Mood choice in complements of Spanish comprender and Portuguese compreender (‘understand’) – distribution and meaning

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-302
Author(s):  
Rainer Vesterinen

Abstract The present paper analyzes the occurrence of indicative and subjunctive complements of the verbs comprender (Spanish) and compreender (Portuguese) in European Spanish and European Portuguese. A quantitative analysis based on 400 occurrences of the complements randomly selected from the newspaper genre shows that the indicative mood occurs more frequently than the subjunctive mood in both languages, although the subjunctive mood is more frequent in the Portuguese corpus than in the Spanish one. The analysis also shows that the occurrence of the subjunctive complement is highly restricted to contexts in which the subject of the main clause verb is either 1st person or 3rd person singular. From the theoretical perspective of Cognitive Grammar, the mood alternation is explained by the concept of dominion, i.e. the indicative complement designates an event that is located within the conceptualizer’s epistemic dominion, whereas the subjunctive complement designates an event that is located outside the conceptualizer’s dominion of effective control.

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rainer Vesterinen

AbstractThe present paper analyses the meaning of Spanish mood in factive contexts from a Cognitive Grammar perspective. It is argued that terms like assertion and presupposition do not explain the semantics of the subjunctive. Rather, they constitute an initial classification for finding a conceptually grounded explanation of it. The hypothesis is put forward that mood choice in factive contexts can be explained by the elaboration of Maldonado's (1995) notions of dominion and control. On the one hand, the conceptualizer has a low degree of effective control over the described event in presupposed contexts where the subjunctive mood occurs. On the other hand, presupposed contexts with the verb in the indicative mood equates with epistemic control over the described event. Thus, it is argued that the meaning of the subjunctive mood is related to the conceptualizer's epistemic dominion, and to the dominion of effective control. An additional analysis of the subjunctive mood in volitional, causative and perceptual contexts corroborates the initial claim.


Author(s):  
Rainer Vesterinen

AbstractThe present paper deals with the occurrence of different verb forms in European Portuguese purpose clauses. A quantitative analysis is conducted in order to detect general tendencies in the use of the infinitive, the inflected infinitive and the subjunctive mood in this grammatical context. From a Cognitive Grammar perspective of linguistic analysis, it is argued that the occurrence of different verb forms can be explained by the concept of dominion. An additional analysis of the subjunctive mood and infinitival verb forms in other grammatical contexts suggests that the notion of dominion can offer a general explanation for the meaning of the subjunctive mood.


2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 583-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rainer Vesterinen

AbstractWithin the model of Cognitive Grammar, the concept of dominion is fundamental to the analysis of the conceptualizer's attitude toward an event or a proposition. However, the concept has, first and foremost, been understood in epistemic terms, whereas there has been less concern with the conceptualizer's efforts to influence and manipulate the course of events in the world. This being so, the present paper shows that the conceptualizer's dominion of effective control is relevant in a number of linguistic contexts. The analysis provides evidence for this particular feature in factive contexts, deontic contexts, contexts of volition and causation, and in adverbial clauses of purpose, manner and condition. The analysis further shows that the conceptualizer's dominion of effective control is capable of providing a conceptually grounded explanation for the occurrence of the Spanish and the Portuguese subjunctive mood in these grammatical contexts.


2015 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 175-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
RAINER VESTERINEN

The present paper analyzes the mood alternation between Spanish conditional clauses introduced by the particle si ‘if’, on the one hand, and by conditional conjunctions such as a condición de que ‘on the condition that’, con tal de que ‘provided that’ and siempre y cuando ‘as long as’, on the other hand. Situated within the theoretical perspective of Cognitive Grammar, the paper argues that the conceptual content of the linguistic unit that introduces the conditional clause determines mood choice. In particular, it is claimed that the indicative mood in si-clauses reflects the conceptualizer’s reasoning about the causal relation between two events. By contrast, the occurrence of the subjunctive mood in other conditional clauses is analyzed as a natural effect of the condition expressed by the conditional conjunction. The analysis further shows that the mood alternation can be explained by the concept of dominion. The particle si introduces a clause that is located within the conceptualizer’s epistemic dominion, whereas other conditional conjunctions introduce clauses that are located outside the dominion of effective control.


