addition on Justify and Background

Bill Mann bill_mann at SIL.ORG
Fri Jan 14 18:33:50 UTC 2000


a discussion excerpt:

"The interesting research question would then be to look for a new definition
for background and justification which (a) makes the two easier to distinguish,
and (b) accounts for the data about the places where a connective can and cannot
be used."

We must be careful about how we frame the question.  If it is about

"...  the places where a connective can and cannot be used"    then we will
study the language for an answer.

If the question is about


"...  the places where a connective was and was not used"     then we will study
the whole text and the author for an answer.  Since the use of such connectives
is so easily varied, often with little effect,  restriction from the language as
a whole seems to be a poor choice for where to look.  Yet, unfortunately, it
accords well with prevailing assumptions and practices.

Bill Mann










______________________________

The RST website is at http://www.sil.org/linguistics/RST   .



More information about the Rstlist mailing list