english 306a; harris text linguistics. english 306a; harris “text” the spoken or written...

English 306A; Harris

Text linguistics


“Text”

the spoken or written evocation of an event or series of events

(p.193)


Event

Homer eats crap.

Event Schema: Doing


“Text”

I.e., ‘one or more sentences’


“Text”

texereto weave

textutterances (usually sentences) woven into a perceived whole


“Text”

Clusters of language, at least two clauses big, perceived as a functioning unit: woven language.


But,

woven utterances - paraverbal elements- nonverbal elements= text

I.e., intonation, rhythm, gesture, “body language,” and other circumstantial overlays are excluded from the notion of text.

intonation,volume,rate, pitch, …

gesture,“bodylanguage”,clothing, …

Notice that this is a partial ‘return’ to the ideational function, to the filtering off of context.


“Text”

For purposes of analysis, that is, we close our eyes to para- and extra-verbal dimensions.


Missing the typographical boat

In written communication, the text is almost all there is.

(p.180)


Missing the communication-design (RPW/RCD) boat

• Typeface• Weight• Space• Proximity• Shape• Size• Colour• Medium• ….

26 November, 2001

Jame s Pe ltz,Editor-in-ChiefState University of New York Press90 State St., Suite 700Albany, NY 12207

Dear Mr. Pe ltz:

I am editing a collection of essays which bring the rhetoric of science to bear on one of themost profound, and certainly one of the most widely engaged, issues in science studies,incommensurability; SUNY Press is the ideal house for it.The collection brings the rhetoric of science to bear on one of the most profound, andcertainly one of the most widely engaged, issues in contemporary science studies,incommensurability. The topic has preoccupied not just philosophy of science over the lastthree decades, but also history and sociology of science—all three of which have, roughlyover the same duration, been strongly influenced by rhetoric—as well as entering manystrains of post-modern critical thought.And incommensurability, since it implicates argumentation so heavily, is an issue thatrhetoric is exceptionally well placed to address. Indeed, rhetoric—in both the generalscholarly sense and the specific disciplinary sense—entered contemporary studies ofscience largely because of the ramifications Kuhn and Feyerabend pursued upon theircoincident introductions of incommensurability.The State University of New York Press, I hope you’ll agree, is the perfect house for thisproject, because of its major rhetoric lists, its important presence in philosophy, itssignificant science and technology studies offerings, and its growing attention to thescholarship of argumentation.

The book

The book—Rhetoric and incommensurability pending a better idea—gathers essays by theleading figures in rhetoric of science addressing the implications of incommensurability. Itis a provocative and marketable meeting of scholars and subject. For most presses, I wouldnow have to launch into subroutine describing rhetoric of science, but since you’ve

Randy Allen HarrisDepartment of EnglishUniversity of Waterloo200 University Avenue

Waterloo ON Canada N2L 3G1519.885.1211, x5362


Textual function = Weaving function

The elements and dimensions of language that

serve to weave a discourse together.


Text—Perceived whole

The two weaving mechanisms

Cohesion (elements)• achieved by formal devices, usually lexico-syntactic

• semasiological

Coherence (dimensions)• achieved by conceptual devices (‘ideas’)

• onomasiological


A text

It is true (Ladies) your tongues are held your defensive armour, but you never detract more from your honour than when you give too much liberty to that slippery glib member. That Ivory guard or garrison, which impales your tongue, doth caution and instruct you, to put restraint upon your Speech. In much talk you must of necessity commit much error, as it leaves some tincture of vain-glory, which proclaims the proud heart from whence it proceeded, or some taste of scurrility, which displays the wanton heart from whence it streamed.


Repetition

Cohesion



Referential

Cohesion



Balance (symmetry, parallelism, isocolon)

Cohesion



Functional linking

Cohesion



Repetition

Cohesion



Repetition-Polyptoton

Cohesion



Coherence



Referential Coherence



Relational Coherence


Local conceptual relations--between two, or a few,proximal clauses.


Relational Coherence


Local conceptual relations--between two, or a few,proximal clauses.

cohesion

The relation of contrastdefense (of honour); detraction (from honour)


Coherence relations

your tongues are held your defensive armour

Contrast you never detract more from your honour than

when you give too much liberty to that slippery glib

member. X, but consider not-X (or compromised X)


Coherence relations

your tongues are a way to defend your honour

Contrast you detract from your honour by using your tongue too much

X, but consider not-X (or compromised X)

Coherence relations concern PROPOSITIONS, meanings, not sentences per se.


Cohesion / Coherence

Cohesion (& coherence)Don’t trust McBean, because he’s a shyster.

Coherence (low cohesion)Don’t trust McBean. He’s a shyster.


Cohesion without coherence (?)

A week has seven days. Every day I feed my cat. Cats have four legs. The cat is on the mat. Mat has three letters.



Subordination Don’t trust McBean, because he’s a shyster.

