Analysing texts of any kind is a very useful method for the aim of describing language functions. When we speak of a text, we speak of "Any passage, spoken or written, of whatever length, that forms a unified whole."
The question that is put first is what is a text and what is not, what are the features that distinguish text from a collection of unrelated sentences. Halliday points out that every text has a texture. "A text derives this texture from the fact that it functions as a unity with respect to its environment." There are certain linguistic features that contribute to textual unity. Apart from other concepts this fact is described by the concept of cohesion. "The concept of cohesion is a semantic one; it refers to relations of meaning that exist within the text, and that define it as a text. Cohesion occurs where the interpretation of some element in the discourse is dependent on that of another."
Formulated in other words, cohesion implies semantic resources for linking a sentence with was has gone before. The aim of this paper is to give a survey of the textual phenomenon cohesion by describing it with the help of an article of a newspaper. By analysing this article the paper pays attention to the linguistic resources of cohesion which are reference, ellipsis and conjunction, to point out how the resources help to create text, to organize text and experience the interpersonal and the experiential coherence of the text.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Functional perspective of cohesion
- Reference
- Ellipsis
- Conjunction
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to provide an overview of the textual phenomenon of cohesion by analyzing an article from a newspaper. The analysis focuses on the linguistic resources of cohesion, including reference, ellipsis, and conjunction, to demonstrate how they contribute to the creation, organization, and coherence of the text. This paper will also highlight the interpersonal and experiential aspects of the text.
- Cohesion as a textual phenomenon
- The linguistic resources of cohesion: reference, ellipsis, and conjunction
- The role of cohesion in creating and organizing text
- The interpersonal and experiential coherence of a text
- Analysis of a newspaper article to illustrate these concepts
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introductory chapter defines the concept of text and introduces the idea of cohesion as a crucial element for textual unity. It explains that cohesion refers to the semantic relationships within a text, which connect sentences and create meaning. The chapter also outlines the paper's focus on analyzing a newspaper article to explore the linguistic resources of cohesion.
The second chapter delves into the concept of reference as a key linguistic resource for creating cohesion. It defines reference and differentiates between exophoric and endophoric reference. The chapter also introduces the concept of coherence and its relationship to cohesion.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The main keywords and focus topics of this text include cohesion, reference, ellipsis, conjunction, coherence, textual unity, linguistic resources, newspaper article analysis, and interpersonal and experiential coherence.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a "text" defined in this functional perspective?
A text is defined as any passage, spoken or written, that forms a unified whole and functions as a unity within its environment.
What is the concept of "cohesion" in linguistics?
Cohesion is a semantic concept referring to the relations of meaning within a text that define it as a text, linking sentences together.
What are the three main linguistic resources of cohesion discussed?
The paper focuses on three primary resources: reference, ellipsis, and conjunction.
What is the difference between exophoric and endophoric reference?
Exophoric reference points to something outside the text, while endophoric reference points to elements within the text itself.
How does cohesion contribute to textual unity?
It provides the "texture" of a text by ensuring that the interpretation of one element is dependent on another, creating a meaningful flow.
What specific type of text is analyzed in this paper?
The paper uses a newspaper article to illustrate how cohesive devices organize experience and create interpersonal coherence.
- Citar trabajo
- Mag. Medienwissenschaft Holger Koch (Autor), 2001, A functional perspective of cohesion in English, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/17086
