Theoretical and methodological dilema of the functional-semantic field of temporality in linguistics

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Head of the Department of English Language Azerbaijan State Marine Academy

Theoretical and methodological dilema of the functional-semantic field of temporality in linguistics

Gulchohra Babali Aliyeva, PhD in Philology, Associate Professor

Baku, Azerbaijan

Abstract

The article analyzes aspects of the functional-semantic field of temporality from the point of view of functional linguistics. According to modern research, the concept of the semantic field is studied both at the level of lexical-semantic analysis and methodologically. The category of the semantic field, combining all possible types ofrelations in the language between linguistic units and establishing the hierarchical relations of the latter, is itself a systemic entity. The concept of functional domain is interpreted differently depending on the problem. From the perspective of researching verbs in Slavic languages, using examples of the grammatical structure of the German language, studying the tense forms of Romance languages, scientists come to the conclusion that the study of grammar is impossible without analyzing the use of grammatical forms in speech, where grammatical forms interact with the vocabulary is a stock that is permanently replenished and transformed. Depending on the environment, the meaning and function of one or another form change, the meaning of a specific word, which appears under this grammatical form, changes significantly.

This fact should be taken into account when constructing a grammatical and lexical field characterized by a number ofmandatory features. Various means of grammatical and lexical levels, designed to express general meanings, are not connected by random connections, but by relations that make it possible to establish certain regularities. A set ofinteracting means forms a system interpreted as a field. The functional domain has a heterogeneous, usually complex structure. In European linguistics, the concept of field is not taken into account, in this sense, one considers of this issue very relevant. The functional-semantic field of temporality is selected as the object of research, since time is the main characteristic of any process. By temporality one understands the functional-semanticfield, which is based on the grammatical category of time, as well as the lexical-grammatical and grammatical-contextual means of a certain language, which are used to express its contextual variants.

Key words: semantic field, functional-semantic field, periphery, nucleus, verb, tense form.

Анотація

Гюльчохра Бабалі Алієва, кандидат філологічних наук, доцент, завідувач кафедри англійської мови Азербайджанської державної морської академії (Баку, Азербайджан)

ТЕОРЕТИКО-МЕТОДОЛОГІЧНІ ДИЛЕМИ ФУНКЦІОНАЛЬНО-СЕМАНТИЧНОГО ПОЛЯ ТЕМПОРАЛЬНОСТІ У ЛІНГВІСТИЦІ

У статті проаналізовано аспекти функціонально-семантичного поля темпоральності (часових категорій) з точки зору функціональної лінгвістики. Відповідно до сучасних досліджень, концепція семантичного поля вивчається як на рівні лексико-семантичного аналізу, так і методологічно. Категорія семантичного поля, об'єднує усі можливі типи відносин в мові між мовними одиницями. Ця категорія характеризується ієрархічністю та є складною системою. Поняття функціональних доменів, різні наукові школи сприймають по-різному в залежності від проблем, що розглядаються. В ракурсі досліджень дієслів у слов'янських мовах, на прикладах граматичної будови німецької мови, вивчаючи часові форми романських мов, вчені висувають гіпотезу, що аналіз граматичних форм неможливий без вивчення вживання часових форм у мовленні, де граматичні форми взаємодоповнюють одне одного і відповідно, зі словниковим запасом, який перманентно наповнюється та трансформується. Залежно від середовища трансформується сенс та функціональність тієї чи іншої форми, істотно трансформується сенс визначеного слова, яке виступає під певною граматичною формою. Для побудови граматико-лексичного поля, що характеризується обов'язковими ознаками, необхідно це брати до уваги. Різні засоби граматичних і лексичних рівнів, мають на меті передачу загальних значень, пов'язані між собою не випадковими зв'язками, а відносинами, які уможливлюють встановлення певних закономірностей. Сполучність цих засобів утворює систему, інтерпретовану як поле. Функціональний домен має неоднорідну, зазвичай складну структуру. В європейській лінгвістиці поняття поля не враховується, у цьому сенсі вважаємо розгляд цього питання вельми актуальним. Об'єктом дослідження виділяємо функціонально-семантичне поле (ФСП) темпоральності, позаяк час є визначальною характеристикою дискурсу. Отож, під темпоральністю розуміємо функціонально-семантичне поле, де основою є граматична категорія часу, окрім цього, лексико-граматичні та граматико-контекстуальні засоби, що взаємодіють та виражають її контекстні варіанти.

