A cognitive grammar approach to the evidential uses of English perception verb constructions

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  • 英語知覚動詞構文の証拠性用法に関する認知文法的考察
  • エイゴ チカク ドウシ コウブン ノ ショウコセイ ヨウホウ ニ カンスル ニンチ ブンポウテキ コウサツ

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This paper describes the uses of copulative perception verb construction (abbreviated as "CPVC", e.g. He looks happy.), especially in terms of evidentiality and factivity and analyzes them utilizing the control cycle model. With respect to evidentiality, Gisborne (2010) recognizes three uses: 'attributary use', 'evidential-1 use', and 'evidential-2 use' on the semantico-pragmatic basis. In Section 2, previous studies on evidentiality and perception verbs are examined; after reviewing the definition on evidentiality argued in Palmer (2001) and Aikhenvald (2004), the literature regarding CPVC and the related construction such as the experiencer-based perception verb construction is critically examined. It is argued that the previous studies have attempted to capture the phenomenon itself, although it lacks investigations on the fundamental mechanism, that is, motivation on the development of CPVC. In Section 3, I introduce a theoretical model, the Control Cycle, which is a general cognitive model advocated by Langacker (2002). In this model, a variety of processes are schematized as a cycle in which an entity (an actor) becomes aware of the existence of a target entity (a target), captures it and takes it under control. This model is highly generalized to describe many kinds of processes, from physical processes to perceptual, epistemic, and social processes. The model consists of four basic "phases": Baseline, Potential, Action, and Result. In particular, the Epistemic Control Cycle is used to describe epistemic processes, which consists of three potential stages: Formulation, Assessment, and Inclination. The analysis adopting the control cycle shows that the attributary use is located in the result phase, whereas both evidential use (Evidential-1 use and Evidential-2 use) are located in the inclination phase, which indicates that the process profiles a provisional judgment. This view is supported by the fact that the phenomenon "negative raising", which pertains only to the inclination phase, can be seen in both evidential uses. It is important to mention that the distinction of inclination and result is also reflected in the presence vs. the absence of a modal.

Journal

  • 言語科学論集

    言語科学論集 19 27-49, 2013-12

    Department of Linguistic Science, Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University

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