Grammatical Theory Research Articles

Metaphor in grammatical works of linguists

The object of the research is metaphorical nominations in scientific linguistic discourse. The purpose of the study is to systematically describe the structural and semantic features of metaphors in grammatical works. The identification of expressive linguistic units in scientific texts is important for a comprehensive study of the relationship between rational and emotional in strict speech styles. The appeal to this topic is dictated by the need to find ways to present complex theoretical material in university syntax teaching. The article considers metaphors-words, metaphors-phrases and metaphors-predicative units characterizing transitional phenomena in the grammar of the Russian language. Metaphorical designations in the description of the desemanticized verbal components of analytical constructions and verbal connectives are highlighted. Metaphors characterizing other grammatical phenomena are analyzed. The role of verbal metaphors in the description of constitutive features of sentences of different types is established. The features of substantive and adjectival metaphors in grammatical works are noted. It is shown that the expanded metaphors demonstrate the multidimensional nature of syntactic categories. It is concluded that verbal and substantive metaphors convey the desire of linguists to present the grammatical system as dynamic, actively developing. The use of metaphorical names makes it possible to present grammatical theory in a more accessible way, to draw attention to interesting linguistic facts.

Russian Disjunction To li To li and Obligatory Ignorance

Abstract In this paper, we explore the behavior of one complex disjunction in Russian that has some special properties that set it apart from other simple and complex disjunctions: it never gives rise to free choice inferences in environments in which other disjunctions do and under universal quantifiers it behaves different from other disjunctions. We show that the data resist an analysis in terms of wide scope disjunction and propose that those special properties are due to obligatory ignorance inferences associated with this disjunction. The paper provides one more argument for a grammatical theory of ignorance along the lines of ( 7).

Staying terminologically rigid, conceptually open and socially cohesive

Abstract When he introduced the framework now known as Construction Grammar, Charles Fillmore said: “Grammatical Construction Theory differs from […] other frameworks […] in its insistence that syntactic patterns are often tightly associated with interpretation instructions” (Fillmore 1989: 17). Construction Grammarians view the patterns, the associations and the interpretive instructionsas a matter of linguistic convention-a fact not generally appreciated within the wider cognitive-functional community that embraces Construction Grammar, In CxG, we do not use general principles to explain the existence of the form-function pairs we encounter in a language, but rather treat those as the product of lexical and constructional licensing (Zwicky 1994). But emergentists and stipulators share one core belief: grammatical structure is inherently symbolic. Sign-Based Construction Grammar (SBCG) makes this insight formally explicit by treating constructions as licensors of signs-signs that are phrases, lexemes or words-and allowing for semantic and usage constraints to be directly associated with constructions. But practitioners of Construction Grammar might reasonably reject the SBCG formalism as incompatible with major foundations of constructional thinking: the top-down nature of constructional meaning, the idiomaticity continuum and the narrow scope of linguistic generalizations. My task in this article is to address this concern, illustrating a variety of applications.

The meaning of periphrases in the expression of semantics

INTRODUCTION. Periphrasis, which belongs to the linguistic universal that initially interested rhetoricians, is noted in many languages, including Russian and Uzbek. The attention of scientists to the study of periphrastic units, as a rule, is focused on understanding them in the text of a work of art as a stylistic phenomenon. Meanwhile, the linguocultural situation of the formation of periphrastic units is largely due to the anthropocentric orientation. The important role of periphrasis as a unit of speech-cognitive activity, which is reflected in the secondary periphrastic nomination as one of the means of transmitting knowledge about the objects of the surrounding reality, is always associated with the process of repeating thoughts when perceiving a particular object, process or phenomenon, which emphasizes the relevance of the research. Periphrases have an internal syntax, which allows them to be considered in the aspect of grammaticalization involved in the process of human cognition of the world. The purpose of the study is to consider the structuralsemantic organization and grammatical-syntactic structure of sentences that contain periphrastic units. The novelty of the study lies in the attempt to describe the structure of periphrasis in the Uzbek language in the aspect of grammaticalization of periphrastic units.MATERIALS AND METHODS. The method of semantic differentiation was used to analyze examples from modern Uzbek literature and translations of works of Russian writers into the Uzbek language.RESULT AND DISCUSSION. It has been revealed that the structural organization of periphrasis does not occur spontaneously, but on the basis of clearly defined rules.CONCLUSION. The data obtained have theoretical and applied value, since they record periphrases in the texts of writers’ works as a special type of linguistic organization of artistic knowledge, as well as the unification of two scientific directions – the theory of grammaticalization and the theory of periphraseology.

