An interesting feature of belarussian grammar: the demonstrative pronoun as part of comparative phrases 

Abstract.

AN INTERESTING FEATURE OF BELARUSSIAN GRAMMAR; THE DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUN AS PART OF COMPARATIVE

Boris Norman

Independent researcher, Minsk, Belarus.

Abstract

Background: The main object of the article is comparative phrases in Belarusian texts.  

Purpose: The role of demonstrative pronouns (той, тая, тое, тыя) in the structure of comparative phrases is analyzed. Their stylistic coloring of a folklore character, what refers the reader to folk speech, is one of purposes of the paper.

Results: The participation of the demonstrative pronoun gives the compared object the function of a prototype, a symbol of some quality. There are varying degrees of stability of these comparisons. Even in those contexts where the comparison is disposable, occasional, random, the demonstrative pronoun gives it the power of a symbol, a prototype. Comparative material from the Ukrainian and Russian languages is provided. In the Ukrainian language, demonstrative pronouns as part of comparative phrases perform approximately the same function as in Belarusian. But in Russian texts a similar role is played by the possessive pronoun твой, твоя, твое, твои (размалеванный что твой Диснейленд).

Discussion: Pronouns in such contexts turn into modal particles that contribute to the processes of categorization and the formation of a body of conceptual standards of the language. They also serve for an empathic (psychological) rapprochement between the speaker and the listener (author and reader).

Keywords: demonstrative pronoun, comparative phrases, Belarusian language, prototype, categorization.

Vitae

Boris Norman is a professor, Doctor of Philology, who worked at the Belarusian State University for more than 50 years, now an independent researcher. His areas of research interests include language theory, grammar and lexicon of Slavic languages, socio- and psycholinguistics, language teaching methodology.

Correspondence: boris.norman@gmail.com 

Article.

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