A remarkable thing about natural language is that we can use it to share our beliefs and thoughts about the world with other speakers of our language. In cases of successful communication, beliefs seem to be transferred from speakers to hearers by means of the hearer recovering the contents of the speaker’s utterances. This is so natural to us that we take it for granted in our everyday life, and rarely stop to think about how it's is possible. Nevertheless, it's a phenomenon that calls for explanation. It is natural to expect that natural language semantics has a key explanatory role to play here. In order to understand this role, we must relate the semantic values assigned to sentences by semantic theories with the contents of our speech acts. The simplest possible relation would be identity; the meaning of a sentence is simply the belief expressed by an assertion of the sentence in a given context of utterance. However, a number of problem cases in the literature suggest that this cannot be the case. This dissertation offers a critical assessment of the arguments for distinguishing the semantic value of a sentence from its so-called assertoric content, focusing on problems arising from the analysis of tense and temporal expressions. I conclude that they are indeed distinct, and offer a constructive account of how they must be related in order to allow for an explanation of communicative success.​

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:30:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-05-24Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:00:40Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 fatori_mj_dr_arafcl.pdf: 640663 bytes, checksum: 002a0ee57c25351199c521068ffe2dc2 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A presente pesquisa tem por objetivo analisar o emprego do presente do indicativo no português do Brasil, sob uma perspectiva semântico-discursiva. Seu propósito principal é analisar, num corpus constituído de diversos gêneros discursivos, tanto da modalidade escrita como da oral, os valores semânticos do presente do indicativo, bem como o contexto em que ele é empregado. Pretende-se verificar ainda se o que propicia o seu emprego é o gênero discursivo (editorial, artigo de opinião, crônica literária, etc.) ou as sequências textuais (sequência descritiva, narrativa, argumentativa, etc.) das quais esses gêneros são compostos. Além disso, objetiva-se averiguar se há alguma relação entre o presente do indicativo e os tipos de verbos (ação, processo, ação-processo e estado). Na realidade, busca-se aqui verificar se o presente do indicativo realmente possui maior afinidade com os verbos de estado, conforme constatou Fatori (2006) em pesquisa anteriormente realizada, ou se o fator condicionador da seleção do tipo verbal está atrelado aos diversos valores semânticos que esse tempo verbal pode assumir. A pesquisa estabelece suas bases fundamentalmente sobre os trabalhos de Weinrich (1964), segundo o qual a principal função dos tempos verbais é situar o interlocutor no processo comunicacional, e de Corôa (1985), que analisa os tempos verbais sob uma perspectiva semântica / The purpose of this research is to analyze the use of the present of the indicative in the Portuguese language spoken in Brazil in a semantic discoursive perspective. The main aim of this work is to analyze the semantic values that the present of the indicative assumes, as well as the context in which it is used, in a group of different discoursive genders, from both written and spoken modalities. Besides we intend to verify if what promotes its use is the discoursive gender (editorial, opinion article, chronicles, etc.) or the textual sequences (descriptive sequence, narrative sequence, argumentative sequence, etc.) that compose the discoursive genders. We also intend to verify if there is any relation between the present of the indicative and the types of verbs used with this tense. In fact, our purpose is to observe if the present of the indicative really has more affinity with the state verbs, as noticed by Fatori (2006) in research previously done, or if what promotes the selection of the verbal type is linked to the different semantic values that the present of the indicative can assume. As theoretical basis for the analysis, we use the researches of Weinrich (1974) and Côroa (1985)

Orientador: Odette Gertrudes Luiza Altmann de Souza Campos / Banca: Beatriz Nunes de Oliveira Longo / Banca: Rosane de Andrade Berlinck / Banca: Gladis Maria de Barcellos Almeida / Banca: Fábio César Montanheiro / Resumo: A presente pesquisa tem por objetivo analisar o emprego do presente do indicativo no português do Brasil, sob uma perspectiva semântico-discursiva. Seu propósito principal é analisar, num corpus constituído de diversos gêneros discursivos, tanto da modalidade escrita como da oral, os valores semânticos do presente do indicativo, bem como o contexto em que ele é empregado. Pretende-se verificar ainda se o que propicia o seu emprego é o gênero discursivo (editorial, artigo de opinião, crônica literária, etc.) ou as sequências textuais (sequência descritiva, narrativa, argumentativa, etc.) das quais esses gêneros são compostos. Além disso, objetiva-se averiguar se há alguma relação entre o presente do indicativo e os tipos de verbos (ação, processo, ação-processo e estado). Na realidade, busca-se aqui verificar se o presente do indicativo realmente possui maior afinidade com os verbos de estado, conforme constatou Fatori (2006) em pesquisa anteriormente realizada, ou se o fator condicionador da seleção do tipo verbal está atrelado aos diversos valores semânticos que esse tempo verbal pode assumir. A pesquisa estabelece suas bases fundamentalmente sobre os trabalhos de Weinrich (1964), segundo o qual a principal função dos tempos verbais é situar o interlocutor no processo comunicacional, e de Corôa (1985), que analisa os tempos verbais sob uma perspectiva semântica / Abstract: The purpose of this research is to analyze the use of the present of the indicative in the Portuguese language spoken in Brazil in a semantic discoursive perspective. The main aim of this work is to analyze the semantic values that the present of the indicative assumes, as well as the context in which it is used, in a group of different discoursive genders, from both written and spoken modalities. Besides we intend to verify if what promotes its use is the discoursive gender (editorial, opinion article, chronicles, etc.) or the textual sequences (descriptive sequence, narrative sequence, argumentative sequence, etc.) that compose the discoursive genders. We also intend to verify if there is any relation between the present of the indicative and the types of verbs used with this tense. In fact, our purpose is to observe if the present of the indicative really has more affinity with the state verbs, as noticed by Fatori (2006) in research previously done, or if what promotes the selection of the verbal type is linked to the different semantic values that the present of the indicative can assume. As theoretical basis for the analysis, we use the researches of Weinrich (1974) and Côroa (1985) / Doutor

