Instrumental-taxis and medial-taxis semantic subcomplexes in the German language
https://doi.org/10.18384/2949-5075-2026-1-90-102
Abstract
Aim. The aim of this study is to conduct a functional-semantic analysis of the taxis semantic complex of the German language, specifically the instrumental-taxis and medial-taxis semantic subcomplexes that express the meaning of simultaneity.
Methodology. The article analyzes utterances with prepositional deverbatives and the instrumental prepositions mit and durch. The following methods were used: hypothetico-deductive, inductive, descriptive, and contextual analysis of material selected using directed sampling from the Leipzig National Corpus (LC) and the Electronic Dictionary of the German Language (DWDS).
Results. Based on the analysis of empirical material (over 2,000 fragments), it was established that the interaction of the categories of taxis and instrumentality (mediality) forms corresponding semantic subcomplexes. It has been established that the basic criterion for differentiating instrumental and medial taxis in the subcomplexes under consideration is the nature of the instrumental means. Instrumental taxis is characterized by a non-anthropomorphic and objectively determined nature of the means, aimed at directly changing the physical or mechanical state of an external object. In contrast, medial taxis encodes a relationship where the means represents an accompanying action intentionally chosen by the agent.
Research implications. The results of the study contribute to the development of the functional-semantic concept of taxis and the theory of intercategorical interaction. The materials and main provisions of the study can be used in the teaching of theoretical and functional grammar of the German language in higher education.
About the Author
I. V. Arkhipova
Novosibirsk State Pedagogical University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Irina V. Arkhipova – Dr. Sci. (Philology), Assoc. Prof., Prof., Department of Roman and German Languages
Novosibirsk
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