis of the Meaning and Function of Although

The extent to which semantic and pragmatic descriptions of linguistic phenomena should be based on naturally occurring language is subject to debate. In the case of discourse markers and connective expressions, most research remains at a theoretical level, despite the increasing interest in the use...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: María Carbonell-Olivares
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad de Murcia 2009-12-01
Series:International Journal of English Studies (IJES)
Subjects:
Online Access:http://revistas.um.es/ijes/article/view/99591
Description
Summary:The extent to which semantic and pragmatic descriptions of linguistic phenomena should be based on naturally occurring language is subject to debate. In the case of discourse markers and connective expressions, most research remains at a theoretical level, despite the increasing interest in the use of corpora for linguistic analysis in the last decades. We undertake a corpus-based analysis of the meaning and function of although, drawing on previous descriptions of this unit formulated from different theoretical perspectives (discourse analysis, pragmatics, semantics). We aim to contribute empirical evidence for certain claims made in the literature, and to complement such descriptions with our findings. The study focuses on the type of contrast expressed by although, the elements of the contrast relation and the structure of the information. First, the theoretical background for the particular issues we study is presented. Then, the objectives and methodology are explained, and results discussed.<br>La medida en que las descripciones sem&amp;aacute;nticas y pragm&amp;aacute;ticas de fen&amp;oacute;menos ling&amp;uuml;&amp;iacute;sticos deber&amp;iacute;an basarse en el lenguaje natural est&amp;aacute; abierta a debate. En el caso de los marcadores discursivos y expresiones conectivas, la mayor parte de la investigaci&amp;oacute;n se realiza en el plano te&amp;oacute;rico, a pesar del creciente inter&amp;eacute;s por la utilizaci&amp;oacute;n de c&amp;oacute;rpora para el an&amp;aacute;lisis ling&amp;uuml;&amp;iacute;stico. Presentamos un an&amp;aacute;lisis del significado y la funci&amp;oacute;n de although basado en un corpus, partiendo de las descripciones de esta unidad formuladas desde distintas perspectivas te&amp;oacute;ricas (an&amp;aacute;lisis del discurso, pragm&amp;aacute;tica, sem&amp;aacute;ntica). Pretendemos contrastar emp&amp;iacute;ricamente algunas afirmaciones realizadas en la bibliograf&amp;iacute;a, y complementar tales descripciones con nuestros resultados. Analizamos el tipo de contraste expresado por although, los elementos de la relaci&amp;oacute;n de contraste y la estructura de la informaci&amp;oacute;n. En primer lugar, se presenta el marco te&amp;oacute;rico de las cuestiones estudiadas. Seguidamente, se explican los objetivos y metodolog&amp;iacute;a del trabajo y se discuten los resultados.
ISSN:1578-7044