LINGUIST List 19.3430

Mon Nov 10 2008

Diss: Disc Analysis/Semantics/Syntax: Averintseva-Klisch: 'Rechte ...'

Editor for this issue: Evelyn Richter <evelynlinguistlist.org>


        1.    Maria Averintseva-Klisch, Rechte Satzperipherie im Diskurs: NP-Rechtsversetzung im Deutschen (Right Sentence Periphery in Discourse: NP right dislocation in German)


Message 1: Rechte Satzperipherie im Diskurs: NP-Rechtsversetzung im Deutschen (Right Sentence Periphery in Discourse: NP right dislocation in German)
Date: 10-Nov-2008
From: Maria Averintseva-Klisch <maria.averintsevauni-tuebingen.de>
Subject: Rechte Satzperipherie im Diskurs: NP-Rechtsversetzung im Deutschen (Right Sentence Periphery in Discourse: NP right dislocation in German)
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Institution: Universität Tübingen Program: German Department (Deutsches Seminar) Dissertation Status: Completed Degree Date: 2008

Author: Maria Averintseva-Klisch

Dissertation Title: Rechte Satzperipherie im Diskurs: NP-Rechtsversetzung im Deutschen (Right Sentence Periphery in Discourse: NP right dislocation in German)

Linguistic Field(s): Discourse Analysis                             Pragmatics                             Semantics                             Syntax
Dissertation Director:
Marga Reis Claudia Maienborn
Dissertation Abstract:

This dissertation considers NP right dislocation in German('Rechtsversetzung'). I show that German has two superficially similar butformally and functionally distinct constructions, right dislocation proper(RD) and afterthought (AT). AT is a separate prosodic as well as syntacticunit which is added to repair a potentially insufficient reference. RD isformally integrated into its host sentence, and serves as an explicitsignal to activate the referent of the RD-NP, thus marking this referent asthe current discourse topic. Hence, only RD is strictly speaking aninstance of the syntax-discourse interface, whilst AT is a processingphenomenon. I provide a semantic analysis for both constructions reflectingtheir formal properties and their usage. As a result, a differentiatedpicture of the discourse functions of the right sentence periphery emerges:It is conceived of as the last resort for local repair strategies on theone hand, and, on the other hand, a position predestined for hostingconstituents topical beyond the limits of a single sentence.