Article

Name: The category of definiteness/indefiniteness in authorization aspect

Authors: S. V. Grichin

In the section Linguistics

Abstract: The paper describes the features of the category of definiteness/indefiniteness in the aspect of authorization (evidentiality) on the scientific discourse material. A brief review of the current approaches to the analysis of this category is given, the content of the discursive aspect of studying it is revealed. Based on the provisions of the functional communicative syntax, functional syntax, functional stylistics, and the theory of reference, the language units – quantifiers of definiteness and indefiniteness are allocated. It is shown that the introduction of an authorization structure in a sentence leads to the explication of definiteness quantifiers in it, such as deictic pronouns with demonstrative function; proper names; adverbial modifiers (grammatical and semantic ones), adjectives and adverbs with the meaning of definiteness, and numerals. On the contrary, unauthorized statements, not showing definiteness concerning the information source, prove to be less certain in the relation to the proposition. It is concluded, that the meanings of definiteness/indefiniteness in both modus and dictum are mutually determined.

Keywords: scientific discourse, authorization, definiteness, indefiniteness

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