Université de Montréal - Thèse sous forme numérique

85The typology of verbs appearing in specialized texts as well as the criteria usedto validate the typology have been redefined in Lorente (2007). As we consider thesecontributions relevant for this research, we would like to account first for the proposalsbefore 2007 and then for the modifications made in 2007. This will also allow us tobetter compare the criteria put forth by Lorente (2007) with those of L‘Homme (1998,2004) that were presented in the previous section. Finally, we will refer to twocontributions regarding the synonymy of specialized verbs occurring in different kindsof legal texts (Freixa and Lorente 2006; Lorente et al. 2008) as this matter is addressedin the methodological part of our research (Chapter 4).Classification of verbs: the initial proposalIn 2000, Lorente carries out a study in which she concludes that there are four types ofverbs in specialized texts: verbos discursivos (Eng. discursive verbs), verbos conectores(Eng. connective verbs), verbos fraseológicos (Eng. phraseological verbs) and verbosterminológicos (o verbos-término) (Eng. terminological verbs). Some verbs can beconsidered units of specialized meaning whereas others cannot. Those verbs that areconsidered units of specialized meaning can be strongly linked to terms, they cancombine with terms or simply be part of specialized meaning units without carrying aspecialized meaning. Lorente admits that this classification may vary from onespecialized field to another and that some verbs can have a hybrid character, i.e. theycan belong to more than one category, because the typology is seen as a continuum andnot as a rigid classification.Discursive verbs are linked to the functions of the text in which they occur (e.g.describir, narrar, dar instrucciones, argumentar 3 ), to speech acts (e.g. decir,3 to describe, to tell, to give instructions, to argue