ERIC Number: EJ1475698
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0018-2133
EISSN: EISSN-2153-6414
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Adversatives and Concessives: Argumentation and Intersubjectivity
Errapel Mejías-Bikandi
Hispania, v108 n1 p59-80 2025
The paper discusses the interpretation of adversative clauses introduced by "pero" and concessive clauses introduced by "aunque" in Spanish. Specifically, the discussion centers around structures that exhibit the forms: (i) "A, pero B," (ii) "A, aunque B-INDICATIVE," and (iii) "A, aunque B-SUBJUNCTIVE." In these types of constructions, A and B reflect contrasting cognitive realities or subjectivities. The paper examines the different prominence given to the argumentative and intersubjective component associated with "pero" and "aunque" in these constructions. It is shown that whereas (i) favors inferences associated with B and (iii) favors inferences associated with A, (ii) gives equal weight to both perspectives, not privileging the speaker's perspective as presented in A. In construction (ii), the meaning of "aunque" gravitates towards its intersubjective component, while it mitigates its argumentative component, as, rather than lead the audience to conclusions associated with either A or B, the speaker is giving equal prominence to both contrasting views. This in turn makes the construction in (ii) best suited for the expression of courtesy or deference. Since the construction illustrated in (ii) arises later in the history of Spanish, the paper points to a possible process of intersubjectification of "aunque."
Descriptors: Phrase Structure, Spanish, Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, Persuasive Discourse, Language Usage, Diachronic Linguistics, Contrastive Linguistics
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A