Text in Afrikaans / Because of the variety of relationships which exist between transitive verbs and their objects, all direct objects are not comparable with one another. One class of object, however, which stands by itself and which is of considerable interest, is the OBJECT OF RESULT. Because of the particular relation which exists between object and transitive verb in resulting constructions, we have here an unique class of direct object. The resulting construction is therefore, in the first instance a relation construction. This specific relation between transitive verb and object is mainly determined by the presence of or absence of certain inherent distinctive characteristics by transitive verbs and which play a determining role in identifying OBJECTS OF RESULT. From this study it is also clear that there is a semantic value present in transitive verbs (that can combine with objects of result) which has not been observed or distinguished by lexicographers and grammarians until recently. / Omdat voorwerpe van sinne in 'n verskeidenheid van betrekkinge met (oorganklike) werkwoorde kan staan, is alle direkte voorwerpe nie almal in alle opsigte vergelykbaar met mekaar nie. Waarskynlik die interessantste voorwerp in hierdie verskeidenheid is die RESULTATIEWE VOORWERP. As gevolg van die besondere verhouding wat daar bestaan tussen hierdie voorwerp en die HW, het ans hier te make met 'n unieke tipe direkte voorwerp wat kan aanspraak maak op 'n eie bestaansreg as 'n subkategorie van die hoofkategorie: Direkte Voorwerpe. Die resulterende konstruksie is dus, in die eerste plek, 'n verhoudingskonstruksie. Hierdie spesifieke verhouding tussen die HW en die voorwerp word grootliks bepaal deur die aan- of afwesigheid van sekere inherente distinktiewe kenmerke wat by oorganklike werkwoorde voorkom en wat 'n bepalende rol speel by die ontstaan van en identifisering van RESUL TATIEWE VOORWERPE. Uit hierdie ondersoek sal verder blyk dat daar 'n semantiese waarde by oorganklike werkwoorde is wat tot dusver nag nie deur taalkundiges/woordeboekmakers of woordverklaarders onderskep en onderskei is nie. Oorganklike werkwoorde kan dus fyner gedefinieer word ten opsigte van hul verbindbaarheid, al dan nie, met resultatiewe voorwerpe. / Language Education, Arts and Culture / M.A. (Afrikaans)

Text in Afrikaans / Because of the variety of relationships which exist between transitive verbs and their objects, all direct objects are not comparable with one another. One class of object, however, which stands by itself and which is of considerable interest, is the OBJECT OF RESULT. Because of the particular relation which exists between object and transitive verb in resulting constructions, we have here an unique class of direct object. The resulting construction is therefore, in the first instance a relation construction. This specific relation between transitive verb and object is mainly determined by the presence of or absence of certain inherent distinctive characteristics by transitive verbs and which play a determining role in identifying OBJECTS OF RESULT. From this study it is also clear that there is a semantic value present in transitive verbs (that can combine with objects of result) which has not been observed or distinguished by lexicographers and grammarians until recently. / Omdat voorwerpe van sinne in 'n verskeidenheid van betrekkinge met (oorganklike) werkwoorde kan staan, is alle direkte voorwerpe nie almal in alle opsigte vergelykbaar met mekaar nie. Waarskynlik die interessantste voorwerp in hierdie verskeidenheid is die RESULTATIEWE VOORWERP. As gevolg van die besondere verhouding wat daar bestaan tussen hierdie voorwerp en die HW, het ans hier te make met 'n unieke tipe direkte voorwerp wat kan aanspraak maak op 'n eie bestaansreg as 'n subkategorie van die hoofkategorie: Direkte Voorwerpe. Die resulterende konstruksie is dus, in die eerste plek, 'n verhoudingskonstruksie. Hierdie spesifieke verhouding tussen die HW en die voorwerp word grootliks bepaal deur die aan- of afwesigheid van sekere inherente distinktiewe kenmerke wat by oorganklike werkwoorde voorkom en wat 'n bepalende rol speel by die ontstaan van en identifisering van RESUL TATIEWE VOORWERPE. Uit hierdie ondersoek sal verder blyk dat daar 'n semantiese waarde by oorganklike werkwoorde is wat tot dusver nag nie deur taalkundiges/woordeboekmakers of woordverklaarders onderskep en onderskei is nie. Oorganklike werkwoorde kan dus fyner gedefinieer word ten opsigte van hul verbindbaarheid, al dan nie, met resultatiewe voorwerpe. / Language Education, Arts and Culture / M.A. (Afrikaans)