Table of Contents

1. Preface; 2. Acknowledgements; 3. List of Figures and Tables; 4. Notational Conventions; 5. Abbreviations; 6. 1. Introduction; 7. 2. Database; 8. 3. The syntax of the ba -construction: Overview; 9. 4. Previous approaches; 10. 5. The hypothesis of discourse dramaticity; 11. 6. Cognitive salience as discourse dramaticity; 12. 7. Subjectivity and emotionality as discourse dramaticity; 13. 8. An interim conclusion; 14. 9 The pragmatization of the ba -construction: An adaptive change; 15. 10. Final remarks; 16. Notes; 17. References; 18. Text material; 19. Author index; 20. Subject index