Direct and indirect speech in Mambila

1974 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mona Perrin
Keyword(s):  
Main Clause ◽  
Summer Institute ◽  
First Person ◽  
Direct Speech ◽  
Indirect Speech ◽  
Person Pronoun ◽  
Summer Institute Of Linguistics ◽  
Person Reference ◽  
Third Person ◽  
Embedded Clause

The categories of DIRECT SPEECH and INDIRECT SPEECH may be distinguished by differing policies of pronoun reference. Direct speech takes its pronoun orientation from the clause in which it is immediately embedded: for example, in the following sentence: (I) John Said to Peter, ‘I Can see you’, the first person pronoun I refers to the participant who is identified as speaker in the preceding clause (John said to peter) and the seconf person you refers to the participant identified as addressee. Of the two clauses involved, the second or embedded clause (‘I can see you’) May conveniently be referred to as the quotation content. The first or main clause may be referred to as the Reporting Clause; this correspondes ti the use of the term Margin in recent studies from the Summer Institute of Linguistics (Lowe, 1969; Pike, 1966; Pike & Lowe, 1969) from which the inspiration for this paper has been taken. Any third person reference in the quotation content in direct speech must refer to a participant who is neither speaker nor addressee in the reporting clause.

Free Indirect Speech, Slipping, or a System in Flux? Exploring the Continuum between Direct and Indirect Speech in Early Modern English

2020 ◽  
pp. 156-182
Author(s):  
Terry Walker ◽  
Peter J. Grund
Keyword(s):  
Early Modern ◽  
Electronic Text ◽  
Direct Speech ◽  
Indirect Speech ◽  
Early Modern English ◽  
Person Reference ◽  
Speech Representation ◽  
Third Person ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Continuum

This chapter explores speech representation structures in Early Modern English that exhibit a mixture of direct speech and indirect speech. Drawing data from an Electronic Text Edition of Depositions 1560–1760 (ETED), we chart the frequency and characteristics of different types of speech representation that overlap between direct and indirect speech (such as the mixture of third-person and first-person reference, and the use of reporting expression + that + direct speech representation). We show that accounting for such uses as “slipping,” free indirect speech, and/or signs of a system under development is less convincing. Instead, we argue that the mixture should be seen as exploitation of speech representation resources for various sociopragmatic and communicative purposes, such as disambiguating voices and shifting responsibilities for the speech report. The chapter thus contributes to the broader goal of enhancing our understanding of the sociopragmatics of speech representation in the history of English.

Pronominal system in Croatian Sign Language

2006 ◽  
Vol 9 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 95-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara Alibašić Ciciliani ◽  
Ronnie B. Wilbur
Keyword(s):  
Sign Language ◽  
First Person ◽  
Second Person ◽  
Fundamental Properties ◽  
Person Pronoun ◽  
Hand Orientation ◽  
Person Reference ◽  
Third Person ◽  
Pronominal System

In this article we present some fundamental properties of the Croatian Sign Language (Hrvatski Znakovni Jezik, HZJ) pronominal system. The most common functions of pointing in HZJ are pronominal, demonstrative, locative, possessive and reflexive. Examination of the first person pronoun shows that the signer uses nonmanuals to indicate that she has taken the role of another person. Thus, the signer points to herself, but the intended reference is to a character in the story and not to the signer. These findings are used to provide evidence for grammatical first person. Viewed from Berenz’s (2002) perspective, grammatical second and third person pronouns show some degree of consistency within each category and differences across categories. When reference to the second person is intended, the characteristics hand orientation, eyegaze and the head will usually line up. In contrast, when reference to third person is intended, disjunction of some of these features occurs. Thus, the distinction between second and third person pronoun is linguistically marked in HZJ. Therefore we argue against Liddell (1995, 2003), who treats pointing as deictic, gestural, hence nonlinguistic. Furthermore we argue with Berenz against Meier (1990), who claims that at least for ASL there is no distinction between second and third person reference. Our morphological analysis reveals no gender distinction in the pronoun system, but there are distinctions between singular, plural, inclusive and exclusive pronouns. No correlation between spoken Croatian case marking and either HZJ handshape choice or systematic mouthing was found.

scholarly journals Reference in the first, second, and third person

KÜLÖNBSÉG ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Éva Kocsis
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Unified Model ◽  
Direct Access ◽  
First Person ◽  
Personal Quality ◽  
Person Reference ◽  
Third Person

