At the Syntax-pragmatics Interface
Author | : Lutz Marten |
Publisher | : Oxford University Press, USA |
Total Pages | : 246 |
Release | : 2002 |
ISBN-10 | : 0199250642 |
ISBN-13 | : 9780199250646 |
Rating | : 4/5 (646 Downloads) |
Download or read book At the Syntax-pragmatics Interface written by Lutz Marten and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2002 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the interaction of grammar and context in human communication. Lutz Marten focuses on verbs and verb phrases: he examines the relationship between language rules and linguistic behaviour, seeking to distinguish between language-specific syntactic knowledge and the generalreasoning people need to understand and to make themselves understood. He considers how the component elements of linguistic theory explain what appear to be simple utterances but whose structure is hard to analyse - how, for example, 'Fran is baking Mary a cake in the oven' is different from 'Franis baking Mary a cake in the kitchen'.The author's account of the interactions of syntax, semantics, and pragmatics is based on extensive observation among contrasting cultures and a variety of languages. He makes important contributions to understanding in all three areas. His book will appeal to linguistic theoreticians of allpersuasions.