LINGUIST List 11.2549

Sun Nov 26 2000

Qs: Typologies of Frames, Formal Discourse Markers

Editor for this issue: Karen Milligan <karenlinguistlist.org>



We'd like to remind readers that the responses to queries are usually best posted to the individual asking the question. That individual is then strongly encouraged to post a summary to the list. This policy was instituted to help control the huge volume of mail on LINGUIST; so we would appreciate your cooperating with it whenever it seems appropriate.

Directory

  • Koltsova Natalia, Frame typologies
  • Frederick Newmeyer, formal discourse markers and elements of discourse

    Message 1: Frame typologies

     Date: Fri, 24 Nov 2000 12:50:56 -0800 (PST)
    From: Koltsova Natalia <ksi97yahoo.com>
    Subject: Frame typologies


    Dear colleagues,

    I am working on a Cognitive Linguistics research project and would really appreciate some help in finding references/information about any existing typologies of frames (scripts). Has anybody heard of any books/papers/theories describing or even mentioning different kinds of frames based on whatever criteria? Any, even the most remote references/ideas could be of help.

    Thank you in advance. I will post a summary given enough interest.

    Regards,

    Koltsova Natalia Moscow State Linguistic University



    Message 2: formal discourse markers and elements of discourse

     Date: Sat, 25 Nov 2000 13:44:48 -0800 (PST)
    From: Frederick Newmeyer <fjnu.washington.edu>
    Subject: formal discourse markers and elements of discourse


    A year or so ago, I posted a query about discourse elements that do not map neatly onto syntactic constituents. This query is the converse of that one. I would like examples of formal 'discourse' markers and syntactic 'discourse' positions which do not reflect one-to-one mappings onto elements of discourse.

    Here are some examples of what I am looking for. Many languages have special topic or focus positions in the syntax. But the occupants of these positions are not always the information structure topic or focus. For example, Ellen Prince has shown that elements in topic position in English are only sometimes, but not always, the discourse topic. I'd like other examples from a variety of languages in which the occupant of 'topic' or 'focus' position is not the discourse topic or focus.

    Also, many languages have special topic or focus MARKERS. Are there good examples of where the elements to which these markers attach are not the discourse topic or focus? For example, does 'wa' in Japanese always mark the discourse topic, or only usually? Again, I'd like examples from a variety of languages in which topic or focus markers do not 100% reliably mark the discourse topic or focus.

    Thanks. I'll summarize.

    Fritz Newmeyer fjnu.washington.edu