Agency and impersonality : their linguistic and cultural manifestations / Mutsumi Yamamoto.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Yamamoto, Mutsumi, 1942-

Series:

Studies in language companion series ; v. 78.

Studies in language companion series, 0165-7763 ; v. 78

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Grammar, Comparative and general--Agent nouns.

Grammar, Comparative and general.

Grammar, Comparative and general--Animacy.

Grammar, Comparative and general--Subjectless constructions.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (167 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Amsterdam ; Philadelphia : J. Benjamins Pub. Co., c2006.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

In this monograph the author probes the fundamental nature of the concept of agency and its importance to human language and cognition. Whereas previous studies focused on grammatical manifestations this original work addresses such issues as the strong relationship between agency and responsibility, a philosophical interpretation of the concept of agency and a variety of epistemic attitudes towards agency that strongly influence our view of the world. Different cultures and languages process and express agency differently. To illustrate the co-relation between the linguistic expressions of agency and cultural stereotypes that lurk behind individual natural languages, the author analyses Japanese and English parallel corpora. It is shown that English tends to highlight agency in expressing actions and events, whereas Japanese largely obfuscates agency through impersonalising potential agents. Through the case studies on these languages this book sheds light on the close connection between language, thought and culture and contributes to the resurging interest in linguistic relativity.

Contents:

Agency and Impersonality

Editorial page

Title page

LCC data

dedication page

Table of contents

Acknowledgements

List of abbreviations

Introduction

1.1. The importance of agency

1.2. The structure of this book

What is agency?

2.1. Overview

2.2. 'Intentionality' and some satellite concepts: Philosophical discussions

2.3. Cognitive salience and 'mind-style'

2.4. Political or ideological implications: Agency and responsibility

2.5. Agency and 'animacy'

2.5.1. 'Animacy' in general

2.5.2. The interacting parameters

Linguistic treatment of agency and its manifestations in Japanese and English

3.1. Overview

3.2. Agency in linguistic analysis

3.2.1. Inanimate agents and `verbal' aspect of agency

3.2.2. Grammatical machinery

3.3. Manifestations of agency and impersonality in Japanese and English

3.3.1. Expression vs. suppression of agency: A hypothetical view

3.3.2. Analysis of agency in Japanese/English corpus

Agency, impersonality and world-view

4.1. Overview

4.2. Loss of agency or expression of 'impersonality'

4.2.1. Complete effacement of agents

4.2.2. Non-complete effacement/obfuscation

4.3. Linguistic relativity revisited

4.4. Agency, impersonality, mind-styles and cultural norms

4.4.1. Treatment of human entities

4.4.2. Collectivism vs. individualism

Some enigmas concerning agency, impersonality and `reality'

5.1. Contribution to linguistics and philosophy

5.2. Shake not thy roofs: A rhetorical enigma

5.3. Treatment of 'impersonal' constructions

5.4. A neverending story

Notes

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

References

Index

The Studies in Language Companion Series.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. [137]-144) and index.

ISBN:

9786612155406

9781282155404

1282155407

9789027293282

9027293287

OCLC:

613382597