DIE FORMALEN UND SEMANTISCHEN EIGENSCHAFTEN DER FRAGESÄTZE IM ALBANISCHEN UND DEUTSCHEN SPRACHGEBRAUCH.
This paper provides a comparison of two languages that are very distinct in grammar and pronunciation, respectively German and Albanian. Since research opportunities in comparative linguistics are infinite, this paper focuses on interrogative sentences and their sentence types. Through a detailed an...
| Publicado en: | Journal of Language & Literary Studies / Folia Linguistica & Litteraria no. 40; pp. 291 - 315 |
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| Autores principales: | , |
| Formato: | Artículo |
| Publicado: |
Journal of Language & Literary Studies / Folia Linguistica & Litteraria
2022
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| Acceso en línea: | Ver este registro en EBSCOhost |
| Sumario: | This paper provides a comparison of two languages that are very distinct in grammar and pronunciation, respectively German and Albanian. Since research opportunities in comparative linguistics are infinite, this paper focuses on interrogative sentences and their sentence types. Through a detailed analysis of sentence examples of the grammar used in Albanian and German, we examine the similarities and differences related to different forms of interrogative sentences. As a framework for the classification of interrogative sentences in both languages, we have distinguished sentences into general interrogative sentences and complementary ones. In the end, the knowledge gained is summerised in a general overview. The aim of this work is to compare two languages that are very different in grammar, style and pronunciation, German and Albanian. Since the field of possible investigations in comparative linguistics is endless, the present work focuses on interrogative sentences and their respective linguistic forms. Through the detailed analysis of sentence examples, which are taken from common German and Albanian grammars, the similarities and differences in interrogative sentences are shown. The distinction between yes/no questions and questions that require a supplement serves as a regulatory framework. At the end of the work, the knowledge gained is summarized in an overview. Since these two Indo-European languages do not share major linguistic similarities, we hypothetically assume with Gerd-Dieter Nehring (2002) that on a grammatical level in the Albanian standard language (ASS) there is a basic system of marking tokens in contrast to German: "The ASL (Albanian Standard language) agrees with German in terms of the division of parts of speech into word classes. However, there are also clear differences. In contrast to the article following the noun, the preceding article in Albanian has no determining function (e.g. topi i djalit - 'the boy's ball'), despite their common genetic origin" (Nehring 2002, 51; our transl.). Detailed syntactical analysis demonstrates why the sentence order is flexible in German and relatively free in Albanian, a finding that could form the basis for further research on Albanian-German contrastive syntax. As an excerpt from a larger research project, this work provides insights into selected areas of German and Albanian grammar. The demonstration of connecting and disconnecting factors between both languages should thus be expanded and deepened. New insights are gained by combining various systematic linguistic methods with semantic and syntactic analysis. Due to the importance and the strong desire for good language skills, this research can be valuable for teachers as well as scholars of German. The aim of the study is to give an overview of and an insight into a still little researched and discussed part of the theory of interrogative sentences, mainly in the morphosyntax, to explain various examples in both languages and to present the variations of the interrogative sentences. An additional aim of this work is to examine the translations of literary works with regard to possible alternatives, or to clarify to what extent, e.g. the B. position and modes of verbs, intonation and melodic design, allow certain freedoms or, conversely, are bound by grammatical constraints. With regard to the analytical method used, an attempt is made to isolate the possible syntactic features of Albanian and German in order to bring them forward as relevant factors for distinguishing the interrogative sentences in the two languages. Through this analysis, we aim to show the differences between the two language systems, and as such, contribute to the language comparison between Albanian and German with regard to sentence types. By constantly referring to alternative forms of presentation and representation, knowledge about the linguistic variation of sentence types should also be increased. Because the structure of the sentences (and this includes not only the verb order in the sentence) significantly affects different types of sentences, when selecting the sentences to be examined, a large number of these factors had to be taken into account or included to a controllable extent. First, the selection of the sentences to be examined follows, as described above, the structural properties discussed in standard grammars. Second, it was also necessary to find examples