On the foundations of the contrastive study of information structure

The paper presents some ideas on the delineation of a more specific contrastive approach to information structure analysis within the larger and more loosely circumscribed comparative area. It will be argued that this delineation can be effected by emphasising the methodological role of the notion tertium comparationis. Ontological and methodological aspects of contrastive information structure analysis will be discussed, and benefits of taking a specifically contrastive approach to information structure will be pointed out. Finally, some lines of argumentation and observations from the preceding chapters of the present volume that can be construed as instances of contrastive information structure analysis will be briefly recapitulated.