French Literature Reviews - 2026
Anne Larrory-Wunder, L'expression de la manière en allemand
Literary Theory, Linguistics and Stylistics
Relatively little linguistic research has been devoted to manner. It is a notion that is at once familiar yet poorly defined, occupying a relatively peripheral place in grammatical discourse; the study of how manner is expressed is often restricted to the realm of adverbs. This work aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the phenomena encompassed by this category by adopting a broad observational perspective across a variety of seemingly disparate phenomena: adverbial forms as well as the verbal lexicon, comparative structures, metaphors, "constructions," or complex configurations between language and discourse, while seeking a unified interpretation of these phenomena. It sheds light on aspects that have hitherto received little or no attention, such as the connections between manner and norm, manner and perception, manner and intersubjectivity, manner and expressivity, and manner and spatial deixis.
Browse the table of contents on Fabula…
Anne Larrory-Wunder examines the linguistic category of manner in the German language, moving beyond traditional adverbial studies to encompass a wider range of morphosyntactic and discursive structures. By investigating comparative formations, verbal lexicons, metaphorical expressions, and broader constructional patterns, the volume seeks a cohesive theoretical framework for phenomena that traditional grammars often treat as disparate. This comprehensive scope addresses a noted gap in linguistic research, where manner has frequently remained a peripheral or ill-defined notion despite its fundamental role in human communication.
This research contributes to contemporary discussions in linguistic theory, stylistics, and Germanic studies by connecting the expression of manner to broader cognitive and pragmatic dimensions. It will prove particularly useful for researchers, advanced students, and specialists in German linguistics seeking a nuanced understanding of how speakers encode perception, normativity, intersubjectivity, and spatial deixis. The volume offers fresh methodological perspectives for analyzing complex interactions between grammar and discourse, bridging detailed morphosyntactic analysis with broader semantic inquiry.