that have content and linguistic relevance in both languages. And third, the semantic content of the sample sentences was also taken into account. Based on the research question of how the interrogative sentences in German and Albanian differ from each other, the following aspects and characteristics (which then guided the investigation) could be determined: (1) The sentence formation patterns in German and Albanian differ widely and require a specific focus on the respective semantic content. (2) The usual bracket formation in German does not occur in Albanian. However, what does it correspond to in this language? and (3) In both languages, the verb with its valences is the central element in the sentence. In German, the personal form of the verbal part is usually placed in the second position in the main clause (the declarative clause), but in the subordinate clause, it is usually placed at the end of the sentence. But there are also subordinate clauses with constant verb position, notably in the case of conditional clauses and indirect speech. This different rule for main and subordinate clauses does not apply in Albanian. So, while in German the position of the verbal parts changes in the subordinate clause, in Albanian this is the same as in the main clause. Accordingly, Albanian essentially has a verb in the second position. Another main goal of the project, albeit only an indirect one (through the practice of the research itself), is to show how a combination of traditional syntactic methods and experiments, which have so far only been used in other disciplines of linguistics, can also bring insights into sentence types that can be used in research. The interrogative sentence serves to express different types of interrogation. In German, a basic distinction is made between two large groups of question sentences: (1) supplementary question sentences or word question sentences and (2) decision question sentences or sentence question sentences. "The decision question assumes that it is uncertain whether the description of the facts has or will have any relation to reality" (Sommerfeldt/Starke 1989, 261; our transl.). On the other hand, in Albanian a distinction is made between supplementary interrogative sentences and decisive interrogative sentences, as well as direct and indirect interrogative sentences (main and subordinate clauses). According to specific modal aspects, the interrogative sentences are divided into neutral, dubitative, deliberative and polemical interrogation. Polemical interrogativity is expressed in interrogative and exclamatory sentences. Sentences with neutral interrogativity occur as decision and supplementary interrogative sentences (cf. Buchholz/Fiedler 1987, 498-9). Pitch progressions that fulfill the same linguistic functions form the realization level of the same intonation contours. There is only one indirect connection here. However, there is an agreement on the subject of interrogative sentences. Here almost all grammars agree on the classification of the following types of question sentences in both Albanian and German: decision questions, supplementary questions, alternative questions and echo questions. A further distinction is made between direct and indirect questions at the syntactic level (cf. Laposa 2003). Morphological, syntactic, and semantic criteria were created for the structure of the interrogative sentences, as they are also used as delimitation features in many other studies (cf. Buchholz/Fiedler 1987, Sommerlfeldt/Starke 1989, Duden 2009 and Helbig/Buscha 2007). A distinction is made between word questions and sentence questions, depending on whether a question word (English: "Wh...?") is used or not. The default answer to set questions is "Ja" or "Nein". The aim of this work was to examine the syntactic and semantic differences as well as the similarities between the interrogative sentences in Albanian and German, as there are still no corresponding results in the literature comparing the two languages. A distinction is made between two subgroups of questions: (1) the decision questions and (2) the supplementary questions. Interrogative sentences always expect a reaction from the other person, be it between speaker and listener or between writer and reader. There is usually a question mark at the end of the question sentence. Similarities and differences of the two languages in terms of the form of interrogative sentences: - Sentence questions have their own question particle "a" in Albanian, which is used frequently, but not exclusively. The declarative sentence can be changed in both languages by placing a question mark and changing the intonation to a decisive question. The Albanian interrogative particle "a" is either omitted or added in this case. - In Albanian, interrogative sentences are divided into neutral, dubitative, deliberative and polemical interrogation according to specific modal aspects. Apart from the specific intonation, the neutral decision question does not require any special elements, but the particle "a", which has a morphological status, can express interrogation (cf. Buchholz/Fiedler 1987, 498). - The negative word "nicht" can be used in both languages in the decision question sentence. The German "nicht" corresponds to the Albanian "jo". - In German, a typical form of interrogative sentences is distinguished, namely the "W-interrogative sentences". - In German, the conjunction "oder" ("apo, ose") is then added. The word "not" comes after the conjunction "oder" at the end of the sentence. In Albanian, on the other hand, the conjunction does not appear at the end of the sentence. Kommt Martha morgen oder nicht? - A vjen nesër Martha apo jo? - In the German decision question, the predicate is placed in front. In Albanian, the decision interrogative sentence differs from the declarative sentence only by the question particle "a" or by the use of rising intonation. In the Albanian question-and-answer sentence, the question particle "a" is at the beginning of the sentence.