Ключові слова: семантичне поле, функціонально-семантичне поле, периферія, ядро, дієслово, часова форма.

Problem statement. The lack of general principles and criteria for distinguishing and classifying lexical microsystems has given rise to a number of terms designed to describe the same lexical phenomenon: “lexical-semantic group”, “lexical-semantic field”, “synonym group”, “thematic group”, etc. In the perspective of this topic, scientists note that fields differ from the so-called thematic groups of words and lexical-semantic groups, identified in the composition of the lexicon by many researchers, the fact that the grouping of words in them is based solely on language connections, while in the above groups the words are combined based on extra-language connections and are classified as objects and phenomena of reality (Aliyeva, 2022: 168). This article offers consideration of some aspects of the concepts of the semantic field (lexico-semantic) and functional semantic field.

Analysis of recent research and publications. Temporality is a functional-semantic field, where the core is the grammatical category of time, as well as lexical, grammatical, and contextual modulations of this language. Their function is to express their contextual variants. For example, in the Romance languages, the sphere of temporality is monocentric. The core of the functional-semantic field of temporality is grammatical temporal categories. In the middle of the category of temporality is a large number of paradigms of verbal forms of time. This multiplicity of the linguistic system of tenses makes it obvious that the category of time is the dominant category of the verb in the Romance languages. Each of the tense verb forms, in its meaning and formal expression, has a connection with a single starting point, a grammatical point of reference represented by the moment of speech or other moment in relation to which the action occurs.

This study is based on the point of view of linguists who develop the theory of the functional-semantic field (FSF), which includes a group of grammatical, lexical, and combined means of expressing time. The temporal field is based on the concept of time, mainly the location of the action relative to the moment of speech.

The core of the field is represented by the grammatical category oftime, based on the opposition: simple past tense (imperfect)/present/simple future tense (future in the past). The periphery of the field is represented by: lexical units, temporal conjunctions and prepositions, syntactic constructions - consecutive sentences, and verbal periphrases. functional semantic temporality grammatical

The problem of expressing time on the linguistic level has always been given a significant place in linguistic research, which is motivated by the need to understand the real course of time, to identify the principles of placing events on the axis, and the adequacy of the transmission of this information in language.

Throughout the history of the science of language, scientists have attempted to analyze, systematize and describe the means of transmitting temporal reference. A look at the problem from different points of view, especially morphological, has led to a number of inconsistent concepts (Gonzalez, 2021: 88). A qualitatively different vision of the problem of the expression of time, not limited to the framework of morphology, the approach to solving the problem in a broader perspective is outlined in the works of Soviet scientists. The new approach created prerequisites for the convergence of semantic and grammatical notions of time in linguistics and gave rise to the distinction between relative and absolute, direct and indirect tenses. etc., as well as ways of expressing them. The discussion on this topic, which began at the end of the last century and continues now (Hao, 2018). Recently, the problem of the expression of time has acquired a special development. The main attention is devoted to a detailed analysis of the category of time from the point of view of functional grammar, operating with such notions as the functional-semantic field of temporality and temporarily categorical situation. The emergence of the semantic component expands and deepens the field of research and provides opportunities for new research in this direction.

Task statement. Despite the constant and special attention paid to the problem of temporality from the point of view of functional linguistics, the authors who have addressed the subjective types have mainly considered individual aspects of the linguistic expression of time. But the basic principles of the speech realization of this subject as a category as a whole, without a detailed analysis of the constitutive components of the system, does not allow us to draw a complete picture of the mechanisms of functioning of the temporal structure. The task of this work is: a comprehensive analysis of the processes of speech realization of temporal meanings; research of the essence of temporal phenomena (especially important for determining the principles of reflecting the category of objective time in the language; identifying and describing certain temporal means.

