Mit die schönsten und heitersten Stunden: System und Gebrauch der Partikelvorkommen von mit im gesprochenen Deutsch

Abstract

This study focuses on the forms and functions of the German particle mit in everyday talk-in-interaction. In the first section it is shown that two types of mit can be distinguished for syntactic and semantic reasons. Type one has characteristics of an additive focus particle which is part of the verbal phrase and occurs in the central part of the middle field. Type two forms a syntactic unit with superlatives and indicates that the referent of the superlative phrase does not exclusively have the respective quality to the highest degree. Hence, it can be classified as an inclusive particle. Even though some instances allow for a reading of mit both as an additive particle and an including particle (in these instances, the including reading is usually dominant since the additive reading would affect a part of the informational background), the additive and the including meaning compete if they affect the same constituent. The second section of this article shows how prosodic features, communicative practices and the topical organization of conversation interact in order to disambiguate local uses of mit or to emphasize either an additive or an including reading of mit.

Accompaniment by participation: The interpretation of <i>mit</i> as a free particle in German

“…The previous work agrees that mit in these cases relates to the verbally introduced eventuality; see Zifonun (1996Zifonun ( /1997; Zifonun et al (1997); Bücker (2012). However, the particular analyses of this adverbial free mit (= mit adv ) differ considerably.…”

“…For instance, mit free is incompatible with the positive and the comparative counterparts of (8a); see (10). Notably, this is completely unexpected under Bücker's (2012) additive approach to free mit, given that the additive auch would be grammatical here.…”

“…Recall that Zifonun (1996Zifonun ( /1997 and Bücker (2012) consider mit sup a separate construction that cannot be subsumed under their respective analyses for the adverbial counterpart. The uniqueness condition of the superlative would be at odds with a treatment of mit sup in terms of an additive or an elliptical PP; see (64) (= (7)).…”

“…By contrast, Bücker (2012) considers mit adv an additive particle such as auch 'also'. This additive approach assigns (1a) the bipartite interpretation in (3).…”

“…in his class has Paul mit sup the most elegant outfit 'Paul has an outfit that belongs to the most elegant outfits in his class.' Zifonun (1996Zifonun ( /1997 and Bücker (2012) assume that mit sup forms a separate construction. They argue that the uniqueness condition of the superlative is incompatible with their respective analyses of mit adv as an additive or as a retrievable PP.…”