-The declarative sentence and the decision question sentence differ by the question particle "a", "mos vallë", "a mos vallë" and the question mark or the point. On the other hand, in a German question-and-answer sentence, the finite verb takes the first position, the top of the sentence (a Verberst interrogative sentence or a Verberst interrogative sentence). This syntactic question type is particularly often combined with the falling intonation contour (a question with a falling accent). - The word order in the question sentence is different in Albanian and German. In German, the verb usually comes first, followed by the subject and the other parts of the sentence. In Albanian, on the other hand, decision-making questions have a different structure. A change from the declarative sentence to decision questions is easier in German. Du isst. Ti han (Declarative sentence); Isst du? A po han ti? (decision question). - In the Albanian example sentences, the question particle "a (po)" stands out as the main difference. Here, a normal decision question consists of a statement and a question particle. Spielst du jeden Tag Fußball? - A luan ti çdo ditë futboll? The position of the clauses does not change in this case. The finite verb is found at the beginning of the sentence. The intonation is interrogative in both languages. - In Albanian there are two ways of expressing the normal decision question, but they are equivalent. Bist du in der Fabrik? - A je ti në fabrikë? / Je në fabrikë ti? In Albanian, the alternative question is marked by the order V+O+S. - In German, in addition to the answers "ja" and "nein", there is also the answer option "doch"= "ja". Something similar exists in Albanian with por, vetëm, megjithatë. In decision questions with a negation word, the relationship between agreement and negation changes in the answer. Seid ihr mit euren Arbeitsbedingungen nicht zufrieden? - A nuk jeni ju të kënaqur me kushtet e punës? - Nein, wir sind nicht glücklich. (Bestätigung) - Jo, ne nuk jemi të lumtur. - Doch, wir sind glücklich. (Verneinung) - Megjithatë, ne jemi të lumtur. - In Albanian, the answers "ja" und "nein" are also used. One answers in the affirmative in Albanian by repeating the verb of the decision question sentence. In Albanian, on the other hand, the negative word for "not" - "a mos" - is added before the verb when negating. Gehst du? - A shkon ti? / A mos po shkon ti? - [Ja], gehen wir. - Po, ne po shkojmë. (Bejahung)//[Nein], gehen wir nicht. - Jo, ne nuk po shkojmë (Verneinung). - Tag questions serve to ask whether something has been understood correctly or is still valid. In German, the tag question always requires the particle "doch". In Albanian, a particle ("apo", "po si") is also used and placed at the end of the sentence. However, the intonation for the tag question is different. Du sprichst doch Deutsch? - Ti po flet gjermanisht, apo?. Not least because of migration and cultural exchange, German and Albanian have a fruitful relationship with each other. The present analysis of the different forms of interrogative sentences in both languages can be used by language learners as well as linguists for further research. Without claiming to be exhaustive, the analyzes available so far form a first insight into and an overview of the various interrogative sentences and their respective constructions in general, as well as with regard to their roles in the Albanian and German languages in particular. In the best case, the work should serve as a basis for teaching and learning materials and close a gap in the research field of contrastive linguistics. In dieser Arbeit soll es um den Vergleich zweier in Grammatik und Aussprache sehr unterschiedlicher Sprachen gehen, nämlich des Deutschen und des Albanischen. Da das Feld der Untersuchungsmöglichkeiten der komparativen Linguistik ein endloses ist, konzentriert sich die vorliegende Arbeit auf den Bereich der Fragesätze bzw. Satzmodi in den erwähnten Sprachen. In detaillierten Analysen von Satzbeispielen, die gängigen deutschsprachigen wie albanischen Grammatiken bzw. den Werken zweier kanonisierter Autoren entnommen sind, werden die Unterschiede und Gemeinsamkeiten hinsichtlich der verschiedenen Fragesatzformen aufgezeigt. Als Ordnungsrahmen dient die in beiden Sprachen durchgeführte Trennung von Entscheidungs- und Ergänzungsfragen. Am Ende der Arbeit werden die gewonnen Erkenntnisse überblicksartig zusammengestellt. |
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