Argument and Narrative

376 Pages·2017·1.86 MB·English

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Argument and Narrative
van Gils, L.W.
2009
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van Gils, L. W. (2009). Argument and Narrative: A Discourse analysis of ten Ciceronian speeches. [PhD-Thesis -
Research and graduation internal, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam]. Eigen Beheer.
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Argument and Narrative

A Discourse analysis
of ten Ciceronian speeches
Cover: the Roman villa of Catullus, Sirmione, Italy (photograph by

Lidewij van Gils).
VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT

Argument and Narrative

A Discourse analysis
of ten Ciceronian speeches

ACADEMISCH PROEFSCHRIFT

ter verkrijging van de graad Doctor aan
de Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam,
op gezag van de rector magnificus
prof. dr. L. M. Bouter,
in het openbaar te verdedigen
ten overstaan van de promotiecommissie
van de faculteit der Letteren
op woensdag 16 december 2009 om 15. 45 uur
in de aula van de universiteit,
De Boelelaan 1105

door

Lidewij Wilhelmina van Gils

geboren te Paramaribo, Suriname
promotor: prof. dr. C. H. M. Kroon
Non enim una ratio est defensionis ea quae posita est in oratione; omnes qui
adsunt, qui laborant, qui salvum volunt, pro sua parte atque auctoritate
defendunt.
‘For a speech is not the only method of defence; all who attend, who are
anxious, who want the defendant acquitted, are defending him so far as their
participation and influence go.’ (Cicero, Pro Sulla 4)

Si les règles sont fondées sur la nature, elles doivent être souples comme la
nature est complexe. Aussi les diversités qu’on remarque dans le style de
Cicéron sont-elles infinies; pour s’y orienter, il faut quelques principes
généraux; pour en saisir les nuances, il faut se souvenir que ces principes ne
sont pas absolus. (Laurand, 331)

Voor mijn ouders

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface 11

Chapter 1: Introduction 15
1.1. Introduction to the field of research 15
1.2. Preview of the present study 20

Chapter 2: Narratives in the structure of Cicero’s forensic speeches 23
2.1. Introduction to chapter 2 23
2.2. Five conventional partes orationis 26
2.3. Transition formulas in narrationes 28
2.4. Length of the narrationes 31
2.5. Coherence structure of the narrationes 32
2.6. Chronological structure: prolepses and analepses 41
2.7. Plot, protagonist and antagonist 51
2.8. Discourse Modes in the narrationes 56
2.9. Conclusion of chapter 2 64

Chapter 3: Arguments in ten forensic speeches 67
3.1. Introduction to chapter 3 67
3.2. Inventio according to Cicero 68
3.3. Juridical nucleus of the accusation for ten selected speeches 71
3.4. Argumentation structure of ten selected speeches 78
3.5. Conclusion 83

Chapter 4: Delivery and context of Cicero’s forensic speeches 85
4.1. Introduction to chapter 4 85
4.2. Cicero’s career 86
4.3. Cicero’s contemporary readers 107
4.4. Spatial setting of the trials 116
4.5. Cicero’s relation to his clients 121
4.6. The judges and opponents as addressees 123
4.7. Conclusions of chapter 4 127
8

Chapter 5: Participants of the Forensic Discourse 128
5.1. Introduction to chapter 5 128
5.2. The speech as a dialogical or monological monologue 128
5.3. Diaphony 131
5.4. Apostrophe 137
5.5. Irony 141
5.6. Direct and indirect discourse 144
5.7. Focalizing predicates 148
5.8. Subjectivity 150
5.9. Anaphora and deixis 153
5.10. Tenses 155
5.11. Conclusion to chapter 5 169

Chapter 6: Linguistic phenomena related to the Addressee 171
6.1. Introduction to chapter 6 171
6.2. Shifts in addressee 172
6.2.1. Overview of apostrophe 172
6.2.2. Transitions to another addressee 175
6.3. Text type and addressee 180
6.3.1. Differences between narrationes and argumentationes 180
6.3.2. The addressee in narratives 181
6.3.3. The addressee in argumentationes 186
6.4. Judges and opponents as addressees 191
6.4.1. The impact of the addressee on the discourse 191
6.4.2. Predicates 193
6.4.3. Pronouns 199
6.4.4. Vocatives 206
6.4.5. Particles 208
6.4.6. Questions 212
6.4.7. Directive sentences 218
6.5. Conclusion 226

Chapter 7: Linguistic phenomena related to the Speaker 230
7.1. Introduction to the chapter 230
7.2. Explicit references to the speaker 232
7.2.1. Speaker authority and self-references 232
7.2.2. The distribution of self-references 237
7.3. Strategic decreases of the speaker’s influence 240
7.3.1. Story-based Narrative 240
7.3.2. Descriptive passages 244
7.3.3. Character’s point of view as a withdrawing strategy 246
7.3.4. Argumentation in the form of Major premises 247
7.3.5. Information 250
9
7.3.6. Irony 251
7.3.7. Summarizing the strategic decreases 253
7.4. Strategic increases of the speaker’s influence 254
7.4.1. Retrospective Narrative 254
7.4.2. Report 257
7.4.3. Argumentation in the form of Conclusions 260
7.4.4. Comment 262
7.4.5. Summarizing the strategic increases 264
7.5. Conclusion 265

Chapter 8: Linguistic phenomena related to Client and Opponent 267
8.1 Introduction to the chapter 267
8.2 Deixis 268
8.3 Subject referents 272
8.4 Embedded focalisation 274
8.5 Linguistic and literary domains connected 279
8.6 Conclusion 291

Chapter 9: Conclusions 293

APPENDICES
Appendix 2 299
Appendix 3 306
Appendix 4 317
Appendix 5 323
Appendix 6 325
Appendix 7 333
Appendix 8 340

Bibliography 346
Index locorum 366

Samenvatting 370
Curriculum vitae 376