大学高级英语语法PPT第十五章

15.1.2 information focus信息中心 In spoken English, utterance →phonologically divided into tone groups → unit of information tone groups → a sequence of stressed and unstressed syllables containing a nucleus (the focus of information) ※the nucleus falls on the last element of the sequence → the principle of end-focus. e.g. The duke gave my aunt the teapot. stress: teapot less likely to on: the duke, my aunt and gave
the
15.1.1 Given and new information已知信息与新信息
In connected speech or writing, the sentence we produce tend to proceed from what is taken to be given to what is taken to be new.(一般来说，在连贯的语言表达中，句子是从 已知信息到新信息) e.g. 1) A distinct and almost overwhelming beat is found in rock music. An easily recognizable rhythm exists in each song. An overpowering emotional message is expressed by the music. 1) → fragmentary passage / no smooth information flow Each sentence starts with new information→ ―surprise‖
to distinguish the given and the new information→ distinguish between the topic (what we are talking about) and the comment (what we are saying about) In English, we have to make do with the order of words. There are a number of devices that enable us to topicalise what we take as given information and to postpone for focus what we take as new information.
15.1. information structure 15.1.1 Given and new information已知信息与新信 息 Most of the sentences are loaded with information The sentences we utter often need to contain: 1) given information → To provide an unambiguous starting point of the message (makes the utterance relevant) 2) new information → to construct an informative message (without which the utterance would be considered as sheer nonsense)
15.1.2 information focus信息中心
Βιβλιοθήκη Baidu
The
principle of end-focus: the new information is placed towards the end The principle of end-weight: the tendency to place a weighty element in the final position ※ the new information → has a greater need for explanation than the given information and → is conveyed by weightier elements
Chapter 15
Information Structure and Emphasis
本章学习重点：
通过分析句子的信息结构，学会用各种手段来 突出重要的信息，从而更有效地传递信息。 信息结构 强调重要信息的各种手段
15.0 Introduction
This chapter studies the ways in which sentences are constructed to convey a message. -- To speak and write sensibly is as important as to speak and write grammatically.
15.1.2 information focus信息中心
In
written English, → no help of facial expressions / gestures; the situation of writing is beyond reach intonation pattern is implicit and imaginary we need to make full use of the visual linguistic devices and take extra care of such things as diction, punctuation and word order. The most useful presentation of the information focus: ordering item in accordance with their degree of importance ※ Save the best for the last

15.1.1 Given and new information已知信息与新信息
2) In rock music we find a distinct and almost overwhelming beat. Each song has easily recognizable rhythm. Its message is an overpowering emotional one. In 2): The given information is offered at the beginning, i.e. a topic for discussion is introduced at the beginning → coherence is achieved the new information is in the predicate (normally in the latter half of a sentence) Questions the author is assumed to intend to answer: What do we find in rock music? What does each song have? What is its message? (refer to p354)
15.1.1 Given and new information已知信息与新信息
new information → unfamiliar to the receiver, is the most important part of the information unit → closely linked with the information focus given information → assumed to be familiar to the receiver because it was explicitly provided in the preceding linguistic context or implicitly provided in view of the situational context or the shared cultural background.
15.1.2 information focus信息中心
e.g. 3) To produce a fairly short one-volume introduction to semantics which might serve the needs of students in several disciplines and might be of interest to the general reader was my intention. 4) It was my intention to produce a fairly short one-volume introduction to semantics which might serve the needs of students in several disciplines and might be of interest to the general reader . In 3): misplaced information → top heavy, unbalanced → should be avoided
15.0 Introduction
Focus of discussion: The grammatical approaches to the organization of linguistic fragments, each carrying bits of information, into a unified sentence. Examine the internal structure of the sentence by cutting the sentence into information units and ordering the sentence parts so as to achieve the intended result. An understanding of the information structure → effective conveyance of our message → devices for achieving emphasis
15.1.2 information focus信息中心
e.g. 1) I saw a man with a scar across his face trying to escape with a bag he had snatched from a lady on my way home yesterday. 2) I saw on my way home yesterday a man with a scar across his face trying to escape with a bag he had snatched from a lady. In 1): on my way home yesterday →not much news value→ should be moved out of the new information scope as in 2)