The competition of different syntactic devices expressing the semantic relation of comparison (based on the Czech-German material)

The thesis focuses specially on characterisation of the competition of syntactic devices used to express comparison in Czech. The research targets primarily the use of connecting expressions and certain case relations. The aim is to ascertain the tendencies manifesting in the distribution of the competition devices, which is also connected with syntactic, semantic or another factors, they may influence the distribution. The material basis for this analysis is based on the data from the parallel Czech-German corpus "InterCorp" and chosen corpuses of the "Czech National Corpus" (ČNK). The research found that the competition of the syntactic devices expressing comparison happens most often in a frame of one semantic type of comparison, i.e. in a frame of comparison based on unity and similarity on the one hand, and a frame of comparison based on difference on the other hand. Fundamental role in choosing of the competition devices is played by the semantic view-point. It is supplemented by a formal view-point on the syntactic level. The case relations and the preposition groups may link only comparison on the level of parts of a sentence, connection devices may do so on the level of complex sentences as well. The competition is partly influenced by the stylistic factors and the nature of text