LINGUIST List 18.1981
Mon Jul 02 2007
Diss: Cog Sci/Ling Theories/Pragmatics/Semantics/: Temurcu: 'A Sema...'
Editor for this issue: Hunter Lockwood
<hunterlinguistlist.org>
Directory
1. Ceyhan
Temurcu,
A Semantic Framework for Analyzing Tense, Aspect and Mood: An Application to the Ranges of Polysemy of -Xr, -DIr, -Iyor and -Ø in Turkish
Message 1: A Semantic Framework for Analyzing Tense, Aspect and Mood: An Application to the Ranges of Polysemy of -Xr, -DIr, -Iyor and -Ø in Turkish
Date: 02-Jul-2007
From: Ceyhan Temurcu <temurcuii.metu.edu.tr>
Subject: A Semantic Framework for Analyzing Tense, Aspect and Mood: An Application to the Ranges of Polysemy of -Xr, -DIr, -Iyor and -Ø in Turkish
Institution: University of Antwerp
Program: Department of Linguistics
Dissertation Status: Completed
Degree Date: 2007
Author: Ceyhan Temurcu
Dissertation Title: A Semantic Framework for Analyzing Tense, Aspect and Mood: An Application to the Ranges of Polysemy of -Xr, -DIr, -Iyor and -Ø in Turkish
Dissertation URL: http://www.ii.metu.edu.tr/~temurcu/docs/TemurcuPhD-TAM.pdf
Linguistic Field(s):
Cognitive Science
Linguistic Theories
Pragmatics
Semantics
Dissertation Director:
Johan van der Auwera
Dissertation Abstract:
This dissertation develops a semantic framework for analyzing tense, aspectand mood (TAM) markers on the basis of a language-independent semanticspace and applies this framework to the ranges of polysemy associated with-Xr, DIr, Iyor and zero-marking (Ø) in Turkish.
The semantic framework introduces anchoring relations as semantic buildingblocks of TAM reference, which serve to 'anchor' (or situate) an abstractpredicational content in the temporal, the epistemic, and the volitionalframes defined in the immediate discursive context. It formulates anchoringrelations in terms of higher-order entities (temporal locations, thoughts,and projections) qualified relative to cognitive states that serve asreference points in the three domains. It defines basic anchoringcategories in each of the three domains of anchoring and illustrates themwith grammatical strategies across languages. It then develops aquasi-formal metalanguage which enables one to decompose theconvention-bound meaning of an utterance into a volitional category, anepistemic category, a temporal category and an abstract predicationalcontent (SoA), taking scope over each other in this respective order.Although the framework is primarily about sentence meaning, it centrallydeals with phenomena traditionally relegated to pragmatics, includingdeixis, anaphoric reference and conventional implication. It also accountsfor how the speaker's linguistic intentions relate to the illocutionary actshe performs.
The analytic part of the dissertation identifies the main conventional usesof the Turkish TAM markers -Xr, -DIr, -Iyor and -Ø in finite sentences,using a 'family resemblance' approach to polysemy. It analyzes each of theidentified uses into their semantic building blocks and renders them intothe metalanguage of anchoring categories. It seeks the motivations for thepresent-day ranges of polysemy of these markers in the diachronic stages oftheir semantic evolution.
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