On the Pragmatics of Subject-Object Preposing in Standard Arabic  

Oleh:

Suleiman, Saleh M.

Jenis: Article from Journal - ilmiah internasional
Dalam koleksi: Language Sciences (Full Text) vol. 11 no. 2 (1989), page 215-235.
Fulltext: 11_02_Suleiman.pdf (1.24MB)

Isi artikel

This paper investigates the pragmatic functions of preposing(i.e. topicalizing) subject and object in standard Arabic. It begins with a distinction between two types of movement transformations or preposing processes in Arabic: obligatory and optional and points out that whereas obiigatory preposing is an inherent Pattern of the Arabic sentence structure and there are no special interpretations of sentence meaning incurred by it, optional preposing is semantically marked and is characterized by transformations which convey additional meanings. But although the term”topic”isessentially used to identify a particular sentential constituent, discourse analysts have been referring to “topic” as “what is being talked about in a conversation/ text” (Morgan 1975). This paper shows, through examples, that Arabic grammar has recognized the dose relationship between syntax and semantics and that all changes in the internal structures of Arabic sentences are motivated by a desire to express additional meanings. Also proper preposing and postposing are indicative of eloquence, good style and rhetoric. This paper then discusses the functions of preposing the subject and summarizes them in emphasis, specification and particularity and showing importance. These functions are best expressed through promise and guarantee, refuting a claim, putting an end to doubts, praising someone, seeking clarification and affirmation about theactual doer of a certain action and so on. Finally, the paper addresses the pragmatic functions of preposing the object which, through a movement transformation, either precedes the subject or both subject and verb to take sentence-initial position. It indicates that the prime functions are emphasis, specification, specialization and importance. It concludes that the notion of preposing both subject and object coincides with the Arabic tradition of starting with the more important. It also shows that “topic” is characterized in terms of the topmost element in the hierarchical representation of discourse context.

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