Main description:
The importance of reflexive markers in the study of language structure cannot be underestimated: they participate in the coding of the argument structure of a clause; in the coding of semantic relations between arguments and verbs; in the coding of the relationship between arguments; in the coding of aspect; in the coding of point of view; and in the Coding of the information structure of a clause.
The present volume offers an approach to reflexive forms and functions from several perspectives: a formal approach where reflexives are discussed within a well-defined model of language representation; a typological approach; a historical approach concentrating on grammaticalization of reflexives and on the changes that pronouns and anaphors undergo; and a functionalist approach where functions of reflexive forms are described. The languages from which data were drawn represent a wide variety of language families and language types: English, Old English, Dutch, German, Tsakhur (Nakh-Dagestanian), Spanish, French, Bantu and Chadic languages. The variety of languages discussed and the different approaches taken complement each other in that each contributes an important piece to the understanding of reflexives in a cross-linguistic perspective.
Table of contents:
- Introduction
- The fine structure of grammar
- Intensifiers and reflexives
- The structural and lexical space between reflexive binding and logophorics
- The typology and grammaticalization of reflexives
- Domains of point of view and coreferentiality
- Conceptual distance and transitivity increase in Spanish reflexives
- Bound pronouns and non-local anaphors
- Reflexives and emphasis in Tsaxur (Nakh-Dagestanian)
- What it means to deceive yourself
- Subject index
- Author index
- Language index
The importance of reflexive markers in the study of language structure cannot be underestimated: they participate in the coding of the argument structure of a clause; in the coding of semantic relations between arguments and verbs; in the coding of the relationship between arguments; in the coding of aspect; in the coding of point of view; and in the Coding of the information structure of a clause.
The present volume offers an approach to reflexive forms and functions from several perspectives: a formal approach where reflexives are discussed within a well-defined model of language representation; a typological approach; a historical approach concentrating on grammaticalization of reflexives and on the changes that pronouns and anaphors undergo; and a functionalist approach where functions of reflexive forms are described. The languages from which data were drawn represent a wide variety of language families and language types: English, Old English, Dutch, German, Tsakhur (Nakh-Dagestanian), Spanish, French, Bantu and Chadic languages. The variety of languages discussed and the different approaches taken complement each other in that each contributes an important piece to the understanding of reflexives in a cross-linguistic perspective.
Table of contents:
- Introduction
- The fine structure of grammar
- Intensifiers and reflexives
- The structural and lexical space between reflexive binding and logophorics
- The typology and grammaticalization of reflexives
- Domains of point of view and coreferentiality
- Conceptual distance and transitivity increase in Spanish reflexives
- Bound pronouns and non-local anaphors
- Reflexives and emphasis in Tsaxur (Nakh-Dagestanian)
- What it means to deceive yourself
- Subject index
- Author index
- Language index