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5. Delimiting the class: A typology of English insubordination

From the book Insubordination

  • Gunther Kaltenböck

Abstract

This chapter proposes a heuristic for delimiting the class of insubordination in English and for identifying different subtypes. It argues that a usage-based approach is best suited for capturing the defining feature of insubordination, viz. its form-function mismatch. This is because usage-based grammar assumes a close link between actual language use and its mental representation, i.e. language structure, with the latter emerging out of the former - often with a substantial time-lag. Accordingly, insubordination is analysed on two different levels: on the level of syntactic structure, which distinguishes between syntactic dependence and independence, and on the level of usage, which distinguishes between pragmatic dependence and independence. Syntactic independence is seen as primary and delimits insubordination from subordination. The secondary criterion of pragmatic (in)dependence allows for the distinction of two subcategories: stand-alone and elaborative insubordination. The proposed criterion of syntactic independence not only provides for a relatively clear-cut identification of insubordination, it also highlights the similarity of insubordination with a range of other, so-called extra-clausal structures (e.g. parenthetical uses of subordinate clauses). This larger category of syntactically independent constructions includes the special case of semi-insubordination, which is argued to fall outside the category of insubordination proper on the basis of its internal syntactic structure.

© 2019 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Munich/Boston
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