Definition of Left Dislocation

Definition of left dislocation

left-dislocation is an operation that derives sentences such as sentence number 1 from number 2. As you can see the slide sentence, you can change the same underlying structure of basic sentence number 2 into sentence number 1 by left-dislocation. Here Holly is left sided at the start of sentence followed by comma.

Differences with fronting

Left-dislocation is syntactically similar to fronting. However there are two disparities btw two of them. First, left-dislocated noun phrase leave pronoun whereas fronted noun phrase does not. As you can see the example on the slide in the sentence number 2 at the end of the sentence pronoun 'her' is still left.

Second difference is that left-dislocated noun phrase is set off from the rest of the sentence followed by coma. In the left-dislocated sentence, you can see Holly is set off by using comma.

functions of left-dislocation.

Primarily, left-dislocation is used to reintroduce given information that has not mentioned for a while. As you can see the slide, Holly is mentioned in the left-dislocated sentence just for reintroducing given information. The other function is that left-dislocation is contrasive. in the exemple Holly is contrast with other characters jim, stan, sara. With these function, left location is often used when speakers go through lists and make some comments on them.

Left-dislocation in French

In colloquial french, left-dislocated noun phrases are much more frequent than in English. and They have different functions with English. In addition to left-dislocation, right dislocation is common as well. In French sentence which means 'my brother, he is leaving for Mongolia', french word meaning my brother is left sided with comma.

Functions in colloquial French.

As I mentioned before in English left-dislocation is to reintroduce given information and make some contrasts. In French, left-dislocation usually represents topic. First, in colloquial French, left-dislocated noun phrase is used when a new topic is introduced into discourse. In the french the sentence "Excuse me where is the station" is changed to 'excuse-me the station where is it'. Second, left-dislocation can be seen when the speaker shift the topic of the discourse. In french sentence, Moi is left-dislocated. and left -dislocated sentence "Yes but the bread fresh it is good too" is derived from the equivalent basic french sentence which means "yes, but fresh bread is also good". As you can see pragmatic function of left-dislocation is broader in French than in English.