The representation of consciousness in language and fiction: A cognitive theory of enunciation

Abstract

This paper investigates the classical issue of'point of view,' but from a cognitive stance. Under the headline of 'enunciation,' the paper argues that the cognitive linguistics tradition may provide a better understanding of the subjective aspect of language in general and of the narrative aspect of fiction in particular. The paper introduces the contributions of Leonard Talmy and Wallace Chafe. Talmy frames the issues of enunciation within his notion of conceptual structures, while Chafe reinterprets point-of-view as the issue of devices permitting different representations of consciousness in a text. The paper further develops these insights with reference to analyses of a string of fiction examples.