Norādāmie vietniekvārdi noteiktā artikula funkcijā latviešu un somu preses tiešsaistes izdevumos: pragmatiskā pieeja
Demonstrative pronouns as definite articles in Latvian and Finnish online press: pragmatic approach

Summary/Abstract: The article provides an insight into demonstrative pronouns that function as definite articles in Latvian and Finnish online press. In the first section, the emphasis is put on theoretical issues, and Latvian and Finnish linguistic material on demonstrative pronouns that function as definite articles is studied and compared. Although there are no articles in either Latvian or Finnish grammatical system, they are common in colloquial language. Ways of expressing definiteness vary in both languages; that is one of the reasons, why the grammaticalization of article is not considered as an option in Latvian, while in Finnish it is recognized as a possibility. In the second section, the pragmatic approach used in analysis is described. This approach helps to avoid judging the language features within categories good/bad. Instead, the emphasis is put on motivation and function of demonstrative pronouns used as definite articles. In the third section, several examples from press texts are analysed by noting possible motivation and suitability of definite articles. As a result, four categories of demonstrative pronouns used as definite articles are distinguished. Acquired results will be used for in-depth future studies and analysis of the use of demonstrative pronouns as definite articles.

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