A Functional Characterology of the English Transitional Pr-Verbs: Presentation or Appearance on the Scene Revisited

ADAM, Martin. A Functional Characterology of the English Transitional Pr-Verbs: Presentation or Appearance on the Scene Revisited. Ostrava Journal of English Philology. Ostrava: Filozofická fakulta Ostravské univerzity, 2011, 2/2010, No 2, p. 7-20. ISSN 1803-8174.

Basic information

• Original name: A Functional Characterology of the English Transitional Pr-Verbs: Presentation or Appearance on the Scene Revisited
• Name in Czech: Funkční charakterologie anglického transitního Pr-slovesa: prezentace či objevení se na scéně opět pod drobnohledem
• Authors: ADAM, Martin (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution).
• Edition: Ostrava Journal of English Philology, Ostrava, Filozofická fakulta Ostravské univerzity, 2011, 1803-8174.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Field of Study: 60200 6.2 Languages and Literature
• Country of publisher: Czech Republic
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14410/11:00051855
• Organization unit: Faculty of Education
• Keywords (in Czech): Prezentace; škála; anglické; sloveso; FSP; Firbas; tranzit; existence; objevení se na scéně
• Keywords in English: Presentation; Scale; English; Verb; FSP; Firbas; Transition; Existence; Appearance

Abstract

In the framework of the theory of functional sentence perspective (FSP), aptly elaborated by Jan Firbas (summarised in Firbas 1992), the English verb tends to be the mediator (i.e. transition) between the theme and the rheme. Every sentence implements one of the dynamic semantic scales, which functionally reflect the distribution of communicative dynamism and operate irrespective of word order. In principle, Firbas distinguishes two types of the dynamic semantic scales: the Presentation Scale and the Quality Scale. The present paper discusses the dynamic as well as static semantic characteristics of the English verb operating in the transitional sphere of the clause, with special regard to its Presentation Scale occurrence. Especially the Firbasian phenomenon of presentation or appearance on the scene is examined and exemplified by means of statistical and FSP analysis of a sample corpus based on religious discourse.

Abstract (in Czech)

Článek se zabývá sémanticko-syntaktickým pohledem na anglické tranzitní sloveso operující v rámci Firbasovské Prezentační škály a snaží se taková slovesa popsat a klasifikovat.