LINGUIST List 15.2584

Fri Sep 17 2004

Diss: Pragmatics: Passot: 'La hierarchisation...'

Editor for this issue: Takako Matsui <takolinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. frederique.passot, La hierarchisation des constituants discursifs dans un corpus d'anglais oral spontane

Institution: University of Paris 3, Sorbonne Nouvelle
Program: English Department, Institut du Monde Anglophone
Dissertation Status: Completed
Degree Date: 2004

Author: Fr�d�rique Passot

Dissertation Title: La hierarchisation des constituants discursifs
dans un corpus d'anglais oral spontane (On the hierarchical structure
of conversational English)

Linguistic Field: Pragmatics, Text/Corpus Linguistics 

Subject Language: English (code: ENG)

Dissertation Director 1: Claude Delmas

Dissertation Abstract:

Our research is concerned with certain phenomena relative to the
structure of conversational English. Particularly interested in how
different types of segments are organised by syntax and prosody, it
describes the hierarchical layout of discourse constituents from a
thematic, intersubjective and interactional point of view.

Attention to causal subordination reveals the apparition of new forms
and usages specific to spontaneous speech. Among them, 'cos' can be
distinguished from 'because' on distributional and intersubjective
grounds. Overall, syntactic dependency between clauses tends to be
looser, allowing the markers involved to serve thematic purposes.

Pitch, intensity and pauses are essential building material in verbal
interaction at various levels. Our study indeed shows to what extent
intonation contributes to the construction of the consensus on which a
conversation is built, as well as to its thematic and interactional
organisation.


Ce travail cherche � d�gager certains ph�nom�nes relatifs � la
structure de l'anglais conversationnel. Il s'int�resse en particulier
� l'organisation de segments de taille et de nature diverses par la
syntaxe et la prosodie, et d�crit une hi�rarchisation des constituants
discursifs sur les plans th�matique, intersubjectif et interactionnel.

L'�tude de la subordination causale r�v�le l'apparition de formes
nouvelles et d'usages propres � l'oral spontan�. Distribution et
valeur intersubjective distinguent ainsi 'cos' de 'because'. Plus
g�n�ralement, la d�pendance syntaxique entre propositions li�es
s'assouplit, les marqueurs de subordination contribuant
essentiellement � l'organisation th�matique.

Hauteur m�lodique, intensit� et pauses participent � l'�difice
conversationnel � tous les plans qui nous int�ressent. Nous montrons
dans quelle mesure l'intonation contribue � la construction du
consensus sur lequel se fonde l'�change, ainsi qu'� son organisation
th�matique et interactionnelle.