Temporal Adverbials as Elements of the Verbal Code Representing the Mnemonic Function

Abstract

Accepting W. Chafe's ideas regarding memory's representability via language categories expressed in grammatical forms, the author aims at analyzing temporal adverbials as grammatical markers of mnemonic processes, establishing their status in this quality and assessing their potential. To provide a thorough and accurate description of temporal adverbials consistent with the goal of the present study, two relevant parameters are set: direct involvement in marking of specific mnemonic processes at the grammatical level and the type of temporal reference assigned to the mnemonic event. In accordance with the temporal characteristic of the mnemonic event, two subclasses of temporal adverbials are differentiated: localizers specifying the position of the mnemonic event on the time axis in relation to the fixed or conditional reference point and correlators indicating the position of the mnemonic event in relation to other events. An analysis of communicative contexts representing interaction between the subject of a mnemonic situation with other participants yielded results indicating absence of correlation between subclasses of temporal adverbials and specific mnemonic processes as well as functional inequality as representation of mnemonic function at the grammatical level. The findings suggest involvement of temporal adverbials in setting the timeline framework of a mnemonic utterance regardless of their discretionary status and validity as grammatical markers of mnemonic function in general as opposed to specific memory types and procedures.

Keywords

• memory
• temporal adverbial
• mnemonic process
• mnemonic situation
• mnemonic utterance