We have direct access to our thoughts, therefore we think we can attribute beliefs and actions to ourselves differently than to others. However, linguistic concepts enable us to think about ourselves the same way as we think of others. The research question of the paper is how it is possible to find a unified model of first, second, and third person reference in language use that can allow for the personal quality of first person reference. The paper shows why the ’I’ in first person statements should be seen as a ineliminable item that is not reducible to non-indexic expressions semantically. Also, the paper claims that first, second, and third person references formulated by the same speaker have similar qualities (spontaneity, lack of identification, directness). Finally, the paper discusses the role of perception in these references.

scholarly journals Children mix direct and indirect speech: evidence from pronoun comprehension

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 843-866 ◽  
Author(s):  
FRANZISKA KÖDER ◽  
EMAR MAIER
Keyword(s):  
Selection Task ◽  
Direct Speech ◽  
Second Person ◽  
Indirect Speech ◽  
Referent Selection ◽  
Third Person

ABSTRACTThis study investigates children's acquisition of the distinction between direct speech (Elephant said, “I get the football”) and indirect speech (Elephant said that he gets the football), by measuring children's interpretation of first, second, and third person pronouns. Based on evidence from various linguistic sources, we hypothesize that the direct–indirect distinction is acquired relatively late. We also predict more mistakes for third person pronouns compared to first and second person pronouns. We tested 136 Dutch-speaking children between four and twelve in a referent selection task and found that children interpret pronouns in direct speech predominantly as in indirect speech, supporting our hypothesis about a late acquisition of the direct–indirect distinction. In addition, we found differences between I, you, and he that deviate from a simple first and second vs. third person split. We discuss our results in the light of cross-linguistic findings of direct–indirect mixing.

Textual determinants of a component of literary identification

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 260-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Kotovych ◽  
Peter Dixon ◽  
Marisa Bortolussi ◽  
Mark Holden
Keyword(s):  
Close Association ◽  
First Person ◽  
Central Character ◽  
Indirect Speech ◽  
Conversational Implicatures ◽  
Third Person

Three experiments were conducted on how properties of the text control one aspect of the process of identifying with the central character in a story. In particular, we were concerned with textual determinants of character transparency, that is, the extent to which the character’s actions and attitudes are clear and understandable. In Experiment 1, we hypothesized that the narrator in first-person narratives is transparent because narratorial implicatures (analogous to Grice’s (1975) notion of conversational implicatures) lead readers to attribute their own knowledge and experience to the narrator. Consistent with our predictions, the results indicated that stating the inferred information explicitly leads readers to rate the narrator’s thoughts and actions as more difficult to understand. In Experiment 2, we assessed whether this effect could be explained by differences in style between the original and modified versions of the text. The results demonstrated that there was no effect of adding text when the material was unrelated to narratorial implicatures. In Experiment 3, we hypothesized that transparency of the central character in a third-person narrative can be produced when the consistent use of free-indirect speech produces a close association between the narrator and the character; in this case, readers may attribute knowledge and experience to the character as well as the narrator. As predicted, the central character’s thoughts and actions were rated as more difficult to understand when the markers for free-indirect speech were removed. We argue that transparency may be produced through the use of what are essential conversational processes invoked in service of understanding the narrator as a conversational participant.

scholarly journals Form and discourse function of the pointing toward the chest in Swedish Sign Language

2004 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna-Lena Nilsson
Keyword(s):  
Sign Language ◽  
First Person ◽  
Reported Speech ◽  
Discourse Function ◽  
Person Pronoun ◽  
Person Reference ◽  
Indefinite Pronoun

The object of this study is a sign glossed index-c, a point toward the signer’s chest, and its use in Swedish Sign Language. The sign has often been referred to as the first person pronoun of Swedish Sign Language, and it has been claimed that index-c is only used for non-first person reference in reported speech (Wallin 1987; Ahlgren 1991; Simper-Allen 1999). In the analyzed material, however, index-c is also used for non-first person reference when the actions and thoughts of a referent are rendered. A closer look also made it clear that there are actually two different forms of index-c, with different distribution, and that there appears to be an indefinite pronoun in Swedish Sign Language. What is presented here is thus an analysis of the use and meaning of two forms of the sign that was initially glossed index-c.

