Selected Papers from the Fourteenth International ... - STIBA Malang

The balance between syntax and discourse in Old English 13
b. Ða he þa ne mihte mid þæm
when he then [not could with these]-narrow focus
hi oferswiðan, þa het he hi lædan to beheafdianne.
her overpower, then ordered he her lead to beheading
“When he could not overpower her with these, then he ordered that she be
led to beheading” (comart3,Mart_5_[Kotzor]: Ap27,A.12.642)
As far as nominal expressions are concerned, the situation is the following: indefinite
NPs, introducing new discourse entities in the lower subject position, follow
þa/þonne (20), whereas definite NPs can be found both preceding and following
the adverbs.
(20) Gif ðonne hwelc mon forbireð his synna …
if then any man forebears his sins …
“If anyone then refrains from his sins” (cocura,CP: 37.265.1.1719)
The general lack of indefinite nominal expressions to the left of the adverbs is
straightforward: as the area is reserved for d-linked, presupposed material, new
discourse entities will not be able to occur there.
The distribution of definite nominal subjects, on the other hand, is more
puzzling. Since all definite NPs have the same morphological make-up (the presence
of the demonstrative pronoun), the category of definiteness alone cannot
be held responsible for the positional variation. However, certain semantic differences
can be observed. The definite NP se sacerd “the priest” in (21) is used
attributively rather than referentially, and is interpreted as “whoever has the
property of being a priest”.
(21) Gif ðonne se sacred bið ðæs ungerad lareowdomes, hwæt
If then the priest is unskilled in instruction, what
forstent ðonne his gehlyd?
avails then his cry?
“if the priest is unskilled in instruction, what avails his cry?”
(cocura, CP, 15,91,25)
In the high position, definite nominal expressions receive a specific reading.
(22) Þa se biscop þæt þa geseah, þe him big sæt, þa
when the bishop that then saw, who him by sat, then
licode him seo arfæste dæd þæs cyninges;
liked him the virtuous deed of.the king
“When the bishop, who sat next to him, saw that, the king’s virtuous deed
appealed to him” (cobede,Bede_3: 4.166.8.1593)
Generic NPs are possible in the high position, but only if they have a discourse
antecedent, as in (23). Even though not referring to a uniquely identifiable entity,