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TOPIC 35. EXPLANATORY TEXTS. STRUCTURE AND CHARACTERISTICS - Coggle Diagram
TOPIC 35. EXPLANATORY TEXTS. STRUCTURE AND CHARACTERISTICS
Randolph Quirk
saw text as a stretch of language which makes coherent sense in the context of its use. He stated that texts must be linguistically, pragmatically and semantically correct since they are made of meanings coded in words and structures (which will be sound or written symbols).
Jean-Michel Adam
views text as a unit of communication that goes beyond individual sentences; it is a structured and coherent entity where each part contributes to the overall meaning and purpose of communication.
He distinguished
5 types of texts
: argumentative, explanatory, descriptive, narrative and injunctions
argumentative
texts: used to argue, convince, persuade or defend a POV trying to make the addressee share the author's perspective.
Descriptive
text: intended to describe, present the reader with an image of sth they cannot see but can imagine.
injunctions
: to make sb do sth (give instructions).
Narrative
text: intended to tell a story, to make a past/imaginary story seem real and bring it to the present.
EXPLANATORY
texts:
: to explain/analyse a phenomenon to make it understandable.
It's a non-fiction writing explaining something in a detailed but simple way.
6
TYPES
, according to
Derewianka and Jones
(2016): "Teaching Language in Context"
causal
explanations investigate why things occur and are more demanding as they involve an element of casuality.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asZ7WLQ95Xc&t=47s
system
: detail how different
parts
of a system
work together
as a whole,
highlighting its components
.
cyclical
: explain
recurring events
that sometimes involve an element of casuality (often a natural process)
Factorial
explanation identify the
causes
or factors that contribute towards a particular outcome
Sequential
explanation are the
stages of a process
or explaining phenomena that involve a linear sequence without an attempt to introduce casual elements.
consequential
explanations focus on the consequences or results of specific actions or events.
STYLE
Main language features are use of:
Abstract
nouns
Action verbs
to explain cause
Complex noun groups
to build detailed descriptions
Connectives
to link time sequence in a cause and effect sequence
Conjunctions
to sequence and link events and to keep the text flowing.
Passive voice
Pronouns
for words already introduced in the text
Sentences that have a clear subject-verb agreement
Timeless present tense
Technical terms
or
word chains
about a subject.
FUNCTIONS
in different circumstances and contexts by Adam and Boissinot
Informative
function: providing with relevant data and
raising awareness
.
Didactic
: to facilitate understanding and
learning in educational settings.
Persuading
: to
convince
their interlocutors of a particular POV.
In
fiction
: to delay the action, make sth true, to reinforce the mystery or to instruct readers" (Adam & Boissinot, 2014, p. 45).
Adam, J. M., & Boissinot, A. (2014). Genres of Discourse. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
FUNCTIONS BY A&B: IDPF
For Loureda (2003), each type of text incorporates a number of properties that distinguish it from others, making it a model for the addresser to choose.
STRUCTURE
: IBEC
In explanatory texts, the text structure specifies the
logical connections
and subordination between ideas.
Meyer proposed 3 primary levels in the analysis of ETs: TMM
Macropropositional
level that refers to the
logical organisation and argumentation in longer paragraphs
.
Micropropositional
level is concerned with
how individual ideas cohere and the way sentences are related
.
Halliday & Hasan stated that a text coheres when the interpretation of 1 element depends upon or pressupposes another.
They identified mechanisms (reference, substitution, ellipsis) by which authors tie phrases and sentences together at this level.
Top-level structure
of the text corresponds to its
overall organisation
including how main ideas are connected.
IBEC
: the
general structure
of an explanatory sequence presents a first operator (question nor made explicit) followed by a sequence (solution) that may have the following structure:
Introduction
: Direct the reader's attention to the subject or problem and explain the author's experience with it
Background
: explain the
nature of the problem
, its importance, history and causes
Explanation of the Thesis
:
developed with supporting details
Conclusion
: explain the implications of the info and summarise the discussion
Meyer, B. J. F. (1975). "
The Organisation of Prose and its Effect on Memory
"
CHARACTERISTICS
: Meyer, SCI, TECH PR,
3rd person
precise
language using nouns
conciseness
, clarity and syntax simplicity
brief paragraphs in order
, including bold words, graphics and pictures.