Presentation of Mabkhout’s Book: “Entry to Grammatical Performance Theory of universe”

Presentation of Mabkhout’s Book: “Entry to Grammatical Performance Theory of universe”

An Analysis of Grammatical Equivalence Used by Students in Translating News Item Text

ABSTRACT Spreading news in this era seems to be easier due to the rapid development of technology. However, some readers from different language background seem to have difficulties in understanding the news because of language barrier. Translation is needed to overcome this problem and to make news understandable for readers in greater community. This research examined the types of grammatical equivalence used by the students in translating news item text from Indonesian to English. Besides, this research also aimed to figure out the problems found in the students’ grammatical equivalence. Descriptive qualitative approach was used in this research since the data were presented in the form of description instead of number. The primary data were taken from news item text translation works done by the seventh-semester students of English Department of Pamulang University in academic year of 2022/2023. The data were collected using Google Form and then analysed using the grammatical equivalence theory proposed by Baker (2001). There were five steps of data analysis used in this research: observing the data, identifying the data, classifying the data, and evaluating the data. The results showed that the students used five types of grammatical equivalence namely number, gender, person, tenses & aspects, and voice. The results also revealed that the students faced problems related to number and tenses & aspects.

Grammatical Metaphor in the C-E Translation of Jing Ye Si

In translation, translators are often confronted with the choice between congruent form and metaphorical form, which is closely correlated with grammatical metaphor theory in systemic functional linguistics. This paper attempts to apply grammatical metaphor theory to Jing Ye Si and its seven translations to assess poetry translation quality and provide guidance for translators from the perspective of systemic functional linguistics. It strives to elucidate the grammatical metaphor in the C-E translation of Jing Ye Si and the way to evaluate its seven translations via grammatical metaphor. In this context, six steps brought forward by Huang Guowen (2004) are taken in the functional discourse analysis of Jing Ye Si and its seven translations. After elaborating the characteristics of the seven translations, the study evaluates their overall translation quality. According to functional equivalence to the source text, the translations of Xu Yuanchong and Amy Lowell outperform other translations. In translation practice, translators are advised to choose between the congruent form and metaphorical form based on the context, original author, target readers, aesthetic value, translation purpose, and so on. Essentially, it is necessary to manipulate the transitivity system, mood system, modality system, and Theme system to realize the equivalence of the translations to the source text in terms of ideational, interpersonal, and textual metafunctions.

Grammar and grammaticalization in Zapotec

Abstract The present study contributes to the empirical basis of grammaticalization theory by presenting a grammaticalization profile of Zapotec, a language family of Mesoamerica. The discussion centers around co-grammaticalization of lexemes and constructions, polygrammaticalization, interdependence between syntactic and prosodic conditioning of grammaticalization, and mutual feedback between grammaticalization and morphosyntactic typology.

Философские основы научного знания и межкультурной коммуникации: понятие китайской философии 中 (чжун) и синкретизм в общелингвистической теории В.В. Бабайцевой

rom the perspective of intercultural communication and offers a comparative analysis between the ancient Chinese concept of 中 (zhong) and the theory of transitivity of V.V. Babaytseva, in whose grammatical teaching one of the most important concepts is syncretism. An attempt is made to reveal the similarities and differences between the two concepts and to prove the mental preparedness of the Chinese to perceive the theory of transitivity and the concept syncretism of V.V. Babaytseva. In the process of analysis, etymological and comparative methods are used to clarify the similarities and differences between the philosophical tradition of Chinese culture and the content of the concept representing the essence of grammatical theory. The term “syncretism” in linguistics has a special meaning, is an important concept in the theory of transitivity and reflects its main content. The concept of 中 (zhong) reflects the mental characteristic of the Chinese, for whom the intermediate part is often more important than the extreme points. We assume that in Chinese culture and communication is provided the basis for Chinese to perceive this Russian linguistic theory. The principles of Chinese philosophy lay the mental foundation for the Chinese perception of the theory of transitivity and syncretism and confirm the possibility of their application in the practice of teaching Russian in China