Evidence (premise, warrant) Don’t trust McBean. He’s a shyster.




Evidence Don’t trust McBean. He’s a shyster.

SubordinatorA word that puts one clause into a specific syntactic relationship with another clause (i.e., a subordinate relationship); functional linking.




EvidenceDon’t trust McBean. He’s a shyster.

Shysters have low credibility. Trust requires credibility.




Evidence Don’t trust McBean. He’s a shyster.

Cohesion• Knowing the words and/or structure

• Semasiological

Coherence• Knowing the ideas, the reasoning, the meaning

• Onomasiological


Text Linguistics


Cohesion--formal, semasiologicalStructural

Repetition, balance, functional linking

Coherence—conceptual, onomasiologicalReferential

Topical; definite, indefinite Relational

Paratactic (among nuclei)Hypotactic (between nucleus and satellite[s])


Referential coherence--Topical

When the Star-Belly Sneetches had frankfurter roasts

Or picnics or parties or marshmallow toasts,They never invited the Plain-Belly Sneetches. They left them out cold, in the dark of the

beachesThey kept them away. Never let them come

near.

And that’s how they treated them year after year.



When the had frankfurter roasts

Or picnics or parties or marshmallow toasts,

They never invited the Plain-Belly Sneetches.

They left them out cold, in the dark of the

beaches

They kept them away. Never let them come near.

And that’s how they treated them year after

year.



ProminenceStar-Bellies—focusSB’s actions—topicand/orPlain-Bellies—focus PB’s treatment—topic

SB’s/PB’s perspectives

(actions vs. feelings)


Referential coherence--Definite/Indefinite

DefiniteEstablished, understood, ‘given’

IndefinitePresented, unknown, ‘new’

“The man is at the door”

“A man is at the door”


Referential coherence--Indefinite

A stranger zipped up in the strangest of cars.

Signalled by an indefinite determiner (a, an, some).

Used to introduce (new) topics and characters.


Referential coherence--Definite

Now, the Star-Belly Sneetches

Had bellies with stars.

Signalled by a definite determiner (the).

Used to refer to understood (given, old) topics and characters.


Referential coherence

PhrasalIdenticalPartial

ProformalAnaphoric(Cataphoric)Elliptical


Referential coherence / Repetitious cohesion

Phrasal (content words, not proforms)

Identical (full repetition)

Star-Belly Sneetches … blah blah blah … Star-Belly Sneetches

Plain-Belly Sneetches … blah blah blah … Plain-Belly Sneetches

Sylvester McMonkey McBean … blah blah blah … Sylvester McMonkey McBean


Partial (reduction)Star-Belly Sneetches … blah blah blah … Star-Bellies …

Sylvester McMonkey McBean …

blah blah blah … McBean

Partial (paraphrase)Star-Belly Sneetches … blah blah blah … Sneetches with stars

Plain-Belly Sneetches … blah blah blah … Sneetches without [stars on their bellies]

Referential coherence / Repetitious cohesion

Phrasal (content words, not proforms)



Proformal (not content words)

When the Star-Belly Sneetchesi hadj frankfurter roasts

Or Øi Øj picnics or Øi Øj parties or Øi Øj marshmallow toasts,

Theyi never invited the Plain-Belly Sneetchesk.

Theyi left themk out cold, in the dark of the beaches

Theyi kept themk away. Øi Never let themkcome near.

And that’s how theyi treated themk year after year.

i k




Star-Belly Sneetchesi

AnaphoricTheyi never invited …

EllipticalØi never let them …




Cataphoric

Theyi … Star-Belly Sneetchesi




Cataphoric

And he laughed as he droveIn his car up the beach“Theyi never will learn.

No. You can’t teach a sneetchi!”




Cataphoric

Then I was deep within the woods

When, suddenly, I spied themi.

I saw a pair of pale green pantsi

With nobody inside themi!




Now, the Star-Belly Sneetches Had belliesi with starsj.The Plain-Belly Sneetchesk Had nonej upon thars(i,k).




Now, the Star-Belly Sneetches Had belliesi with starsj.The Plain-Belly Sneetchesk Had nonej upon thars(i,k).

Alternate analysis[Plain-Bellyi Sneetches]j

… tharj Øis


Relational coherence

Restatement

So they clambered inside. Then the big machine roared.And it klonked. And it bonked. And it jerked. And it berked.And it bopped them about. But the thing really worked!When the Plain-Belly Sneetches popped out, they had stars!They actually did. They had stars upon thars.Restatemen

tsNucleus

A satellite which reformulates (paraphrases) the information given in the nucleus.



Concession

So they clambered inside. Then the big machine roared.And it klonked. And it bonked. And it jerked. And it berked.And it bopped them about. But the thing really worked!When the Plain-Belly Sneetches popped out, they had stars!They actually did. They had stars upon thars.NucleusConcession

sA satellite which concedes potential incompatibilities with the information presented in the nucleus.



