Prepositional clusters : investigative-oriented learning and English language teaching
This thesis attempts to do three things. Firstly, it attempts to bring a new contribution to knowledge about fixed idiomatic expressions in English, by demonstrating that the overall meaning of such expressions need not always be conveyed by the presence of lexical words. Linguistic observation of natural and authentic language use has shown the existence of fixed idiomatic expressions consisting solely of grammatical words and possessing a particular overall meaning. Some of these expressions commonly found in everyday informal communication (written and spoken) are ~this and/or that~, ~either or ~, ~round and round ~, ~ups and downs ~, ~on and off', etc. Secondly, the thesis will seek to illustrate through descriptive analysis that fixed expressions consisting solely of grammatical words can be called ~units of meaning~, using Sinclair's (1991a) position regarding form and meaning. Thus, a part of the thesis will be devoted to investigating the lexico-grammatical behaviour of such expressions. The analysis focuses solely on prepositional clusters, whose frequent usage in informal spoken and written communication makes them suitable for investigation. These prepositional clusters are composed of prepositions
Tan, Melinda Mui Leng
PE English
Prepositional clusters : investigative-oriented learning and English language teaching. This thesis attempts to do three things. Firstly, it attempts to bring a new contribution to knowledge about fixed idiomatic expressions in English, by demonstrating that the overall meaning of such expressions need not always be conveyed by the presence of lexical words. Linguistic observation of natural and authentic language use has shown the existence of fixed idiomatic expressions consisting solely of grammatical words and possessing a particular overall meaning. Some of these expressions commonly found in everyday informal communication (written and spoken) are ~this and/or that~, ~either or ~, ~round and round ~, ~ups and downs ~, ~on and off', etc. Secondly, the thesis will seek to illustrate through descriptive analysis that fixed expressions consisting solely of grammatical words can be called ~units of meaning~, using Sinclair's (1991a) position regarding form and meaning. Thus, a part of the thesis will be devoted to investigating the lexico-grammatical behaviour of such expressions. The analysis focuses solely on prepositional clusters, whose frequent usage in informal spoken and written communication makes them suitable for investigation. These prepositional clusters are composed of prepositions
prepositional cluster investigative oriented learn_english language_teaching attempt three_thing firstly attempt_bring new knowledge fix idiomatic expression english demonstrate overall meaning expression need always convey presence lexical word linguistic observation natural authentic language_use show existence fix idiomatic expression consist solely grammatical word possess particular overall meaning expression commonly_find everyday informal communication write speak this and that either round round down etc secondly seek illustrate descriptive_analysis fix expression consist solely grammatical word call units meaning use sinclair position_regard form_meaning thus part_devote investigate lexico_grammatical behaviour expression analysis focus solely prepositional cluster whose frequent usage informal speak_write communication make suitable investigation prepositional cluster compose preposition