Anaphoric incapsulators: A classification

Abstract

We define a kind of nominal phrases which have incapsulation functions in discourse from a formal, semantic and informative approach. These nominal phrases contain some anaphoric element and they reify and reconceptualise previous text chunks which became informative point of anchorage (themes) for further discourse developments. The are the so called (thematic) anaphoric incapsulators. We propose a classification of the types of nominal phrases which can fulfil such discursive function. The taxonomy is based in three parameters: (a) the lexico-semantic nature of the nominal head; (b) the presence or absence of axiological components, (c) the element which carries that component. Our aim is to organize in a single paradigm several types of incapsulators that have been analysed in the literature and which satisfy the previous description.