ParatacticAmong elements of equal importance to the text; between nuclei

HypotacticAmong elements in which one (the nucleus) is more important to the text, and the other (the satellite) extends it in some way.



Paratactic relations

Now, the Star-Belly Sneetches Had bellies with stars.The Plain-Belly Sneetches Had none upon thars.

Contrasttheme, character

Nuclei



Paratactic relations

Off again! On again!In again! Out again!

SequenceNarrative elements

ContrastPlot development(equality of characters!)

Nuclei

Nuclei



Hypotactic relations

NucleusUtterance that contributes to the core of the text (the story, the argument, the instruction, …).

SatelliteUtterance that is peripheral to text, and which depends on a nucleus (that it extends, explains, frames, …)



Nucleus and satellite

Then ONE day, it seems, … while the Plain-Belly Sneetches

Were moping and doping alone on the beaches,

Just sitting there wishing their bellies had stars …

A stranger zipped up in the strangest of cars.





Were moping and doping alone on the beaches,Just sitting there wishing their bellies had stars …A stranger zipped up in the strangest of cars.

Satellites

Nucleus



Circumstance



Satellites

Nucleus

Circumstance



Circumstance



Satellites

Nucleus

Circumstance

A satellite which gives the framework in which the reader isintended to interpret the situation described in the nucleus.


Multiple relations

And I’ve heard of your troubles. I’ve heard you’re unhappy.

But I can fix that. I’m the Fix-it-up Chappie.I’ve come here to help you. I have what you need.And my prices are low. And I work at great speed.And my work is one-hundred percent guaranteed.



But I can fix that. I’m the Fix-it-up Chappie.I’ve come here to help you. I have what you

need.And my prices are low. And I work at great

speed.And my work is one-hundred percent guaranteed.

Contrast

Nuclei


Solutionhood

Problem(s)

Nucleus





The nucleus is a solution to the problem described in the satelite.


Justification

Justifications

A satellite which increases the reader’s readiness to accept the writer’s right to present the information in the nucleus.

Nucleus






Not in a box.Not with a fox. …I would not eat green eggs and ham.I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

Justification



Justification

Justification

Nucleus



Justification

Justification

Nucleus Elaborations


Elaboration


But I can fix that. I’m the Fix-it-up Chappie.I’ve come here to help you. I have what you need.And my prices are low. And I work at great speed.And my work is one-hundred percent guaranteed.

Elaborations

A satellite which presents additional detail about (some element of) the situation described in the nucleus.

Nucleus


Would you? Could you?In a box?Could you? Would you?With a fox?

Elaborations



Elaborations

Satellites

Nuclei



Restatement

Satellite

Nucleus


From the perspective of the Plain-Belly Sneetches

MotivationAnd I’ve heard of your troubles. I’ve heard you’re

unhappy.But I can fix that. I’m the Fix-it-up Chappie.I’ve come here to help you. I have what you need.And my prices are low. And I work at great speed.And my work is one-hundred percent guaranteed.

Motivations

A satellite which motivates the hearer to perform the action described in the nucleus (in this case, evoked by the nucleus).

Nucleus


Motivation?! Hey, that’s persuasion, isn’t it?

Rhetorical interludeAnd I’ve heard of your troubles. I’ve heard you’re


Reasons: premises feeding the argument ‘pay me (so you can jump into my star-off machine)’.



Rhetorical interludeAnd I’ve heard of your troubles. I’ve heard you’re


Ethos, pathos, logos, figuration, topoi, invention, arrangement, style, delivery, stasis, …



Rhetorical interlude: ethosAnd I’ve heard of your troubles. I’ve heard you’re


Eunoia(Goodwill

)

Arete(Virtue)

Phronesis(Good sense)


Character?! Hey, that’s literary, isn’t it?

Literary interludeAnd I’ve heard of your troubles. I’ve heard you’re

unhappy.But I can fix that. I’m the Fix-it-up Chappie.I’ve come here to help you. I have what you need.And my prices are low. And I work at great speed.And my work is one-hundred percent guaranteed.Opportunistic interloper, illustrating

selfish personal values, in contrast to the (selfishly skewed) community

values of the Sneetches. Advances plot while advancing personal wealth;

thematically exposes superficiality of appearance and fashion; character

revealed through dialogue.


Text linguistics vs. other analyses

Text linguistics only cares what satellites and nuclei are doing.

Rhetoric cares (from a suasive viewpoint) about where, how and why (and what).

Literary analysis cares (from anaesthetic viewpoint) about where, how and why (and what).


Text linguisticsCohesion--formal, semasiologicalStructural

Repetition, balance, functional linking

Coherence—conceptual, onomasiologicalReferential

Topical; definite, indefinite Relational

Paratactic (among nuclei)Hypotactic (between nucleus and satellite[s])

ProformalAnaphoric, cataphoric, elliptical

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