A social turn for Construction Grammar: double modals on British Twitter

Construction Grammar is an emerging theory of language, but the analysis of sociolinguistic variation is still relatively underdeveloped in the framework. In this article, we consider the representation of social meaning in Construction Grammar through a corpus-based analysis of double modals in British English on social media. We describe the use of double modals in a large corpus of geolocated Twitter posts, including presenting an inventory of observed double modals and maps showing the regional distribution of each of these forms. We find that double modals show a general northern pattern and are concentrated in the Scottish Borders. We also find various rare double modals that occur more widely across the UK. To account for these results, we propose a Construction Grammar account of double modals. We argue that defining double modals as grammatical constructions requires that aspects of their social meaning be delimited, especially register and region. Furthermore, we argue that double modals may be enregistered as dialect constructions, distinguished from standard constructions of British English. We conclude by considering the importance of incorporating social meaning into Construction Grammar, underlining the value of a Cognitive Sociolinguistic approach to grammatical theory.

The Linguistic and Grammatical Foundations for Understanding Prophetic Hadith Texts: Proposed Strategies and Mechanisms/ الأسس اللغوية والنحوية لفهم نصوص الحديث النبوي: استراتيجيات وآليات مقترحة

The Prophetic Texts (Hadith) is the second source of Islamic legislation. It provides detailed explanations of what is mentioned in the Quran, clarifies ambiguous matters, specifies general statements, and restricts absolute statements. Anyone who engages in the explanation of the Prophetic Tradition must possess linguistic knowledge, as it plays a significant role for the scholar of Hadith, the interpreter, the jurist, and the scholar of Islamic principles. Understanding the secrets of language and the methods used by Arabs in their speech helps in comprehending the intended meaning of the Prophet's words, peace be upon him. This research aims to develop a conceptual framework and proposed strategies and mechanisms for understanding the Prophetic Tradition based on linguistic knowledge. It also aims to demonstrate the role of the objectives of Arabic grammar in understanding the Prophetic Tradition, as well as to introduce modern grammatical theories and their role in understanding the Prophetic Tradition. The research adopted a descriptive-analytical approach, and its findings indicate that understanding the objectives of Arabic grammar assists in comprehending many problematic aspects found in some narrations. Furthermore, the lack of knowledge of the external context of a hadith leads to misconceptions, and the theory of textual grammar contributes to understanding the meanings of the Prophetic Tradition. The indirect style in language also aids in identifying the purpose and intent of the Prophetic Tradition. The researchers recommend the necessity of conducting serious linguistic studies on linguistic expression and meaning, examining their characteristics and roles in elucidating the legal objectives of the Prophetic text, as they are essential in deducing juristic rulings.

ГРАММАТИКА ДИНАМИЧЕСКИХ ТРАНСФОРМАЦИЙ ЯЗЫКА

The article describes the main parameters of the new language research methodology based on the theory of grammaticalization and the theory of idiomatization. Such an interpretation of the grammatical language structure makes it possible to study the linguistic units of various language subsystems (free and idiomatized) as well as different language levels. A new type of grammar is the grammar of dynamic transformations of language (“Inductive Grammar”). At the same time, the emphasis is placed on the disclosure of the formation dynamics and development of linguistic signs and the language as a whole, and therefore it is predominantly diachronic, although the synchronic approach is also relevant. The universal principle of the language units formation and the development of the language system as a whole is the processes determined by the categories of the logical - the general and the particular. They play the leading role in the processes of conceptualization and categorization of knowledge. Hence, the main thing in the presented language model is the phenomenon of grammaticalization, which largely determines the semiotic basis of the language existence. Grammaticalization is a universal characteristic and it is fundamental. At the same time, the main principle of constructing a language sign and the entire language system lies in their dynamic transformation, i.e. graduation and constant increase in their grammaticalization degree in the process of generation and development. The phenomena of grammaticalization and idiomatization are contiguous, but not identical. Grammaticalization is broader and more autonomous, idiomatization is more diverse and derivative. Grammaticalization is a mechanism of idiomatization. The parameterization of all linguistic units in the aspect of the presented theoretical model, as well as languages of various types, seems promising to establish not only the index of analyticism / synthetism, but also the index of grammaticalization. This will help to describe the ways including the sequence of the formation and development of the world’s languages.

