INVESTIGATING EXISTENTIAL INTERPRETATION OF WAITING FOR GODOT: A CORPUS-BASED STUDY OF LEXICAL FEATURES

Purpose of the study: In this study, Samuel Beckett's dramatic writings' major aspects and linguistic qualities are examined, focusing on Waiting for Godot. The importance of these texts' linguistic characteristics has also been investigated. The study also looks into whether linguistic interpretations of Waiting for Godot are compatible with Existential readings. Methodology: Computational techniques such as UAMCT, MAT, SUAS, and AntConc were used to analyze the data. However, UAMTC was employed as the primary tool, and the other techniques were only used to verify the results' validity and complement specific areas of analysis that UAMCT lacked. Main Findings: Samuel Beckett's dramatic works are a linguistic paradox, lexically simple but structurally complicated, according to our linguistic analysis. Waiting for Godot's linguistic elements develop themes such as "Pessimism," "Directionlessness," "Skepticism," "Nothingness," "Existence," "Ambivalence," "Boredom," and "Alienation," These topics are consistent with Waiting for Godot's Existential interpretations. Applications of this study: Applications of this study reside on its far-reaching pedagogical consequences for literature and language. It is extremely important for students and teachers of English Language and Literature and syllabus designers who deal with literature. Originality/ Novelty: The play has a linguistic spontaneity of Existential themes. In a nutshell, in Waiting for Godot, Beckett has not told the predicament of Existence but made it happen linguistically.

On indefinite subjects in Mandarin

This study investigates the licensing conditions and interpretational variability of indefinite subjects in Mandarin. Against the ‘definiteness’ constraint of subject in Mandarin (Chao 1968; Li and Thompson 1981), three types of indefinite subjects are identified in the subject position, but they exhibit different scope behaviors: (i) you-nominals are ambiguous between a wide scope and a narrow scope, and (ii) thetic subjects are narrow-scope taking, and (iii) ‘cardinal’ subjects are scopeless. Following Cohen and Erteschik-Shir (2002), we propose that the former two types of indefinite subjects are focus elements and they fall into the position of nuclear scope, where they receive an existential interpretation, and cardinal subjects are topics and they serve as restrictor to some generic operator. Moreover, the wide/narrow scope readings of you-nominals are distinguished from each other in terms of whether a topic domain is available or not, which may serve a domain restrictor to the existential quantifier bound to you-nominals (Portner 2002).

Conversion as Transformation of the Heart: Guardini’s Existential Interpretation of Augustine’s Confessions

This paper studies Guardini’s perception of Augustine, especially in his two widely unknown books on Confessions: Die Bekehrung des heiligen Aurelius Augustinus (1935), and Anfang (1944), which are contrasted by the recently published Guardini lectures: Ewigkeit und Geschichte (1955/56 and 1961/62). The author discusses Guardini’s emphasis and fascination with Augustine’s conversion (cf. Conf. VIII), as it was relevant for his existential theology. Additionally, the text explores the Augustinian perception of the phenomenon of conversion by studying the passage from In evangelium Ioannis tractatus 53 (John 12:40), where Augustine delivers a beautiful synthesis about the conversion of the heart through grace: “Conversio gratia est” (Aug., In Io. tr. 53.11). It is hoped this study will evaluate Guardini’s doctrine about the conversion of the heart using the concrete example of Augustine and also replenish and enrich his interpretation by contrasting it to the broader Augustinian corpus.

Veritative ontology: reinterpreting Ancient Greek philosophy

This article proposes a revision of the traditional interpretation of ancient Greek ontology and indicates what consequences this revision may have for political reflection. The basis for the interpretation laid out here lies in classicist Charles H. Kahn’s work on the meaning and function of the verb “to be” (einai) in ancient Greek. Kahn asserts that the original and fundamental meaning of einai was veritative (veridical) rather than existential – it was used to signify truth, not existence. Though the significance of Kahn’s research has been widely acknowledged, the influence of his analyses on interpretations of Greek ontology seems disproportionately small in comparison. The veritative interpretation remains on the margin of studies dominated by the existential interpretation. My article is meant as a contribution to the project of building a veritative interpretation of Greek ontology. I intend to show, using certain examples, the forms of this interpretation and possibilities it presents. For scholars of ancient Greek philosophy, it is often difficult to distinguish between its ontological and epistemological aspects. As I will try to show, this state of affairs results from a post factum imposition of the existential interpretation on Greek thought. The problem is greatly reduced when we use the veritative paradigm in place of the existential paradigm. It also becomes easier to grasp the unity of Greek philosophy, especially the unity of ontology and epistemology. A veritative interpretation of Greek ontology carries with it important consequences for our understanding of Greek political philosophy as well. One of the key consequences is a “formal” (as opposed to “material”) understanding of concepts fundamental to Greek political reflection, such as the “good” and “justice.” As a result, discussion on ancient Greek political and legal reflection can be conducted from a fruitful new perspective.

Revisionist Theologies of Salvation

What unites revisionist theologies of the cross is the rejection (sometimes with qualification) of the idea of vicarious substitution and the Anselmian analysis of its rationale. They all reject or reinterpret the doctrine of “original sin.” They propose an “existential” interpretation of the cross, and relate it to the imperative for human liberation. These ideas are in continuity with liberal theology of the nineteenth century. What is more specifically novel is their reliance on critical biblical studies and above all their acceptance of contemporary science, especially its account of human evolution.

