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The Presuppositional Study from the Approach of Functional Grammar

Author: GaoMin
Tutor: LiYueE
School: Shanxi University
Course: Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics
Keywords: Presupposition Defeasibility Projection Problem Functional Grammar
CLC: H04
Type: Master's thesis
Year: 2004
Downloads: 143
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Abstract

Presupposition, originally, is a subject in philosophy and logic. Proposed by Frege in 1892, it came into the researching field of linguistics later and became one of the hottest subjects both in semantics and pragmatics. Disputes about the definition and nature of presupposition have aroused great debates in linguistics and philosophy.Though there are many unresolved problems in the semantic study of presupposition, semantic study is a necessary and an important researching part. Meanwhile, the properties of presupposition that is sensitive to context and depends upon speakers’ choice justify its pragmatic study. Thus only with the comprehensive study from both semantic and pragmatic approach, our knowledge about presupposition can be expanded. Functional Grammar, in contrast to structural linguistics which gives language the abstract and stative description, regards language as an instrument of social communication and studies language forms from its corresponding meanings. It emphasizes functions of language and the relationship between functions and forms. Theoretically speaking, it is worth trying to investigate presupposition from this approach, for it can avoid some problems occurring when presupposition is studied from the semantic and the pragmatic approach respectively.With help of ranked analysis and three meta-functions, this thesis will conduct a new study of presuppositional phenomena. First, ranked analysis shows the necessity of presupposition’s generation. Then, from the different functions that presupposition carries, we will explore the shaping mechanism and the operating mechanism of presuppositions on the basis of three meta-functions. In addition, some enlightenment that Functional Grammar gives on defeasibility of presupposition will be mentioned inthe thesis.All in all, the study of presupposition from the approach of Functional Grammar makes us know the different and deeper aspects of presupposition and improves the new development of presuppositional study.

The Presuppositional Study from the Approach of Functional Grammar

Abstract

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