Grammatical Competence Among 21stCentury TertiaryLearners

This correlational study with a descriptive-quantitative approach sought to assess the Grammatical Competence of 21stcentury tertiary learners in one of the State Universities of Region VII. This further examined the significant difference if grouped according to program enrolled. This study utilized various statistical tools such as Frequency and Percentage, Mean and Standard Deviation, and ANOVA. Out of 277 respondents, majority of the population is female, with 180 students, while there are only 97 male students. These respondents are all taking up grammar subjects in the general education curriculum. The level of grammatical competence of the different departments as to parts of speech andorthography varies. Based on the results, there is a significant difference in grammatical competence in the eight parts of speech and orthography if grouped according to programs. It affirms that the grammatical theory of Dell Hymes is a significant factor in outstanding performance in the world of academe. Students with proper knowledge tend to excel in the process of communication. Teachers of grammar studies may develop their instruction by using the output of the study, which magnifies the parts of speech and orthography.

The Grammar Explained in Videoblogs – The Example of the Mode congiuntivo

The aim of this contribution is to analyse the ways in which grammatical aspect, namely congiuntivo, is presented by the authors of videoblogs on the YouTube platform. The materials on this site are meant as extracurricular activities for learners of Italian LS/L2. Grammar always arouses controversy because its supporters find it necessary and fundamental in language learning, while its opponents are of the opinion that one can acquire language naturally, through communication, regardless of grammatical theory. Our aim is to observe how young authors, being digital savvy, present such grammatical aspects.

Lexical Functional Grammar as a Construction Grammar

Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG) is a lexicalist, constraint-based grammatical theory that shares a lot of the basic assumptions of Construction Grammar (CxG), such as a commitment to surface-oriented descriptions (no transformations), and the simultaneous representation of form, meaning, and other grammatical information (no derivations). Nevertheless, LFG is not standardly viewed as a kind of CxG, in particular since its adherence to the principle of Lexical Integrity means that it insists on a strict morphology-syntax distinction where CxG canonically rejects such a divide. However, such a distinction is in fact entirely compatible with CxG assumptions; the actual problem with viewing LFG as a CxG is the difficulty it has in describing the more substantive end of the schematic-substantive spectrum of constructions. I suggest that by replacing the limited context-free grammar base of LFG responsible for this shortcoming with a more expressive formalism (in this case a description-based tree-adjoining grammar), we can obtain a fully constructional LFG, suitable as a formal framework for CxG.

TEACHING ENGLISH AT A1 MOVERS CLASS AND A2 FLYERS WITH COMMON EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK REFERENCE (CEFR) AT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL JAMBI CITY

This article describes the activities of implementing the CEFR-based communicative language approach at the junior high school level. There are 16 students involved and are at the level of Movers A1 and Flyers A2 based on the CEFR concept. The main purpose of this activity is to provide an English learning experience that is different from what is applied in schools. This activity avoids the use of grammatical theory based and prioritizes oral communication activities that connect students with the real environment. Activities using media that are already available in the learning environment of students and learning topics are designed according to the needs of students. The activity is very structured and involves five aspects of assessment, namely Range of Vocabulary, Accuracy, Fluency, Interaction, and Coherence.

Lexical and Grammatical Cohesion in the Regional Regulation Discourse of West Sumatra Province

This study aims to explain the discourse structure, specifically the lexical and grammatical cohesion in the discourse of West Sumatra Province, with a discourse analysis approach. The object of this research is a special regional regulation (SRR) of West Sumatra Province, which is different from Regional Regulation (RR) in other regions in Indonesia, as evident in the use of local concepts and terms. This regulation is interesting to study in cohesion because its structures represent the social reality of the indigenous people’s lives. One notable regulation is Nagari, the lowest government level in West Sumatra Province, with authority to regulate their communities and customary land in the Republic of Indonesia. That social reality is illustrated in the cohesiveness and harmony of the relationships of the forms that construct the discourse. This mixed-method research employs both quantitative and qualitative data and applied lexical and grammatical cohesion theory in data analysis. Findings show that lexical cohesion is realized in the following forms: repetition, synonym, meronymy, hyponym, and collocation; while grammatical cohesion is realized in the form of references, substitutions, and conjunctions. Based on the analysis, lexical and grammatical cohesion are interconnected constituents in building the integrity of the discourse structure in the SRR of West Sumatra Province. Cohesion plays a role in determining the meaning of the discourse as a whole and reflects the coherence of ideational meanings in discourse.

