The use of cluster analysis for identification of linguistic transitivity patterns
Abstract
This paper aims to present a hierarchical clustering technique for the analysis of semantic and syntactic patterns of transitivity at clausal level. From an empirical and usage-based approach, this type of methodology has proved useful for the investigation of linguistic patterns to which speakers are exposed, reaching similar results found in theoretically categories. In a simple sampling procedure without replacement, 690 oral units were selected from a corpus of 23 oral interviews. These sentence units were analyzed in terms of nine transitivity parameters and their clausal syntax. The goal was to identify groups of sentences that share similarities in terms of this set of traits. The groups found reveal a kind of proto-conceptual meaning of the sentences, which includes correlated aspectual and actantial traits. The results show three basic micro-narrative scenarios on which the event expressed in clausal unfolds.
Copyright (c) 2019 Marcus Lepesqueur, Ilka Afonso Reis
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