A cognitive approach to alliteration and conceptualization in medieval English literature. (7th July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: HARBUS, ANTONINA
• Editors: Bergs, Alexander; Hoffmann, Thomas
• Is Part Of: English language and linguistics. Volume 21:Number 2(2017)
• Page Start: 203
• Page End: 219
• Publication Date: 2017-07-07
• Subjects: English language -- Grammar -- Periodicals; Linguistics -- Periodicals; Linguistic change -- Periodicals; 420.5
• DOI: 10.1017/S1360674317000089
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1360-6743

Abstract

Abstract : This article investigates alliteration in Old and Middle English poetry as a particular type of discourse-structuring device. It explores the use of this device in the context of a mainly anonymous and oral-formulaic tradition, and – in Construction Grammar terms – as a type of fragment chunker for both local conceptualization at the phrasal level and also one that permits (even encourages) a counterpoint conceptualization across syntactic structures, with an impact on literary meaning. The discussion will encompass the metrical aspects of this device, its role in the proliferation of poetic-only terms for key concepts that recur in extant verse texts, and implications for our understanding of medieval mental grammars.