Tracking global English changes through local data: Intensifiers in German Learner English

Aims and objectives/purpose/research questions: The empirical goal of the paper is to document the linguistic distribution and patterning as well as the sociolinguistic conditioning of intensifiers in English spoken by educated young adults from Germany. Here, I also seek to understand how the empirical data presented here informs our understanding of the mechanisms underlying language change in those forms of English that emerge through the combined impact of naturalistic L2 acquisition and instructed foreign language learning (henceforth, EFL or Learner English). Design/methodology/approach: The study reports intensification data from 53 advanced learners of English from Germany and compares it with that reported for L1 English vernaculars. The data were elicited with the help of sociolinguistic interviews tapping into learners’ natural linguistic behaviour. The processes of language change are explored against the backdrop of grammaticalisation theory, as espoused by variationist sociolinguists. Data and analysis: The study employs two methods of analysis: distributional percentages and fixed-effects logistic regression analyses. These allow pinpoint rates and patterns of intensification as well as its language-internal and language-external conditioning. Findings/conclusions: Systematic comparisons of language-internal conditioning underlying the occurrence of linguistic variants pinpoint ‘functional specialisation’ (also ‘entrenchment’) as a driving mechanism of and a potent constraint on language change. Originality: While demonstrating how functional specialisation is operative in the system of German Learner English intensification, the present study highlights the relevance of EFL data to empirical testing and advancement of (socio-)linguistic theory. The study also highlights the relevance of learners’ linguistic identity and the sociopsychological construct of ‘relatedness’ in the adoption of the globally available features of the English language. Significance/implications: The study pleads for more research at the intersection of historical/general linguistics and SLA as such an approach adds to knowledge about language acquisition, language variation and, ultimately, language change.

Thematic Analysis of President Akufo-Addo’s 2023 State of the Nation Address

This study examines the items given prominence in President Akufo-Addo’s 2023 State of the Nation Address. As a qualitative research with textual analysis design, the study adopted the Theme-Rheme model of Halliday and Matthiessen’s (2014) Systemic Functional Linguistics theory with which the clause is construed as a message. The findings of the study indicate that (1) topical, interpersonal and textual Themes have their representation and distribution in the text. The most frequent ideational/topical Theme used in English is Participant followed by Circumstance. Process is the least thematised experiential. The textual Theme include mostly conjunctions, followed by conjunctive adjuncts. Interpersonal Theme includes mostly vocatives and few modal adjuncts and very few finite verbal operators. The elements of the topical Theme which present the core content of the message include; Participant such as Actor, Scope, Senser, and Identified – realized by pronouns and nominal group; Circumstantial of Temporal Location, Duration, Manner, Cause, Accompaniment, Role, Angle of Viewpoint. The study could be a significant contribution to scholarship in functional grammar, particularly in Theme-Rheme analysis of English use in ESL context. It demonstrates how a grammatical theory highlights foregrounding of experiences in a discourse and facilitating text composition and comprehension.

A Study of American COVID-19 News from the Perspective of Ideational Grammatical Metaphor Theory—Taking New York Times as an Example

Covid-19 has exerted a significant impact on people’s life and health. Former coronavirus-related studies are mainly done through the lens of cognitive linguistics, especially Interpersonal Grammatical Metaphor Theory. This study focuses on the ideational grammatical metaphors in American coronavirus-related news, taking New York Times as the corpus for qualitative and quantitative analysis. The study combines the current issues concerning Covid-19 with Halliday’s Ideational Grammatical Metaphor Theory. It not only updates the application of the theory but also explores the ideology hidden behind words, helping identify the reporter’s potential purpose. It is found that the distribution of different types of ideational grammatical metaphors is shown by the proportion it takes in related news and is closely associated with their ideological functions. With Ideational Grammatical Theory serving as a media, the study offers a new perspective and approach for news report study.