Elliptical Sentences in English. Monograph

components question appears as the information retrieval of this component. So the question appears as an open structure that receives the logical-semantic completeness only with the answer. This close logical-syntactical interaction between question and answer was highlighted in the logic and linguistic literature.

The semantics of interrogative sentences gets its completion and is defined in the answering part of DU. In the words of K. Shangeriladze: «Question is a marked part of paired construction of the sentence that necessarily implies the presence of a second, unmarked part, and in the absence of such as part, losing the basic quality...and turning into a quasi question (rhetorical question), acquiring a new quality of interrogative statements» [67].

In modern linguistics symbols of logics are increasingly used to interpret the question-answer DU.

With a propositional approach to the question-answer dialogic unity, it is characterized by the existence of a single presupposition, the syntactical form of the answer is denoted as a propositional function from the question or, vice versa, the question acts as a prepositional function of the answer. Indeed, in the view of R.G. Collingwood, logic of questions and answers stands out as the propositive logic. He said: «The proposition belongs to a question-and-answer complex which as a whole is «true» in the proper sense of the word; within this complex it is an answer to a certain question, the question is what we ordinary call a sensible or intelligent question» [13].

According to F.M. Limantov, the thought equivalent of a question is a propositional function of an expression containing variable quantities. As far as the semantic basis of the question is the propositional form, the answer to the question in terms of semantics appears as a free variable forming part of the function of the utterance [40].

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It is quite understandable that the presence of a single presupposition of the question and the answer makes it possible the appearance of an elliptical form of either the question or the answer or both of them at the same time. H.B. Sarles subdivides interrogative sentences into direct, semi-direct and indirect ones in accordance with the nature of the proposition. He says: «A question is, so to speak a straight forward true-false; it is any question that could be intelligibly answered or «not»... the direct question puts forward a specific proposition, more or less complex as the case may be and asks simply whether that proposition is true or false. The semidirect question puts forward two or more specific propositions and asks which of these is true and which is false» [60].

One of the reasons for the appearance of elliptical syntactical structure of the sentence is seen in the nature of human thinking, in logics. Ellipsis of the sentence refers to one of the most common phenomena of language, conditioned by the subjective properties of a person's thoughts, syntactic means of reflecting the most important meaning. Sorites in logic and ellipsis in syntax are identical phenomena (sorites is a kind of complex syllogism, which contains only the last conclusion conducted through a series of premises, and the remaining transitional conclusions are not expressed, but are implied).

The logical analysis of question-answer correspondence is applied to linguistics at a semantic level. Proposition including a subject and a predicate, or predicate expression forms the semantic structure of the sentence and a number of arguments. The proposition forms the basis of the semantic structure, as through it the objective reality receives reflection in the semantic structure. The semantic structure of the sentence gets a logical-grammatical interpretation due to its one side turning to the objective reality, and the other side turning to thinking, speech of a person.

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In linguistics the semantic structure of the sentence is interpreted ambiguously.

We believe that the semantic structure of the sentence is a complex formation, consisting of a proposition, a modal component and a theme, and rheme components. The proposition stands out as the basis of the semantic structure of the sentence that is added by two other components. The sentence stands out as a means of nominating the propositioned names, situations and events of the objective reality. The proposition embodies a simple situation of the objective reality on the logical-semantic level.

Through the logical category of propositions the semantic structure of the sentence becomes communicative suitable to form and convey thoughts.

The question of the predicates was considered in the works of many philosophers, linguists.

The semantic predicate in linguistics is understood as an active or stable sign, which is the real basis of the sentence and is referred either to the subject or to the situation. There are usually basis (or basic) predicates, denoting characteristics or conditions and including 10 categories of Aristotle: essence (substance), quantity, quality, relation (toward something), place, time, posture, having (state), doing (action), being affected (undergoing).

Elliptical answer sentences in QADU can also be considered as predicates with the above-mentioned semantic characteristics.

Analysis QADU shows that it is characterized by the semantic similarity of a question and an answer. That is why it becomes possible to include elliptical sentences in the composition of QADUaccording to W. Dressler [18]. The semantic unity in QADU was described by H.B. Sarles: «The QuestionResponse system inherently involves a relation between two (or more) persons, who must implicitly share

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a sense of what the question and response «mean» in a particular context» [60].

Question-answer DUs are characterized by the anaphoric and cataphoric relations. The question acts as the «autosemantic» sentence that programs semantics of the elliptical answering sentence that is «synsemantic», but without it the question would not be a question in the full sense of the word.

Depending on the type of interrogative sentence the semantic structure of the elliptical answering sentence is formed in the QADU.

Special question contains a request aimed at obtaining the information of specific objective character, as demonstrated by the semantics of the interrogative pronouns. The semantics of the interrogative pronoun predetermines the semantics of the elliptical answering sentence. In English the interrogative pronouns are characterized by the following semantics, which is reflected in the elliptical answering sentence (see the table).

The presence of semantic relations between question and answer in DU confirms the classification carried out in the linguistics of questions and answers. There are some types of questions answers dialogue unities (QADU) which are divided into the following groups:

1)the question, that requires the answer «yes» or «no»;

2)special questions require the answers to the special words;

3)the alternative question-answer DU with the choice to be made in the elliptical answer.

These types of question-answer dialogical unities are characterized by different degrees of semantic dependence and are built on the semantic correlation of elliptical answer sentences with an interrogative pronoun a special question in the modern English language (Table).

