The encoding and signalling of discourse relations in argumentative discourse
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Anita Fetzer
Abstract
This chapter examines the role of production format in the linguistic realization of discourse relations in the argumentative discourse genre of commentary, distinguishing between implicitly realized discourse relations, encoded in coherence strands and lexical coherence, and overtly realized discourse relations, encoded in coherence strands and additionally signalled with discourse connectives, metadiscursive comments and non-congruently configurated theme zones. The production format comprises single-authored commentaries, monadically edited commentaries and dyadically edited commentaries. The edited texts stem from a discourse-editing task: the source text was stripped of almost all adverbials yet retained the original argumentative sequential organization and default configuration of events. The study is methodologically compositional across functional approaches to discourse grammar, discourse semantics, and discourse pragmatics. The analysis confirms that Contrast is realized overtly by default, Continuation and Explanation tend to be realized overtly in edited texts and Elaboration is realized more frequently overtly in single-authored texts.
Abstract
This chapter examines the role of production format in the linguistic realization of discourse relations in the argumentative discourse genre of commentary, distinguishing between implicitly realized discourse relations, encoded in coherence strands and lexical coherence, and overtly realized discourse relations, encoded in coherence strands and additionally signalled with discourse connectives, metadiscursive comments and non-congruently configurated theme zones. The production format comprises single-authored commentaries, monadically edited commentaries and dyadically edited commentaries. The edited texts stem from a discourse-editing task: the source text was stripped of almost all adverbials yet retained the original argumentative sequential organization and default configuration of events. The study is methodologically compositional across functional approaches to discourse grammar, discourse semantics, and discourse pragmatics. The analysis confirms that Contrast is realized overtly by default, Continuation and Explanation tend to be realized overtly in edited texts and Elaboration is realized more frequently overtly in single-authored texts.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
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Section I. Discourse structure and verbal interaction
- The encoding and signalling of discourse relations in argumentative discourse 13
- A typological approach to the encoding of motion events 45
- Contrastive analysis of interactional discourse markers in English and Spanish newspaper texts 75
- “God that came out quick didn’t it eh” 109
- The use of tag questions in the oral production of L2 English learners 145
- “Okay … so … nice to meet you? {smiles}” 171
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Section II. Evaluation and engagement
- Lexis and grammar as complementary discourse systems for expressing stance and evaluation 201
- Emotion and appraisal processes in language 227
- Empathy versus engagement 251
- Two dimensions of language intensity in evaluative discourse 273
- Name index 297
- Subject Index 301
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Section I. Discourse structure and verbal interaction
- The encoding and signalling of discourse relations in argumentative discourse 13
- A typological approach to the encoding of motion events 45
- Contrastive analysis of interactional discourse markers in English and Spanish newspaper texts 75
- “God that came out quick didn’t it eh” 109
- The use of tag questions in the oral production of L2 English learners 145
- “Okay … so … nice to meet you? {smiles}” 171
-
Section II. Evaluation and engagement
- Lexis and grammar as complementary discourse systems for expressing stance and evaluation 201
- Emotion and appraisal processes in language 227
- Empathy versus engagement 251
- Two dimensions of language intensity in evaluative discourse 273
- Name index 297
- Subject Index 301
