Kuno Flashcards
Two functional perspectives
Empathy perspective
Direct discourse perspective
Topic of paper
Empathy and direct discourse directives
Empathy perspective
Speaker takes position that places him/her closer to one entity than another
John hit Bill. Bill was hit by John. John hit his roommate. Bill was hit by his roommate. Bill's roommate hit him. ?? John's roommate was hit by him.
Empathy / degree of empathy
Speakers identification w/ person/thing that participates in event or state describes in sentence
Degree of empathy with x
E(x) ranges 1 to 0
1= total empathy
0= no empathy/identification
Descriptor empathy hierarchy
EH = empathy hierarchy
Entity dependent on other entity less degree of empathy
E(x)>E(f(x))
Surface structure EH
Easier to empathize with referent of the subject than any other NP in the sentence.
E(subject)>E(other NPs)
Topic empathy hierarchy
Given an event or state that involves A and B such that A is coreferential with the topic of the present discourse and B is not, it is easier for the speaker to empathize with A than with B
E(topic) > E(nontopic)
E(A) > E(B)
Speech act empathy hierarchy
Speaker cannot empathize with someone else more than self.
E(speaker)> E(others)
Humanness empathy hierarchy
More difficult for speaker to empahize with non-human animate object than with human, and more difficult to empathize with inanimate object than with animate object
E(human)>E(non-human animate)>E(inanimate)
Transitivity of empathy relationships
Empathy relationships are transitive
Ban on conflicting empathy foci
A single sentence cannot contain logical conflicts in empathy relationships
Markedness principle for discourse rule violations
Sentences that contain marked (or intentional) violations of discourse principles are unacceptable. On other hand, sentences that involve unmarked (or unintentional) violations of discourse principles go in penalized and ar acceptable.
Bill’s roommate hit him.
Kuno’s account
Descriptor EH: use of bill shows greater empathy than bill’s roommate
Surface structure EH: empathy w/referent of subject should be greater - logical conflict b/w empathy relationships
Created non-intentionally
Subcategorization requirement of transitive verb hit
John’s roommate was hit by him.
Kuno’s account
Descriptor EH:
E(John)>E(Johns roommate bill)
Surface structure EH:
E(subject=Johns roommate bill)>E(him John)
Violation created by speakers intentional use of marked construction
A. Then I hit John.
B. Then John was hit by me.
Kuno’s account
A. Speech act EH: E(speaker=I)>E(John) Surface structure EH: E(subject=I)>E(nonsubject=John) No conflict
B. speech act EH E(speaker=I)>E(John) Surface structure EH: E(John)>E(me=speaker) Conflict created intentionally Penalty