The Wisdom and Power of the Cross

This volume is the fifth in a series dealing with the passion and death of Christ—symbolized by “the cross”—in Christian theology and the arts. It examines the way the Passion of Christ has been thought about by theologians and portrayed by artists and musicians in the modern and contemporary world. It examines the traditional approaches to soteriology in contrast to revisionist theologies that take up the challenge of understanding the meaning of the cross in the light of critical historical studies and modern science. These provide new understandings of traditional concepts like “original sin,” “redemption,” and “substitution.” A new Christian spirituality of “the cross” is suggested by the insights of feminist and liberation theologies, which provide an existential interpretation and a need to combat human suffering rather than accepting it as a “cross” willed by God. Contemporary art and music reveal both the lasting power of traditional images of the Passion and new possibilities of expression.

Unrealized arguments in SBCG

In null instantiation (NI) an optionally unexpressed argument receives either anaphoric or existential interpretation (Fillmore, 1986; Mauner & Koenig, 2000; Kay, 2002; Ruppenhofer & Michaelis, 2010, 2014). Examples include Lexically licensed NI (Nixon resigned.), Contextual accessibility NI (Can I see?), Labelese (Contains alcohol), Diary NI (Got up, got out of bed, dragged a comb across my head), Generic-habitual NI (The police only arrest (people) when there's probable cause). We think of a predicator as having NI potential when one or more of its frame elements may remain unexpressed under certain conditions. While one cannot accurately predict a predicator's NI potential based either on semantic factors (e.g., Aktionsart class of the verb, as in Hovav & Levin (1998)) or pragmatic factors (e.g., relative discourse prominence of arguments, as in Goldberg (2006)), NI potential, while highly constrained, is not simply lexical idiosyncrasy, but is instead the product of both lexical and constructional licensing. In the latter case, a construction can endow a verb with NI potential that it would not otherwise have. Using representational tools of Sign Based Construction Grammar (Sag 2012, a.o), we offer a lexical treatment of null instantiation that covers both distinct patterns of construal of null instantiated arguments and the difference between listeme-based and contextually licensed, thus construction-based, null complementation

The Pregnant Body and the Birth of the Other: Arendt’s Contribution to Original Ethics

This paper examines Hannah Arendt’s contribution to recent debate concerning the urgency of Martin Heidegger’s original ethics. To this end, I turn to Arendt’s existential interpretation of birth as this takes shape in her discourse on the miracle. Though recent commentators have criticized Arendt’s emphasis on the miracle, I argue that she deepens a conversation about birth that Dennis Schmidt, following Jacques Derrida, has set in motion in his efforts to contribute to a more original ethics. Whereas Schmidt prioritizes the helplessness of the newborn, Arendt’s interpretation of the miracle suggests that birth reminds us not simply of our responsibility to help the helpless, but also of our responsibility to prepare the world for the incalculable possibilities of the newcomer. In this, I argue that Arendt brings into focus the ground of our responsibility to make space in the world for what cannot be reduced and decided on in advance by calculative procedure, thereby opening new paths to thinking the task of original ethics.

Personalistic intention in European theism of the XIX century

The subject of this research is the personalistic intention in European theism of the XIX century in the context of anthropological turn. The article examines such trends of European theism of the XIX century as German post-Hegelian theism, French spiritualism, Spanish theism introduced by Unamuno, Russian spiritual-academic theism. It is demonstrated that the European theism of the XIX century as a philosophy of the period of anthropological turn is characterized with personalism: interpretation of personality as an individual substance in the context of its dialogical and value aspects; a more existential interpretation of personality was possible. Special attention is paid to the essence of anthropological turn and personalism in its context. Anthropological turn is viewed in light of Heidegger’s philosophy as structuring philosophy on the basis of natural sciences and psychology. It means that the human Self becomes individually substantial, and acquires psychological, dialogical and value dimensions. The philosophy of European theism of the XIX century is examines in this context, however, emphasis is made on explanation of personalism as a reflection of personality as an individual substance through researching the conditions of being and conditions for-self-being, and meaning of any being for other creatures. The scientific novelty consists in viewing personalistic intention on European theism of the XIX century in the context of anthropological turn, as well as in substantiation of the existence of personalistically oriented trend in European theism of the XIX century, which was represented by Lotze, Teichmüller, and Russian spiritual-academic theists. Maine de Biran and Bergson, who dedicated major attention to psychological method, did not substantiate personalism.

The Courage To Be Anxious. Paul Tillich’s Existential Interpretation of Anxiety

The similitude between anxiety and death is the starting point of Paul Tillich's analysis from The Courage To Be, his famous theological and philosophical reply to Martin Heidegger's Being And Time. Not only Tillich and Heidegger are concerned with the connection between anxiety and death but also other proponents of both existentialism and nihilism like Friedrich Nietzsche, Emil Cioran and Lev Shestov. Tillich observes that "anxiety puts frightening masks" over things and perhaps this definition is its finest contribution to the spectacular phenomenology of anxiety. Moreover, Tillich has some illuminating insights about the anxiety of emptiness and meaninglessness, which are important for the history of the existential philosophy. It is interesting how the protestant theologian tries to answer to Heidegger: while the German philosopher asserted that we must avoid fear and we have to embrace anxiety as a route to personal authenticity, Tillich notes that we should transform anxiety into fear, because courage is more likely to "abolish" fear.