Research

 My research focuses on the linguistic mechanisms underlying stylistic effects in discourse. ‘Style’ has been defined as rhetorically motivated ‘linguistic choice’ – by a given person, for a given purpose, in a given context (cf. Leech & Short, 2007). Thus, a systematic relation is assumed to exist between the micro-level of linguistic choice and the macro-level of conceptual interpretation of discourse. So far, this relation has mainly been studied with the aim of underpinning interpretative analysis of literary text and other types of discourse with linguistic evidence. This project, on the contrary, analyzes the phenomenon of ‘linguistic choice’ from a linguistic-theoretical perspective, investigating how stylistic effects are actually created in discourse.

The project investigates how the macro-level of rhetorical intentions and conceptual interpretation affects selection of linguistic constructions across discourse contexts. In contrastive corpus analyses, usage patterns of sets of closely related, yet different linguistic constructions (‘sets’ of discourse connectives, expressions of aspectual structure, and stance markers) are compared across discourse contexts which vary with respect to text function (informative, persuasive, narrative newspaper texts; literary texts) and subjectivity configuration (objective, author subjective, character subjective).

The ultimate goal is to contribute to a deeper understanding of two different but related theoretical issues: 1. How are rhetorical effects on the level of conceptual discourse interpretation created by ‘linguistic choice’ (stylistic issue)? 2. How can linguistic variation across discourse contexts be accounted for within a coherent linguistic theory (more general linguistic-theoretical issue)? Both questions are dealt with within the framework of usage-based theory of language (cf. Langacker, 1987; 2000; Bybee, 2006; 2007; Verhagen, 2000; 2007) assuming that the relation between (the mental representation of) language structure and language use is mediated by more general cognitive mechanisms.

My research is part of the project ‘Theory and practice of linguistic stylistics’, belonging to the NWO-funded research project Stylistics of Dutch (2007-2012; program leader: prof. dr. Arie Verhagen, chair of Dutch Linguistics, Leiden University).

Curriculum Vitae

• 2010-
  Postdoc Theory and Practice of Linguistic Stylistics in NWO-funded project Stylistics of Dutch

• 2006-2009
  Postdoc Textlinguistics and Discourse Analysis in interdisciplinary NWO-funded project Causality and Subjectivity in Discourse, Universiteit Utrecht
• 2005
  Dissertation Causality marking across levels of language structure: a cognitive semantic analysis of causal verbs and causal connectives in Dutch (LOT, Universiteit Utrecht)
• 2003-2005
  Instructor BA Communicatie- en Informatiewetenschappen (CIW); BA Nederlandse Taal en Cultuur (afd. Taalbeheersing); MA Communicatiestudies, Universiteit Utrecht
• 1999-2003
  phd student, Utrecht institute of Linguistics OTS, Universiteit Utrecht (part time);
  freelance text writer and editor

Key publications

• Stukker, N., T. Sanders & A. Verhagen. (2009). Categories of subjectivity in Dutch causal connectives: a usage-based analysis. In T. Sanders & E. Sweetser (Eds.), Causal categories in discourse and cognition (pp. 119-172). Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
• Stukker, N. & T. Sanders. (2009). Another('s) perspective on subjectivity in causal connectives: a usage-based analysis of volitional causal relations. Discours, 4; URL:
• Stukker, N, T. Sanders & A. Verhagen (2008). Causality in verbs and in discourse connectives. Converging evidence of cross-level parallels in Dutch linguistic categorization. Journal of pragmatics, 40, 1296-1322.
• Stukker, N. (2005). Causality marking across levels of language structure. A cognitive semantic analysis of causal verbs and causal connectives in Dutch. Utrecht: LOT Dissertation Series.
• Evers-Vermeul, J. & N. Stukker (2003). Subjectificatie in de ontwikkeling van causale connectieven? De diachronie van daarom, dus, want en omdat. Gramma/TTT, 9, 111-139.