Reference of Statement in the Discourse

Abstract

The article studies the possibilities of describing the mechanism of reference in terms of statement making. The concept of adsubjectification is used, which allows introducing the mechanism of reference in the discourse as a relation of subordination of statement of the speaker to the statement of the other subject functioning in the current statement as unapproved predication. Adsubjectivation is examined on the material of sentences with non-propositional meaning. All material was abstracted from the texts of Russian Orthodox sermons of 19-20 centuries. Sermons are described precisely as an open set, and not as a specific speech work. The article shows that virtually all highly productive statements in sermons are referred to only one ontological entity—the fact. Referential properties of statements in the discourse are not connected with the pragmatic context and the subject of speech activity as a bearer of certain psychological (will, emotions, opinions) characteristics and are explained in terms of an act of statement making by the concept of adsubjectification.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n5s4p146