19.2353, Diss: Morphology/Syntax/Semantics: Kosaner: 'Predication in Turkish'

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LINGUIST List: Vol-19-2353. Fri Jul 25 2008. ISSN: 1068 - 4875.

Subject: 19.2353, Diss: Morphology/Syntax/Semantics: Kosaner: 'Predication in Turkish'

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1)
Date: 25-Jul-2008
From: Ozgun Kosaner < okosaner at yahoo.com >
Subject: Predication in Turkish

 

	
-------------------------Message 1 ---------------------------------- 
Date: Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:50:49
From: Ozgun Kosaner [okosaner at yahoo.com]
Subject: Predication in Turkish
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Institution: Dokuz Eylül University 
Program: general linguistics 
Dissertation Status: Completed 
Degree Date: 2008 

Author: Ozgun Kosaner

Dissertation Title: Predication in Turkish 

Linguistic Field(s): Linguistic Theories
                     Morphology
                     Pragmatics
                     Semantics
                     Syntax

Subject Language(s): Turkish (tur)


Dissertation Director(s):
Lutfiye Oktar

Dissertation Abstract:

This study sets forth from the definition of predication as 'the process
creating new meanings by combining the meaning of the argument with
selected aspects of the meaning of the predicate', which has been a matter
for discussion in philosophy, logic and linguistics since Aristoteles,
seeks answers to questions 'How is the predication in Turkish formed?' and
'How is the interaction between pragmatics, semantics and morphosyntax
coded?' in order to test the basic hypothesis designated as 'verbal
predication in Turkish is realised as a process that displays various
constructions under the influence of the pragmatic, semantic and
morphosyntactic factors'. To answer these research questions, both
diachronic and synchronic corpuses were built and analysed in the
theoretical framework of Functional Discourse Grammar. After discussing the
question of how the predication in Turkish is formed, the study
investigates what kind of an interaction the pragmatic, semantic and
morphosyntactic factors exhibit. 

As the result of the analyses conducted using Functional Discourse Grammar,
the first question is answered in terms of "Predication Frames" which
provide ways to keep and organise the information corresponding to the
State-of-Affairs. The analyses exhibit the structures presented by the
transitive predications in Turkish and define the factors that affect these
structures. In order to answer the second question, how the participants in
argument positions in the predication frames are coded is examined. The
findings show that speakers prefer coding the important / salient / new
information with full NP's or Pronouns instead of zero anaphora, in other
words, speakers access the contextual information while forming predications. 

When the anwers of the two research questions are combined, this study
asserts that speakers choose a certain predication frame using the top-down
information first, and then they code the linguistic and lexical items to
code the participants, namely they use the bottom-up information. In the
process of selecting the predication frame appropriate for the
State-of-Affairs the situational information is operative; whereas in the
coding of the participants the contextual information is operative. 






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LINGUIST List: Vol-19-2353