scholarly journals Analysis Comparative of Chinese and Indonesia Pronouns

Humaniora ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 682
Author(s):  
Yi Ying
Keyword(s):  
Written Language ◽  
First Person ◽  
Personal Pronouns ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
The Third ◽  
Person Pronoun ◽  
Language Communication ◽  
Third Person ◽  
The Third Person ◽  
Bahasa Indonesia

Personal pronouns in communication plays a significant role. Proper use of personal pronouns, communication can proceed smoothly. Misuse of personal pronouns, or failure of communication will be blocked, or even make the communication between two sides break up. Therefore, understanding the language of the two personal pronouns is very important. This study analyzes the Chinese and India and usage of the classification of personal pronouns. Conclusion of the study hope to promote cross-cultural language communication, in particular, help to learn Chinese or learn Bahasa Indonesia in different occasions to use the correct pronouns. The results: (1) Chinese and Bahasa first person pronoun "I" have in common is in the sentence can be a subject and attribute; (2) Bahasa first person pronoun "aku" can not be used in some situations such as: official occasions, and older than themselves, respect for people or strangers or people who speak; (3) Chinese third-person plural pronouns, written language, "they" said that men and women is not the same guy, same use of Bahasa Indonesia kami; (4) Bahasa Indonesia are changes in the form of personal pronouns, while the Chinese personal pronouns do not; (5) the third person pronoun to differentiate between Chinese men and women, and things, but Bahasa Indonesia is no difference between the third person pronoun gender and things; (6) Bahasa Indonesia the personal pronoun is not gender distinction. 

The use of reported speech by court interpreters in Hong Kong

Interpreting ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew K. F Cheung
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Target Language ◽  
First Person ◽  
Reported Speech ◽  
Direct Speech ◽  
Legal Professionals ◽  
Third Person ◽  
Court Proceedings ◽  
Professional Guidelines ◽  
The Third Person

This is a corpus-based study that investigates instances in which court interpreters in Hong Kong deviate from using direct speech and the first person, notwithstanding the requirement to use both of these when rendering statements made by witnesses or defendants. Quantitative data indicate that court interpreters do adhere to this requirement when interpreting Cantonese into English, but deviate from it when interpreting English into Cantonese. These data suggest that the use of reported speech and/or of the third person has identification functions that help Cantonese-speaking witnesses and defendants follow court proceedings and serve the pragmatic function of adding illocutionary force to interpreted utterances. Data from interviews with interpreters and legal professionals suggest that some latitude is exercised and tolerated when interpreters deviate from using direct speech and/or the first person when the target language is Cantonese. The findings indicate that court interpreters in the corpus observe strict professional guidelines by using direct speech most of the time, but occasional deviation from the direct approach suggests that court interpreters are able to make discretionary decisions to facilitate communication.

How to restructure a grammatical category: the innovative person system of Chamacoco (Zamucoan, northern Paraguay)

2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (s42-s1) ◽  
pp. 111-154
Author(s):  
Luca Ciucci
Keyword(s):  
Language Contact ◽  
Speech Act ◽  
First Person ◽  
Grammatical Category ◽  
Internal Factors ◽  
The Third ◽  
Person Reference ◽  
Third Person ◽  
The Third Person ◽  
Number Term

Abstract Chamacoco is a Zamucoan language of northern Paraguay that has considerably restructured its person reference system. Starting from the existing reconstruction of Proto-Zamucoan, I will analyze the evolution of person marking in free pronouns, verbs and possessable nouns. The verb lost the realis/irrealis distinction in speech act participants, while the third person underwent some allomorphic changes and introduced a distinction between third singular and plural, dependent on an innovative animacy hierarchy. The first person proved overall particularly unstable. In possessable nouns, it was replaced by a form for unspecified possessor, while a new exponent was created for the latter. In free pronouns, the first plural shifted to the first singular and then grammaticalized to the new verb prefix for the first singular. The most significant changes concern the introduction of clusivity in verbs and free pronouns, which was combined with an unusual number term: the greater plural. Besides, the verbal first-person exclusive is typologically unexpected, since it derives from the inclusive. I will discuss the reasons for these and other minor changes, which involve internal factors and language contact. Finally, I will show how recent contact with Spanish has affected the Chamacoco person system.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document