Presentation of the basic material. The functional- semantic field (FSF) of temporality is the center of a number of predicative categories, which transmit the attitude of the content of the statement to reality, established from the point of view of the speaker. By temporality adherents of the functional-semantic direction in linguistics understand “a semantic category that reflects the perception and understanding of the time of designated situations and their components in accordance with the moment of speech or the linguistic point of reference” (Salama, 2021: 201). Temporality FSF, according to Gardenforce, Peter, and Maya Brala- Vukanovic (Gardenfors, 2018: 110), is a domain based on the somatic category of temporality and includes a group of means of expression of different grammatical, lexical, and combined levels (lexico-grammatical, grammatical-contextual, etc.). FSF temporality belongs to the category of monocentric fields since the verb category of time and verb tenses are central in the functional-semantic category of temporality. The starting point of temporal relations is the moment of speech or another moment. Each verb tense form contains in its categorical sense a certain relation to this reference point, as in English: I see/I saw/I will see. Each of these verb forms expresses a certain relation to a temporal center. Depending on whether the moment of speech or another moment acts as a temporal deictic center, distinguishing between absolute tense and relative tense (Dik, 2021). Absolute time is oriented to the time of speech. At the center of the varieties of temporal relations is the meaning of absolute time. In the category of temporality, in addition to time itself, we can distinguish a number of related blocks. Thus, functional grammar distinguishes the attribute “actuality/non-actuality of orientation at the moment of speech”. The situationally actualized type of speech is characterized by a direct connection between the content of the statement and the speech situation. Situationally actualized speech is characterized by direct communication between the speaker and the listener. A variety of lexical concretizers, such as now, a long time ago, at once, long time ago, at that time, as well as the vocal correlation of different temporal plans.

Situationally non-actualized speech occurs when there is no direct connection between the content of the utterance and the speech situation, especially with the position of the speaker at the moment of speech. The forms of time in this phrase do not express the past in its real and vivid comparison with the present but perform the function of correlating the past with the appropriate moment in the narrative. Ismail and Sufian (Ismail, 2021: 193) refer the use of past and present to the type of situationally non-actualized temporality and is used mainly in informative speech acts. Among the finite forms of the verb, there are no special forms of relative tense: the same verb tense forms can appear both in absolute temporal use and in relative temporal use. Relative tenses can be expressed with gerunds, but absolute tenses cannot. The tense of the moment of speech of the calcified fraction expresses an advantage in the past over the noticed and only the predicate form of the main part of a compound sentence is perceived in the past with an independent absolute orientation, that is, the point of reference is the moment of speech. The structure of the FSF of temporality distinguishes many microfields of the past, present, and future tenses. Moreover, while traditional grammar notes the close connection between the category of aspect and time, speaking of species-temporal forms, functional grammar, in turn, focuses on the interaction of the functional-semantic categories of temporality, aspectuality, and modality. Some linguists, such as Zhang and Wei, consider past accomplished and imperfective to be different words with different formative systems (Zhang, 2021). Adherents of the communicative grammar point out that the main ways of organizing and separating text are verbs in established species-temporal functions (Chong, 2021). In the qualitatively descriptive function, the speaker, removed in time and space from the action, presents them as something ordinary. The Perfect and Aorist as a reflection of coincidence differ in that the Aorist function is characteristic of verbs of dynamic action, which, by changing, lead the plot of the story to its logical end, are the main means of discourse structure (Oman, 2020). The function of the accomplished form is more characteristic of state verbs than of action verbs. It is not correct to interpret the accomplished form as denoting an action which results in an action which persists until the moment of speech. Verbs of the accomplished form of certain semantic categories may also perform the function of the accomplished form and the aorist in the future tense. Verbs of the future perfect form can perform the procedural function of the imperfect form, accompanying the particle as an adverb, suddenly with the expression of intensity and unexpectedness of the action (Izzatilloevna, 2021). The list of ordinary and repetitive actions in the verb forms of the future accomplished type can also perform the function of a qualitatively significant accomplished type. The imperfect also appears in the proverb sample with a generalized-personal verb in the future accomplished form, usually with negation. Sentences and groups of sentences with a predicate in the present tense can perform an imperfect and qualitatively descriptive procedural function, that is, to visually reproduce observed processes and give a descriptive characteristic of an object, a person, its properties. Despite the fact that the present tense does not have an accomplished form, the context allows verbs in the present tense form to report a sequence of successive actions in a visually reproductive sense, e., to perform an aoristic function.

