When similarities are motivated by contrasts. Two puzzles of Hungarian sentence structure

Imrényi, András (2020) When similarities are motivated by contrasts. Two puzzles of Hungarian sentence structure. In: Contrast and analogy in language: Perspectives from cognitive linguistics. Human Cognitive Processing . John Benjamins, Amsterdam. (Submitted)

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Abstract

In Hungarian generative grammar, the terms topic and focus designate structural positions associated with logico-semantic functions. The present chapter highlights the fact that elements sharing the behaviour of “topics” and “foci” are highly varied, and that logico-semantic definitions only capture prioritized subsets of the relevant data. I argue that preverbal, inversion-triggering elements (“foci” and the negative particle) are overriders, with their semantic commonality depending on relationships of contrast vis-à-vis a baseline clause type, that of neutral positive declarative clauses. With regard to sentence-initial, weakly stressed expressions (“topics” and “sentence adverbials”), I propose that they are contextualizers, generating supporting context for the processing of a message. Here, the baseline can be identified as the situation where no explicit contextualization is necessary.

Item Type:	Book Section
Additional Information:	A kézirat első változata az NKFI PD120934 projekt keretében készült. A lektori vélemények alapján a mű átdolgozása már a BO/20/183 számú Bolyai János Kutatási Ösztöndíj támogatásával történt meg. A cikk jelenlegi státusza: közlésre elfogadva.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	focus, topic, overriding, contextualization, baseline, contrast
Subjects:	P Language and Literature / nyelvészet és irodalom > PH Finno-Ugrian, Basque languages and literatures / finnugor és baszk nyelvek és irodalom > PH04 Hungarian language and literature / magyar nyelv és irodalom
Depositing User:	Dr. András Imrényi
Date Deposited:	21 Sep 2021 21:31
Last Modified:	21 Sep 2021 21:31
URI:	http://real.mtak.hu/id/eprint/130055

Available Versions of this Item

• When similarities are motivated by contrasts. Two puzzles of Hungarian sentence structure. (deposited 21 Sep 2021 21:31) [Currently Displayed]
  • 'My enemy's enemy is my friend'. Similarities motivated by contrasts in Hungarian sentence structure. (deposited 26 Sep 2022 08:38)

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