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A Study of Over-encoding in Biblical Hebrew Narrative: 1 Samuel 1-7

  • Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies
  • Abbr : KJOTS
  • 2019, 25(4), pp.282-312
  • DOI : 10.24333/jkots.2019.25.4.282
  • Publisher : Korean Society of Old Testament Studies
  • Research Area : Humanities > Christian Theology
  • Received : October 15, 2019
  • Accepted : October 29, 2019

Seong-Kwang Kevin Kim 1

1예수비전교회

Accredited

ABSTRACT

In the Biblical Hebrew narrative, the names of the participants can be generally referred by pronouns or verbs after they have first been introduced. However, we often see instances where characters are given semantically redundant information, such as renaming them. This paper tried to find out the author’s intention through a study on such redundant information. For this purpose, I introduced Runge’s recent study which is the most comprehensive and systematic study about participant reference encoding. Then, I investigated the function of over-encoding in 1 Samuel 1-7. I defined the default encoding value in the narrative, based on the results of cognitive linguistic studies. The use of redundant full noun phrase, where minimal encoding is expected, is to mark the over-encoding of participants. The use of redundant full noun phrase by participants is recognized by the reader as discontinuity. The functions of over-encoding are (1) marker of the beginning or ending of a unit, (2) highlighting action/event, (3) emphasizing the contents of speeches, (4) marker of countering moves, (5) marker of the significance of surprising or unexpected events, (6) marker of change in action pattern, (7) marker of focus shift, (8) marker of climax, (9) marker of contrast. All the other functions except marker of the beginning or ending of a unit are to highlight an element of the text. And they are recognized as pragmatic prominence by the reader through over-encoding intended by the author. That is, an element is highlighted by over-encoding, and more prominence is given to that element, as compared to other elements in the text. Over-encoding is a device, and prominence is the purpose for the use of over-encoding. As for the author, over-encoding is a device used for the production of the text, while, as for the reader, prominence is the result of recognition after the processing of the text. The significance of this study may be said in two. First, I synthesized scholars’ discussions so far on participant reference encoding in the Biblical Hebrew narrative as much as possible. As a result, the functions of over-encoding are divided in two: (1) marker of the beginning or ending of a unit, (2) highlighting an element. Second, I connected the highlighting function of over-encoding with prominence dealt with in pragmatics. For the reader, the over-encoded part of the text is recognized as more prominent than other parts. To find out over-encoding intended by the author will help the reader to interpret the text.

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