In conclusion, we should emphasize the essential importance of the lexical indicator in the formation of expression. Without lexical means, the full realization of the expressive functions of time, adequate to the needs of speech communication, would be impossible. The temporal form of the verb must correspond to the meaning of the temporal indicative participle. At the periphery of the temporal field, there are also analytic forms of the passive participle of the type discussed. The quasiperiphery of the temporality field, besides the previously listed groups, includes syntactic constructions in the sense of the “null” present tense, corresponding to constructions. Slavic languages are characterized by the expression of proximity/distance with the help of lexical constructs. Only the plural mode verbs of the verb walk, speak, know, etc., which are used exclusively in the past, are characterized by the sign of prescription, have meaning. Indefinitely fixed orientation in time is represented in phrases like “I will come to you someday”. The temporal orientation here may be non-fixed. Unfixed temporal orientation in this case is understood as the absence of all kinds of concretizers of temporal meaning. It is customary to talk about the circumstances of concretizers, but at the level of polypropositional monopredicative constructions, this function may be performed by a definition with temporal semantics - the actants of the prepositional noun (Wang, 2022: 69).

The large periphery of the temporal field includes gerunds as part of participative constructions, modal syntactic constructions that provide for the temporal relation of a situation or one of its elements to the future.

According to Bohm W., such lexical means in each type of their function (function of additional concretization or basic designation of temporal reference) have a constant and stable temporal meaning, expressed in a certain syntactic (adverbial) position (Bohm, 2020). Lexical concretizers of temporal meaning also characterize action by duration and repetition. The duration and the whole covered time interval of action are indicated by adverbs, combinations of nouns with pronouns. The comprehensive indicator of habitus characterizes the action of the predicative base.

Conclusions and suggestions. Consequently, the development of the semantic field in linguistics is always associated with functional grammar. The theory of the functional-semantic field (FSF) was proposed in 1960 and further developed in the perspective of its content and formality. Modern linguistics conceptualizes a variety of theoretical concepts and methodological approaches in the study of the category of the functional-semantic field. In our work, we are guided by the generally defined features of the functional-semantic field: the semantics of the field components; its diversity (temporal and morphological components); its core and periphery and the possibility of transgression between the fields. According to the results of this study, the field of time - the microfield of the present, past, and future time with the potential for transformations and the microfields of multiplicity, certainty, and indeterminacy were identified. Further in-depth scientific research in the perspective of the semantics of the functional-semantic field of temporality will be useful for the deeper development of typology and scientific research of the functional-semantic field.

Bibliography

1. Aliyeva, Gulchohra Babali. Functional and semantic field of aspectuality in different-systemic languages. Amazonia Investiga 11.53 (2022): 166-175.

2. Bohm, Veronica. L'interaction et l'intersection sйmantique de la temporalitй, l'aspectualitй et la modalitй dans les langues romanes: une approche fonctionnelle et pragmatique. (2020).

3. Chong, David, et al. A real-time platform for contextualized conspiracy theory analysis. 2021 International Conference on Data Mining Workshops (ICDMW). IEEE, 2021.

4. Czarnecki, Szymon. Types de formants dans la dйrivation fonctionnelle polonaise et roumaine: bases thйoriques. Studia Romanica Posnaniensia 47.3 (2020): 35-54.

5. Dik, Simon C. Functional grammar. Functional Grammar. De Gruyter, 2021.

6. Gamallo, Pablo. Compositional distributional semantics with syntactic dependencies and selectional preferences.Applied Sciences 11.12 (2021): 5743.

7. Gardenfors, Peter, and Maja Brala-Vukanovic. Semantic domains of demonstratives and articles: A view of deictic referentiality explored on the paradigm of Croatian demonstratives. Lingua 201 (2018): 102-118

8. Gonzalez, Wenceslao J. Semantics of science and theory of reference: An analysis of the role of language in basic science and applied science. Language and scientific research. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2021. 41-91.

9. Hao, Jing. Reconsidering “cause inside the clause” in scientific discourse-from a discourse semantic perspective in systemic functional linguistics. Text & Talk 38.5 (2018): 525-550.

10. Ismail, Sufian. Distribution of Discourse Markers Elements or Discourse Particle as an Entity Relationship in Discourse. Turkish Journal of Computer and Mathematics Education (TURCOMAT) 12.3 (2021): 190-200.

11. Izzatilloevna, Khodjaeva Dilafruz, and Saidova Zokira Tolibovna. Dependent taxis: Semantic features and methods of expression in English. ASIAN JOURNAL OF MULTIDIMENSIONAL RESEARCH 10.5 (2021): 318-321.