Revue Romane ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rainer Vesterinen

The traditional way of explaining the subjunctive mood in Portuguese is utterly related to the distinction made between reality and non-reality. That is, while the indicative mood has been explained in terms of reality, the subjunctive has been the mood of non-reality. Although this explanation covers many occurrences of the subjunctive mood, it is also recognized that it fails to explain the use of the subjunctive mood in factive contexts. This being so, the present study aims at explaining the variation between the indicative and subjunctive mood in factive contexts from a Cognitive Grammar perspective. The hypothesis put forward is that the mood variation can be explained in terms of dominion and control. Thus, it is claimed that the subjunctive mood in factive contexts can be explained by a reduced degree of active control, this being consistent with an event that is located outside the conceptualizer’s dominion of effective control. On the other hand, the indicative mood occurs in contexts of epistemic control that are located inside the conceptualizer’s epistemic dominion. An additional analysis of the subjunctive mood in other grammatical contexts corroborates the initial claim.


2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-82
Author(s):  
Rainer Vesterinen

Abstract Although the analysis of the Portuguese future subjunctive mood would contribute to a greater understanding of the general meaning of the subjunctive mood, this verb form has received considerably little attention compared to the other subjunctive forms, namely, the past and present subjunctives. The aim of the present paper is to fill this gap. Using the theoretical perspective of Cognitive Grammar, it will be shown that the Portuguese future subjunctive shares many characteristic features with other tenses of the subjunctive mood. In particular, the analysis shows that the Portuguese future subjunctive can be explained by the concept of dominion. Thus, the present paper provides a conceptually grounded and unified explanation for the meaning of the Portuguese subjunctive mood.


2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Augusto Soares da Silva ◽  
Susana Afonso ◽  
Dafne Palú ◽  
Karlien Franco

Abstract Se constructions designate a set of polysemous constructions along a transitivity continuum marked by the clitic se that perform various functions: reflexive/reciprocal, middle, anticausative, passive, and impersonal. A counterpart of these constructions without the clitic – the null se construction – is also attested. Based on an extensive usage-feature and profile-based analysis, and using multivariate statistical methods, we analyze, considering Cognitive Grammar, the conceptual, structural, and lectal factors that determine the choice between overt and null se constructions. The results of the study show that the null constructions are far more frequent in Brazilian (BP) than in European Portuguese (EP). In BP, the focus on the moment of change is a crucial factor for the overt/null variation in reflexive/reciprocal, middle, anticausative, and impersonal constructions. If the moment of the change of state is profiled, the overt se construction is usually produced. If the moment of change is not profiled, the null se construction is preferred. External factors also play a role in the variation. Register is an important predictor for the observed variation of the anticausative construction, and the only predictor for the overt/null variation in the case of the passive construction. In EP, the null se variant is mainly limited to anticausative constructions. In all cases of null constructions, there is a shift to an absolute construal, which has an impact on the way that the transitivity continuum is conceptualized.


2021 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helena Valentim ◽  
Matilde Gonçalves

