In:A Corpus Stylistics Approach to Contemporary Present-tense Narrative
Reiko Ikeo, Eri Shigematsu and Masayuki Nakao
[Linguistic Approaches to Literature 43] 2024
► pp. v–viii
Published online: 26 September 2024
https://doi.org/10.1075/lal.43.toc
https://doi.org/10.1075/lal.43.toc
Table of contents
Acknowledgements
List of tables
List of figures
List of abbreviations
Chapter 1.Narrative tense: Theory and practice
1.1Present-tense narrative: Departure from the norm of narrative?
1.2Time and tense in narrative
1.2.1Tense relating the narrator to the narrated
1.2.2Temporal perspectives and time frames within narrative
structure
1.2.3Evaluation: Character discourse presentation and tense
1.3Our approach to present-tense narrative
1.4Overview of chapters
Chapter 2.Present tense in fiction: A historical overview
2.1Literary use of the present tense
2.2Present tense in past-tense narrative
2.2.1Deictic present
2.2.2Historical present
2.2.3Character-deictic present (in direct discourse presentation)
2.2.4Summary
2.3Present tense in present-tense narrative
2.3.1Narrative present
2.3.1.1Extended use of the deictic present: Deictic narrative present
2.3.1.2Extended use of the historical present: Retrospective narrative present
2.3.1.3Extended use of the character-deictic present: Figural narrative present
2.3.2Summary
2.4Heterogeneous functions of the narrative present
Chapter 3.Corpus stylistics and our corpora
3.1Corpus stylistics
3.2Comparable corpora for this study
3.3Annotation of the corpora
3.4Making sub-corpora
3.5Conclusion
Chapter 4.The Semino and Short model and the annotation of PREST and PAST
4.1The Semino and Short model of speech, writing and thought
presentation
4.1.1The main categories
4.1.2Embedded SW&TP
4.1.3Subcategories
4.1.3.1Narrator’s Representation of Speech/Writing/Thought Acts with
topic (NRSAp)
4.1.3.2Inferred thought presentation: “i”
4.1.3.3Quotation phenomena: “q”
4.1.3.4Hypothetical SW&TP: “h”
4.2New sub-categories for PREST
4.2.1Negated speech/writing/thought presentation: “g”
4.2.2New sub-categories “v”, “a”, “o”, “u” and “t”: NI affected by characters’ sensory perceptions
4.2.3Notes for narrated perception
4.3Overview of speech, writing and thought presentation in corpora
4.4Conclusion
Chapter 5.Comparisons of lexis and grammatical structures in PREST and PAST
5.1Colloquialisation in written English
5.2The use of pronouns and underuse of proper nouns in PREST
5.3The underuse of adjectives in PREST
5.4The use of finite verbs and phrasal verbs in PREST and PAST
5.5The progressive aspect in present- and past-tense narratives
5.5.1Progressives in narration
5.5.2Progressives in thought presentation in PREST
5.5.3Present progressives in direct speech
5.6Conclusion
Chapter 6.Comparisons of speech presentation in PREST and PAST
6.1Quantitative overview
6.2Direct forms of speech
6.2.1Faithfulness claims and the distinction between FDS and DS
6.2.2Free Direct Speech (FDS)
6.2.3Direct Speech (DS)
6.2.4Stylistic features of the direct forms of speech presentation
6.2.4.1Key POS tag and keyword lists in Sub DS-PREST
6.2.4.2Key POS tag and keyword lists in Sub DS-PAST
6.2.4.3Four-gram lists of Sub DS-PREST and Sub DS-PAST
6.3Indirect forms of speech
6.3.1Free Indirect Speech (FIS)
6.3.2Indirect Speech (IS)
6.3.3Narrator’s Representation of Speech Acts (NRSA)
6.3.4Narrator’s Representation of Voice (NV)
6.4Conclusion
Chapter 7.Comparisons of writing presentation in PREST and PAST
7.1Quantitative overview
7.2Direct forms of writing: FDW and DW
7.3Free Indirect Writing (FIW)
7.4Indirect Writing (IW)
7.5Narrator’s Representation of Writing Acts and a topic
(NRWA/NRWAp)
7.6Narrator’s Representation of Writing (NW)
7.7Conclusion
Chapter 8.Comparisons of thought presentation in PREST and PAST
8.1Quantitative overview
8.2Direct forms of thought presentation: FDT and DT
8.2.1FDT in PREST and PAST
8.2.2FDT in 1st-person present-tense narrative
8.2.3The annotation of character thought and narration in 1st-person
narrative in PREST
8.2.4Analysis of textual structures presenting FDT in PREST and FIT in
PAST
8.2.4.1N + FDT in PREST and N + FIT in PAST
8.2.4.2NI + FDT in PREST and NI + FIT in PAST
8.3Indirect forms of thought presentation
8.3.1Free Indirect Thought (FIT)
8.3.2Indirect Thought (IT)
8.3.3Narrator’s Representation of Thought Acts (NRTA(p))
8.4Internal Narration (NI)
8.4.1Quantitative overview
8.4.2Qualitative comparisons
8.5The norms in speech and thought presentation
8.6Conclusion
Chapter 9.Comparisons of narration in PREST and PAST
9.1Quantitative overview
9.2More verbs and attributive adjectives in narration in PREST
9.3Narration in 1st-person narrative
9.3.1“I am” in Sub N-PREST-1st
9.3.2“I am” and “I was” in Sub N-PAST-1st
9.3.3“I have + p.p.” in Sub N-PREST-1st and “I had + p.p.” in Sub N-PAST-1st
9.3.4“I can” in Sub N-PREST-1st and “I could” in Sub N-PAST-1st
9.4The narrator’s relationship with characters: N-related portmanteau tags
9.4.1N-FDT
9.5Narration, perception and action
9.5.1Narrated Perception in PREST and PAST
9.5.2Action represented through a character’s immediate perception
9.6Conclusion
Chapter 10.Conclusion
10.1Our findings
10.2Issues involved in discourse categorisation
10.3Evolving present-tense narrative
10.4Future research
Titles of novels and short stories in the corpora
References
Index
