Anaphora and Cataphora
Anaphora and Cataphora
Anaphoric reference: In most of our talk and writting, we have to keep track of who or what we are talking about in many sentences. We give initial introduction of an entity and have to use various expresstions to maintain reference => use Anaphoric Reference a. Definition: - Anaphoric reference or anaphora is subsequent reference to already introduced referents (G.Yule, Pragmatics 1996, page 22) - The initial expression is called antecedent The second or subsequent expression is called anaphor In anaphoric reference: antecedent is mentioned BEFORE anaphor. Lets study an example to understand more about the definition and the antecedentanaphor structure: Eg: There are 2 protagonists in the story: a man and a woman. The man was born in a rich family but the woman is poor. However, they are in love. A man, a woman are antecedents because they are mentioned for the first time and become the initial expression The man, the woman, they are anaphors because they are used to maintain the preceding expresstions. Antecedents are often indefinite nouns (a man) Anaphors are often definite noun phrases (the man) or pronouns (they) Comparison with Vietnamese: In Vietnamese, we also use anaphoric reference to maitain introduced entities. Nhng lc bun, c con ch lm bn th cng bun mt cht. Lo gi n l cu Vng nh mt b him hoi gi a con cu t. Thnh thong khng c vic g lm, lo li bt rn cho n cng n ( Lo Hc Nam Cao)
In this case, con ch is used as a antecedent and n is used to repeat as an anaphor. N is also a pronoun in Vietnamese, like in English, we use a pronoun as an anahphor. So there are similarities in using anaphoric between English and Vietnamese. 2. Cataphora reference: Cataphora reference is reversal pattern of anaphoric reference. In using words to talk or write, they dont always use antecedents before anaphors. When antecedents stand AFTER anaphore, we have cataphoric reference. Cataphoric reference or cataphora is much less common than anaphoric reference because it is only used when speakers or writers have a certain purpose. - Lets see an example: "So I just want to say this to the Congress: An America that buys much more than they sell year in and year out is an America that is facing economic and military disaster." (Congressman James A. Traficant, Congressional Record--House, Sep. 25, 1998) The word this is used first and difficult to be interpreted until the full noun phrases is presented in the next lines. So, unlike anaphora, cataphora is used to mention something or someone hasnt introduced yet. So, we should raise a question : Why do they use cataphora? (or what are the functions of cataphora?) As I said before, cataphora is used with a certain purpose of speakers or writter => There are 2 main answers for this questions. - Firstly, it is used to emphasise the entity or the message presented by the anaphor Eg: "It disturbed me quite a bit when young children had to get on the evacuation buses and leave their pets behind." (Steve Wozniak) The writter use the word it to emphasise his idea which lies on the rest of the sentence - Secondly, it is used to draw attention and curiosity of hearers or readers.
=> Cataphora is tend to be used at the beginning of a story Eg : Like anaphora, we can find cataphora in Vietnamese as well. Hn va i va chi. Bao gi cng th, c ru xong l hn chi. Bt u chi tri. C h g? Tri c ca ring ca nh no? (Ch Pho Nam Cao) To begin his story, Nam Cao used hn instead of introducing Ch Pho, which help him draw attention of readers. Readers must make questions who is he? => begin to pay attention at the character.