No estudo aqui proposto sobre a intensificação em português europeu, pretende-se identificar e descrever algumas configurações linguísticas em comentários em linha, que, em articulação com as características discursivo-textuais, convergem para a caracterização deste género. Nesta perspetiva, a intensificação é abordada enquanto fenómeno discursivo-textual, com um enfoque na relevância que as formas e construções linguísticas têm enquanto marcadoras de valores traduzíveis num grau elevado de uma propriedade ou de um efeito de sentido a par com a forte manifestação do sujeito, uma característica do género comentário. This study focuses on intensification in European Portuguese. Its aim is to identify and describe some linguistic configurations in online comments, which, in conjunction with the discursive-textual characteristics, converge for the characterization of this textual genre. In this perspective, the intensification is approached here as a discursive-textual phenomenon, with a focus on the relevance that linguistic forms and constructions have as markers of values of a high degree of a property or of an effect of meaning along with the strong manifestation of the subject, which is, in itself, a characteristic of the commentary genre. La présente étude sur l'intensification en portugais européen porte sur l'identification et la description de certaines configurations linguistiques dans les commentaires en ligne, qui, en conjonction avec les caractéristiques discursives-textuelles, convergent vers la caractérisation de cette pratique textuelle. Dans cette perspective, l'intensification est abordée comme un phénomène discursif-textuel, avec un accent sur la pertinence que les formes et constructions linguistiques ont comme marqueurs de valeurs traduisibles à un degré élevé d'une propriété ou d'un effet de sens avec le fort manifestation du sujet, caractéristique du genre du commentaire. Le choix pour l'analyse d'un corpus de commentaires se doit au cadre de la recherche menée au sein du Groupe Gramática & Texto, qui, dans la première phase du projet, a réuni un corpus de commentaires en ligne, G&T.Comenta, d'où provient le corpus ici analysé. En el estudio que aquí se propone sobre la intensificación en portugués europeo, se pretende identificar y describir algunas configuraciones lingüísticas en los comentarios online, que, en conjunto con las características discursivo-textuales, convergen en la caracterización de este género. En esta perspectiva, la intensificación se aborda como un fenómeno discursivo-textual, con un enfoque en la relevancia que tienen las formas y construcciones lingüísticas como marcadores de valores traducibles en un alto grado de una propiedad o efecto de significado junto con la fuerte manifestación del sujeto, una característica del género del comentario. La elección para el análisis de un corpus de comentarios se debe al encuadre de este estudio en el ámbito de la investigación realizada dentro del Grupo Gramática & Texto, que, en la primera fase del proyecto, reunió un corpus de comentarios online, Comentarios de G&T., De donde se tomó el corpus aquí analizado.


Author(s):  
Iswadi Bahardur

<p><span lang="EN-US">Writing this article backed by mult</span><span>i</span><span lang="EN-US"> interpretation problems raised by a text, especially literary texts. Mult</span><span>i</span><span lang="EN-US"> interpretation is inseparable from the consciousness and unconscious of the subject of the author, as well as the process of reconstruction by the reader. Based on this article this article aims to describe the results of deconstructing binary opposition readings on the story of <em>Kritikus Adinan</em> by Budi Darma. The data source used is the story of <em>Kritikus Adinan.</em> The research method used is descriptive analysis with the theoretical perspective of deconstruction of Jaques Derrida. Based on the findings and data analysis, the results show the following. <em>First</em>, the deconstruction readings of the <em>Kritikus Adinan</em> can not be separated from the word-scoring process as Jaques Derrida puts it in deconstruction theory. <em>Secondly</em>, the reconstruction of Kritkus Adinan’s story leads to unfamiliarity but leads the reader to discover the marginalized texts.<em> Third</em>, based on the results of deconstruction reading in the story of <em>Kritikus Adinan</em>, there is a binary opposition that has been denied and broken by the author by presenting a reversal of fact.  Suggestions that can be recommended are many other literary works that are worthy and important to be reviewed by other researchers to uncover the phenomenon of reversing the facts by the author.</span></p>


Author(s):  
Amparo García Cuadrado

This article approaches the study of the private library of the Murcian land surveyor Francisco Falcón de los Reyes, from the first half of the eighteenth century, which constitutes a clear example of the relationship between education and written culture. From the data extracted from a postmortem inventory and the subsequent appraisal and partition of goods among the heirs, we carried out a quantitative and qualitative analysis of said library. First, the text provides a biographical profile of this geometer, a descendant of slaves (new Christians), and describes the formative precariousness of these professionals in their time. The quantitative analysis of the bibliographic collection and its comparison with other private collections from similar socioeconomic fields indicate the importance of this particular collection. The qualitative study of authors and titles shows, on one hand, the high degree of mathematical training of the subject, who is shown to be a recipient of the fundamentally Valencian pre-illustrated reformist scientific mainstream, and, on the other hand, the purpose with which those books were incorporated into the funds of the collection. Together with the library, which we could call professional, due to its scientific nature, the inventoried religious matter in the form of printed documents makes up another interesting part of the collection, one of a catechetical nature in its various formative levels


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