Publication
Title
Semi-insubordinate dat-constructions in Dutch : formal, semantic and functional properties
Author
Abstract
This paper discusses one subtype of semi-insubordination in Dutch, viz. adverbial and adjectival semi-insubordinate dat-constructions (e.g. Misschien/Leuk dat hij komt Maybe/nice that he comes). These constructions display an unusual syntactic status in that they consist of a (formally) subordinate dat-clause which is preceded by just one adverb or adjective, instead of a full matrix clause. In this study, I will outline the semantic, structural and functional properties of semi-insubordinate dat-constructions by reviewing previous accounts of this phenomenon against empirical corpus data. The data show that there are basically two types of initial elements in semi-insubordinate dat-constructions: evaluative and discursive ones. Both subtypes challenge traditional syntactic analyses in that they extend beyond the sentence level: they represent syntactically independent units, but pragmatically they are highly dependent on prior discourse. It will therefore be argued that it is essential to include aspects of discourse organization in the analysis of semi-insubordinate dat-constructions.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Nederlandse taalkunde. - Groningen, 1996, currens
Publication
Groningen : 2017
ISSN
1384-5845 [print]
2352-1171 [online]
DOI
10.5117/NEDTAA2017.3.BEIJ
Volume/pages
22 :3 (2017) , p. 333-357
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
Semi-insubordination in Dutch and Norwegian: Grammatical, semantic and discursive properties.
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Record
Identifier
Creation 06.06.2018
Last edited 07.10.2022
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