12. Oman, Isarov, et al. Taxis Category: Various Approaches And Standpoints. European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine 7.7 (2020): 1024-1033.

13. Salama, Amir HY. Towards a discourse-semantic approach to visual narrative analysis: The case of the BBC news story of Islamic State (IS). Pragmatics and Society 12.2 (2021): 189-223.

14. Wang, Chen. A combined perspective of sociology and linguistics on exploring academic discourse-JR Martin, Karl Maton, YJ Doran, Accessing Academic Discourse: Systemic Functional Linguistics and Legitimation Code Theory. London: Routledge, 2020. Pp. ix+ 316. Hardback $221, ISBN: 978 0 367 23608 3. English Today 38.1 (2022): 69-70.

15. Zhang,Wei, et al. On sample based explanationmethods forNLP: Faithfulness, efficiency and semantic evaluation. Proceedings of the 59th Annual Meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics and the 11th International Joint Conference on Natural Language Processing (Volume 1: Long Papers). 2021.

References

1. Aliyeva, Gulchohra Babali. Functional and semantic field of aspectuality in different-systemic languages. Amazonia Investiga 11.53 (2022): 166-175.

2. Bцhm, Veronica. L'interaction et l'intersection sйmantique de la temporalitй, l'aspectualitй et la modalitй dans les langues romanes: une approche fonctionnelle et pragmatique. [The semantic interaction and intersection of temporality, aspectuality and modality in Romance languages: a functional and pragmatic approach] (2020).

3. Chong, David, et al. A real-time platform for contextualized conspiracy theory analysis. 2021 International Conference on Data Mining Workshops (ICDMW). IEEE, 2021

4. Czarnecki, Szymon. Types de formants dans la dйrivation fonctionnelle polonaise et roumaine: bases thйoriques. [Types of formants in Polish and Romanian functional derivation: theoretical bases] Studia Romanica Posnaniensia 47.3 (2020): 35-54.

5. Dik, Simon C. Functional grammar. Functional Grammar. De Gruyter, 2021.

6. Gamallo, Pablo. Compositional distributional semantics with syntactic dependencies and selectional preferences.Applied Sciences 11.12 (2021): 5743.

7. Gardenfors, Peter, and Maja Brala-Vukanovic. "Semantic domains of demonstratives and articles: A view of deictic referentiality explored on the paradigm of Croatian demonstratives." Lingua 201 (2018): 102-118

8. Gonzalez, Wenceslao J. Semantics of science and theory of reference: An analysis of the role of language in basic science and applied science. Language and scientific research. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2021. 41-91.

9. Hao, Jing. Reconsidering “cause inside the clause” in scientific discourse-from a discourse semantic perspective in systemic functional linguistics. Text & Talk 38.5 (2018): 525-550.

10. Ismail, Sufian. Distribution of Discourse Markers Elements or Discourse Particle as an Entity Relationship in Discourse. Turkish Journal of Computer and Mathematics Education (TURCOMAT) 12.3 (2021): 190-200.

11. Izzatilloevna, Khodjaeva Dilafruz, and Saidova Zokira Tolibovna. Dependent taxis: Semantic features and methods of expression in English. ASIAN JOURNAL OF MULTIDIMENSIONAL RESEARCH 10.5 (2021): 318-321.

12. Oman, Isarov, et al. Taxis Category: Various Approaches And Standpoints. European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine 7.7 (2020): 1024-1033.

13. Salama, Amir HY. "Towards a discourse-semantic approach to visual narrative analysis: The case of the BBC news story of Islamic State (IS)." Pragmatics and Society 12.2 (2021): 189-223.

14. Wang, Chen. "A combined perspective of sociology and linguistics on exploring academic discourse-JR Martin, Karl Maton, YJ Doran, Accessing Academic Discourse: Systemic Functional Linguistics and Legitimation Code Theory. London: Routledge, 2020. Pp. ix+ 316. Hardback $221, ISBN: 978 0 367 23608 3." English Today 38.1 (2022): 69-70.

15. Zhang, Wei, et al. On sample based explanation methods for NLP: Faithfulness, efficiency and semantic evaluation. Proceedings of the 59th Annual Meeting of the Association for Computational Linguistics and the 11th International Joint Conference on Natural Language Processing (Volume 1: Long Papers). 2021.

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