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Dependence of the semantics of the elliptical answering sentence on the interrogative pronoun of the interrogative sentence

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Elliptical answers in the form of words-sentences, «yes», «no» appear as the most dependent, relating to the whole meaning of the general question; concordance between semantics of answer and the alternative question is partial, but the unity between the semantics of the response and specific question is minimal. This difference in semantic relations between the question and answer is the most common, but the

We believe that it would be right to state that in special questions the semantics of the interrogative words always programme the range of answers, even approximate ones. The wider is the semantics of the question, the richer is the semantics of answer. Elliptical answering sentences to the special questions in QADU possess the maximum semantics, act as the most accurate response to the question as a rhemecontaining component of QADU, as an expression of that «new» meaning that is required by the question, as the peak of the informative prospect of the sentences.

It is argued that the ellipsis in DU always leads to the isolation of the rheme from the theme when considering the sentences expressed by the linguistic means of the logical structure.

The dialectical way of thought in QADU is like the way given by the question to the new required information in of the elliptical answer. P.V. Kopnin writes: «Through the judgments in the questions a shift from one of judgement message (which is less explicit and informative) to another one (more explicit and informative) is taking place. Using the interrogative pronoun one can raise the question about any element of thought we are interested in, reflecting certain phenomena of reality» [36]. Thus, the answer is a transition to a more meaningful predicate than the predicate of the question.

A general question, characterized from a formal point of view by the absence of the interrogative pronouns and special intonation,

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in the semantic plane is a request for the confirmation or negation of the

as a disjunction of two propositions, one of which is the negation of the other. There are four semantic elliptical answers to the general questions, if we take into account the positive and negative forms of the question. Elliptical answers YES, NO, apart from the expression of confirmation or negation of the thought of the question, being used as answers to the general questions with negation, also express negative confirmation and positive negation. A positive-negative system of elliptical answers to the general questions in English has the following varieties: «positive agreement, negative disagreement, negative agreement, positive disagreement» [87].

In these structures the semantic center of the question can be an intonation accentuated word. Therefore not only the sentences YES, NO (and their modal equivalents), but also one-member ES, semantically correlated with the word under stress in the question or acting as its lexical repetition and two-member elliptical constructions including the representative words as elliptic response sentences (e.g.:yes, he is-the infinitive «to be», no she did not – the infinitive to do; will, would, can, etc), used with YES, NO and separately from them, appears as elliptical answer sentences.

Alternative questions, as a kind of general questions, programming answers from the choice offered (not offered) alternatives. Question of the type «Are you coming?» can have an alternative at the end: «Are you coming or not?».

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Logical analysis of the an alternative questions and their relation to the answer presupposes distinguishing between such alternative questions in which only one member of the alternative is required to be confirmed, and such questions, which also allow other possible answers. An elliptical answer to an alternative question is a lexical repetition of one of the alternatives of the question (the possibility of an answer, which was not provided by the alternative of the question is not excluded).

In the disjunctive type of the question, as a different kind of general question, the semantic dependence is strongly pronounced: if the first part of this question is affirmative, and question part (question tag) is negative, then often the answer is expressed is an elliptical yes-sentence (and vice versa accordingly), if the first part of the question is negative, and the interrogative part is affirmative, then no-answer is programmed), although this pattern is not absolute and there are cases of its deviation. In contrast to general questions these questions contain the speaker's attitude to the expressed thought.

2.2. Semantic characteristics of elliptical questions in the dialogical unity of the modern English language

2.2.1. One-member structures of question

Substantive elliptical questions

Semantic analysis of one-member elliptical questions was carried out in the works of O. N. Hachapuridze (1968), P. Adamec (1978). Onemember substantive elliptical questions are divided into autonomous and non-autonomous according to L.P. Prohozaeva and I.Y. Lubavskaya [42, 57]; distributionally independent incomplete sentences [2, 49, 61, 74]. We distinguish the following functional-semantic types of onemember substantive elliptical questions.

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1.Clarification elliptical questions that serve to obtain additional details and information and to express an uncertain statement, requiring confirmation or negation. For example:

Dimitry: A little er-what you call it-a small house, sort of...

Paul: A hut? Dimitry: No. Kevin: A shed?

Dimitry: That's right, a shed [103].

Situational elliptical question are also characterized by the expression of an uncertain statement, clarification, requiring confirmation or negation. For example:

Tura: Cigarette?

Schultz: Thank you, I don't smoke [94].

A special variety is made up of one-member substantive elliptical sentences with interrogative words that are used as second components of three replicas QADU-3 and possess the semantics of clarification, concretization. For example:

Е: Dean's testimony may not be admissible.

P: On what grounds?

E: That his communication to us was a communication to you and vice versa.

2.Identifying substantive elliptical questions naming the objects, persons, processes, location of objective reality.Thigs for example:

And your wife and child? We'll manage [102]. Any other theory?

That someone on our side had gotten to him with a number of large, coarse notes [93].

And Gaston?

Talks about giving away one's age [93].

Vietnam?

It was «Tell it to Hanoi».

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H: White-wash?

D: No, not yet.

3.Appelative type of one-member substantive elliptical questions formed by means of references. For example:

Rojack? Yes [91].

4.Evaluation type of one-member substantive elliptical questions is formed in the presence of the adjective determining the noun. For example:

Р: A dry hole? D: That's right.

Bad news? Danger? Remains to be seen [102].

Verbal (personal and impersonal) elliptical questions

One-member verbal (personal and nonpersonal) elliptical questions are always linked to particular doer of 1, 2 or 3 persons and have the semantical identification of the action. For example:

Р: Going to go out, as an agent? HP: Yes, sir.

Get my point? That's right.

Rex: Hello, Remember me? Lockharrt: Yes of course, Rex. Jack: Want something. Babbs? Babbs: No, no [96].

Seen Franklin? Нe asked. He's shaving.

One-member special infinitive elliptical questions have several semantic functions. They can have both positive and negative syntactic forms. Structures are characterized by the discrepancy between syntactic form and semantics: positive structure is characterized

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