The Cognitive System of the French Verb
Published on 20. March 1997
Book
Hardback
187 pages
978-1-55619-862-5 (ISBN)
Description
This study is based on the writings and teaching of Gustave Guillaume (1883-1960), one of the earliest proponents of what is today called Cognitive Linguistics. It offers (1) a much needed presentation in English of Guillaume's view of the French system, (2) the clarifications added by his successors, and (3) much empirical detail added by the author from his own extensive experience with the material.
The word system in this work, as explained in the very first chapter, is intended in the Saussurian sense of a closed set of contrasts. The method is first briefly applied to English, in order to familiarize the reader with the methodological concepts and terminology, and comparisons are made with the general outline of the French system.
The major sub-systems of the French verb are analysed in the four central chapters (4-7) entitled Aspect, Voice, Tense, Mood, followed by a chapter on systemic comparison, and two final chapters of detailed analysis of the verbal morphology and its relevance to the cognitive system.
The word system in this work, as explained in the very first chapter, is intended in the Saussurian sense of a closed set of contrasts. The method is first briefly applied to English, in order to familiarize the reader with the methodological concepts and terminology, and comparisons are made with the general outline of the French system.
The major sub-systems of the French verb are analysed in the four central chapters (4-7) entitled Aspect, Voice, Tense, Mood, followed by a chapter on systemic comparison, and two final chapters of detailed analysis of the verbal morphology and its relevance to the cognitive system.
Reviews / Votes
[...] this work serves a useful function in the world of teaching and learning about French psycholinguistics. -- Helen Wright, St.Edward's School OxfordMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Amsterdam
Netherlands
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 245 mm
Width: 164 mm
Weight
410 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-55619-862-5 (9781556198625)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
Content
1. Preface; 2. Chapter One: The Nature of Content Systems; 3. 1. Introduction; 4. 1.1 Origin of the idea; 5. 1.2 System in phonology; 6. 1.3 System and grammatical structure; 7. 1.4 System in language; 8. 1.5 Tongue and discourse; 9. 1.6 Systems and rules; 10. 1.7 Content systems and referential meaning; 11. 1.8 Prior studies with Guillaumian influence; 12. 1.9 Conclusion; 13. Chapter Two: Verbal Paradigms and their Content; 14. 2. Introduction; 15. 2.1 The paradigm of tense; 16. 2.2 Mood; 17. 2.3 Aspect; 18. 2.4 Voice; 19. 2.5 The verbal paradigms of French; 20. Chapter Three: Chronogenesis; 21. 3. Introduction; 22. 3.1 Three morphosyntactic types; 23. 3.2 Stage I: the quasi-nominal mood; 24. 3.3 Stage II: subjunctive mood; 25. 3.4 Stage III: indicative mood; 26. 3.5 Conclusion; 27. Chapter Four: Aspect; 28. 4. Introduction; 29. 4.1 Distinguishing tense from aspect; 30. 4.2 Sequence of tenses in English; 31. 4.3 Use of the surcompose in main clauses; 32. 4.4 Conclusion; 33. Chapter Five: Voice; 34. 5. Introduction; 35. 5.1 The grammatical representation of agent and patient; 36. 5.2 Passive voice in French; 37. 5.3 The pronominal verbs; 38. 5.4 The verbs of resultant state; 39. 5.5 Middle voice; 40. 5.6 Active and middle with inanimate objects; 41. 5.7 Conclusion; 42. Chapter Six: Tense; 43. 6. Introduction: tense and aspect; 44. 6.1 Defining tense and aspect in cognitive terms; 45. 6.2 Tense in cognitive terms; 46. 6.3 Tense and the experience of time; 47. 6.4 The parameters of tense in French; 48. 6.5 Past tenses; 49. 6.6 Future and conditional; 50. 6.7 Conclusion; 51. Chapter Seven: Mood; 52. 7. Introduction; 53. 7.1 A simple cognitive contrast; 54. 7.2 The subjunctive as a position in the system; 55. 7.3 The indicative/subjunctive contrast; 56. 7.4 Facing the problems of subjunctive usage; 57. 7.5 Conclusion; 58. Chapter Eight: Present and Present Perfect; 59. 8. Introduction; 60. 8.1 Concrete cognitive activity; 61. 8.2 The nature of a threshold; 62. 8.3 Cognitive contrasts, lexical and grammatical; 63. 8.4 Conclusion; 64. Chapter Nine: Semiology, the System of Signs; 65. 9. Introduction; 66. 9.1 The arbitrary nature of the sign; 67. 9.2 Arbitrariness and the law of coherence; 68. 9.3 Allomorphs of aller; 69. 9.4 The 'verbes de puissance'; 70. 9.5 The morphology of the imperative; 71. 9.6 Coclusion; 72. Chapter Ten: Verbal Paradigms; 73. 10. Introduction: regular and irregular verbs; 74. 10.1 Verbal paradigms of French; 75. 10.2 Derivational verb suffixes of Latin; 76. 10.3 The French suffix /-i(s)-/; 77. 10.4 The axial consonant; 78. 10.5 Other correspondences in the paradigms; 79. 10.6 The forms of the Latin perfect; 80. 10.7 The past participle; 81. 10.8 Conclusion; 82. Bibliography; 83. General Index; 84. Index of Verb Forms