PRAGMATIC
, a set of inferences/
expectations
present in the addressee's mind. They
assume that info
in explanatory prose
is true
and they further use this knowledge to evaluate the truth of statements,
since one of the purposes of explanations is to update the addressee's general knowledge
and accepted truths.
4 kinds of essential knowledge:
AROLP
knowledge about
physical events
, (real-life occurrences and phenomena). This includes explanations of processes, events, and changes in the physical environment.
knowledge about
objects and locations
knowledge about human
actions
(objectives, plans)
knowledge about
human reasoning
(problem-solving & critical thinking)
Relations on meaning characteristics
: The use of
Meyer's
5 groups of rethorical relationships
guarantees the
coherence
of the whole text: CCCDR
collection
: Grouping
items
together based on
shared characteristics
causation
indicate
cause-and-effect
connections between events or phenomena
Response
: listed from
problem and solution
. According to Meyer (1975), these relationships involve addressing or responding
to a statement, or question
Comparison
: highlights
(dis)similarities
between (+)2 topics. There are 3 subtypes of comparison:
Alternative: interrelates equally weighted alternative options or equally weighted opposing views.
Adversatives: relates a favoured view to less desirable opposing view or relates what did happen to what didn't happen.
Analogy: provides a parallel idea with different context to support an idea or event.
description
give detailed information
about a single entity, often to create a vivid image
Meyer, B. J. F. (1975). "
The Organisation of Prose and its Effect on Memory
"
Technical explanatory tests characteristics
Technical prose is a subtype of
explanatory prose that is concerned with presenting information of a technical nature
, such as the one found in textbooks or in instruction and maintenance manuals. It contains
elements
which caracterise its explanatory style: CHEMI
many general concepts that are usually referred to with
plural nouns with no determiners
signals for thematic content
. THe main topic of a sentence in explanations is usually presented through the use of a passive structure where the subject is the main topic
connectives
: transitional words, and signalling devices that help readers keep track of the logical flow in explanatory passages. There are additive, temporal, causal and adversative relations.
example
-of: frequently used in technical prose
hypotheses
are very usual in explanatory texts and thus the different ways of presenting them are frequently employed.
metaphors
are often developed to explain reasoning
impersonality
is frequently used to avoid overt expression of feelings. Passives may be used to remove people altogether so that only reason and facts remain.
SCIENTIFIC TREATESIS CHARACTERISTICS
imposed several
formal requirements
that sometimes are generalised (such as
APA style) or determined by a given publisher for a particular journal
to ensure clarity and consistency
.
objective
of organising a reseach paper is to allow people
to read it selectively
. For that reason, the following
elements
must be present: title, page, abstract, introduction, materials, methods, results, discussion, and references or bibliography.
Adam, J-M. (1992). "Linguistics and Textual Analysis".
Beaugrande, R. (2014). "Discourse Analysis: An Introduction"
Loureda, O. (2003) "Introduction to Text Typology"
Quirk, R. & Greenbaum, S. (1973). "A University Grammar of English "
Meyer, B. J. F. (1975). "
The Organisation of Prose and its Effect on Memory
"
Derewianka, B., & Jones, P. (2016). "
Teaching Language in Context
".
Loureda (2003) defines texts as oral or written speech acts produced by an individual for an addressee, fulfilling a definite sense in a specific situation.
Beaugrande
defined text as a communicative occurrence that form an organised whole which meets
7 standards of textuality
: coherence, cohesion, acceptability, situationality, informativity, intertextuality and intentionality.
constitutive principles
Beaugrande defines texts as communicative occurrences which form an organised whole that meets
7 standards
and function as constitutive principles of communication: they create and define the form of identifiable behaviour as textual communicating.
intertextuality
: factors that make the use of one text dependent upon knowledge of (+)1 or + previously encountered txts.
situationality
: factors that make a text relevant to the situation
informativity
: the extent to which the occurrences of the text are (un)expected
acceptability
: the receiver accepts the relevance of the message
intentionality
: the writer's attitude; to produce a cohesive and coherent text.
coherence
: logical connections of the meanings that make a text understandable.
cohesion
: grammatical/lexical linkings within the elements of a txt
https://youtu.be/7Ujtenxk6Xk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-UL8ZvF42A&pp=ygUhamF2aWVyIGxlbmd1YSB0ZXh0b3MgZXhwbGljYXRpdm9z
