Sunday, 2 August 2020

"Several Locative Expressions Which Presume Information About Time And Space"

Martin & Rose (2007: 185):
And just to complete our review of resources, there are also several locative expressions which presume information about time and space:
now, then; here, there; hereby, thereby; herewith, therewith


Blogger Comments:

[1] To be clear, the genuine "locative expressions", the adverbial groups here and there, which serve as demonstrative reference items, contradict the claims of Martin & Rose that reference is
  • limited to the nominal group,
  • limited to identifying participants,
  • a means of tracking (participants).

[2] To be clear, the temporal adverbial groups, now and then, do not serve as reference items. Halliday & Matthiessen (2014: 632):
The temporal demonstratives now and then also function as cohesive items, but conjunctively rather than referentially.

[3] To be clear, these expressions are not locatives, but do include demonstratives:
  • hereby = 'by this'
  • thereby = 'by that'
  • herewith = 'with this'
  • therewith = 'with that'

The authors' error is a consequence of their taking the view 'from below' (the expression of meaning) — rather than view 'from above' (the meaning expressed) — and falsely concluding that here- and there- in these expressions serve a 'locative' function like the adverbs here and there.

No comments:

Post a Comment