The grammatical concepts for the basic sentence types in German and English are established and confirmed in various grammars. Each grammar differentiates between declarative, interrogative and imperative sentence. But when it comes to the classification of exclamative sentences different and partly excluding concepts can be found. Some grammarians regard exclamative sentences as an individual sentence type whereas others define exclamative sentences as a special case of one of the other three basic sentence types.
The purpose of this paper is to try to find an answer to the controversial question whether exclamative sentences are a basic sentence type. For this reason an analysis of German and English grammars and research papers dealing with the classification of exclamative sentences is necessary. The analysis will focus on the following questions and problems:
• Is there a sentence type “exclamative sentence”, which can be unambiguously characterised and identified?
• If so, can exclamative sentences be regarded as a basic sentence type alongside declarative, interrogative and imperative sentences?
• If not, what are exclamative sentences? Do they belong to the basic sentence types or are they a minor sentence type?
The analysis will proceed in the following fashion. First, I will analyse German grammars and papers regarding exclamative sentences, including their use and meaning. Second, I will continue the analysis with English grammars and papers. A summary after each part will restate the results of the analysis. Third, in a concluding section the results will be restated shortly. The gained information from the other sections will be used to answer the initial question whether there is an individual exclamative sentence type.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Exclamative sentences in German
2.1 Exclamative sentences in German grammars
2.1.1 DUDEN Grammatik
2.1.2 Deutsche Grammatik
2.1.3 Grammatik der deutschen Sprache
2.2 Exclamative sentences in German papers
2.2.1 Fries: Ist Pragmatik schwer! – über sogenannte ’Exklamativsätze’ im Deutschen
2.2.2 Näf: Gibt es Exklamativsätze?
2.2.3 Summary
3 Exclamative sentences in English
3.1 Exclamative sentences in English grammars
3.1.1 A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language (CoGEL)
3.1.2 The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language (CGEL)
3.1.3 The Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English (LG)
3.2 Exclamative sentences in English papers
3.2.1 Elliott: Toward a Grammar of Exclamations
3.2.2 McCawley: Boy! Is syntax easy!
3.2.3 Portner and Zanuttini: Exclamative Clauses at the Syntax-Semantics Interface
3.2.4 Summary
4 Exclamative sentences in English and German
5 References
Research Objective and Topics
This paper investigates the contentious status of exclamative sentences as a basic sentence type in English and German. By comparing various grammars and linguistic research, the study evaluates whether exclamations possess a sufficiently distinct and stable grammatical structure to be categorized alongside declarative, interrogative, and imperative sentences, or whether they should be considered a minor sentence type.
- Comparison of German and English grammatical definitions of exclamative sentences.
- Analysis of syntactic properties versus pragmatic interpretation functions.
- Evaluation of structural criteria such as wh-elements, intonation, and factivity.
- Critical review of scholarly debates regarding the classification of sentence types.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2.1 Fries: Ist Pragmatik schwer! – über sogenannte ’Exklamativsätze’ im Deutschen
In this paper Fries discusses the use of exclamative sentences and their meaning. In his opinion exclamative sentences are not a sentences type but rather the result of different interpretation functions, which are partly influenced grammatically but mainly the outcome of pragmatic interpretations. He argues that sentences, which are called exclamative sentences, do not have a common grammatical structure. The only characteristic they have in common is the manner in which they can be interpreted. Fries says that exclamative sentences show the speaker’s affective-emotional attitude which implies that the facts are considered as unexpected and different from the norm. Nevertheless this emotional attitude is not created by a grammatical structure but the result of pragmatic interpretations. Furthermore Fries mentions that exclamative sentences do not always express the speaker’s amazement. In sentence (1) for example no amazement can be found.
(1) Wie schade das ist!
Fries argues that a sentence type must be identified unambiguously as only one definite sentence type. But many sentences can be interpreted with different meanings. Sentence (2) for example can either be interpreted with an imperative or an exclamative meaning.
(2) Seid ihr mutig!
Additionally the affective-emotional attitude of the speaker can also be found in sentences with a wish or imperative meaning; therefore the interpretation is ambiguous and not appropriate for identifying exclamative sentences.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Introduces the research problem regarding the classification of exclamative sentences within established grammatical frameworks.
2 Exclamative sentences in German: Examines various German grammars and papers to identify structural definitions and commonalities of exclamations in the German language.
3 Exclamative sentences in English: Analyzes English-language grammars and theoretical papers to determine the syntactic and semantic properties of English exclamatives.
4 Exclamative sentences in English and German: Synthesizes findings from both languages to argue that exclamative sentences lack a consistent structure and should be classified as a minor sentence type.
5 References: Provides a comprehensive list of all primary and secondary literature cited within the analysis.
Keywords
exclamative sentences, sentence types, German grammar, English grammar, linguistics, syntax, pragmatics, factivity, scalar implicature, wh-elements, declarative sentences, interrogative sentences, imperative sentences, language contrast, sentence structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines whether exclamative sentences qualify as a "basic" sentence type in German and English, comparable to declarative, interrogative, or imperative sentences.
What are the central thematic areas discussed?
The study centers on the intersection of formal syntactic structures and pragmatic interpretation, assessing how linguists define exclamations in contrast to other sentence types.
What is the primary goal of the author?
The goal is to determine if exclamative sentences can be characterized by a consistent grammatical structure or if their identity relies primarily on pragmatic and prosodic factors.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author uses a comparative analysis of major grammars (e.g., Duden, CoGEL, CGEL) and seminal research papers to evaluate existing definitions and theories.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body is divided into investigations of German exclamatives, English exclamatives, and a comparative synthesis of both languages.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The work is characterized by terms like exclamative sentences, syntax, pragmatics, factivity, and comparative linguistics.
How does the author define the relationship between intonation and sentence type?
The author highlights that while falling intonation is a common feature of exclamatives, it is often insufficient on its own to define a unique syntactic sentence type.
What is the significance of the "factivity" concept mentioned in the paper?
Portner and Zanuttini suggest that factivity and the positioning of wh-elements are key markers for identifying exclamative clauses, distinguishing them from interrogatives.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding the classification of exclamatives?
The author concludes that exclamatives should be regarded as a "minor" sentence type rather than a basic one, because they lack a uniform, reoccurring grammatical structure across all instances.
- Quote paper
- Phyllis Wiechert (Author), 2004, Exclamative sentences - a basic sentence type? , Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/73182
