A method of analysing recontextualisation in the communication of science
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John Connolly
Abstract
Although communication is a creative process, this does not mean that all discourse is entirely novel. On the contrary, speakers and writers often draw upon material encountered within previous discourse-situations, and reuse it in their current discourse-environment. This process, whereby content that has been given expression in one context is subsequently lifted into a different context, is known as recontextualisation. Furthermore, such recontextualisation is frequently accompanied by the recasting or reexpression of the text itself, a process which may be termed resemiotisation. The present chapter proposes a broadly-based, three-tier method for the systematic analysis of recontextualisation and of the accompanying resemiotisation, and applies it to the practical study of communication in science education.
Abstract
Although communication is a creative process, this does not mean that all discourse is entirely novel. On the contrary, speakers and writers often draw upon material encountered within previous discourse-situations, and reuse it in their current discourse-environment. This process, whereby content that has been given expression in one context is subsequently lifted into a different context, is known as recontextualisation. Furthermore, such recontextualisation is frequently accompanied by the recasting or reexpression of the text itself, a process which may be termed resemiotisation. The present chapter proposes a broadly-based, three-tier method for the systematic analysis of recontextualisation and of the accompanying resemiotisation, and applies it to the practical study of communication in science education.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Contributors vii
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Introduction
- On the relatedness of functionalism and pragmatics 1
-
I. Methods in the analysis of language and discourse
- Developing comprehensive criteria of adequacy 19
- A method of analysing recontextualisation in the communication of science 37
- Contrastive corpus annotation in the CONTRANOT project 57
- Form and function in evaluative language 87
- Life before Nation 111
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II. Pragmatics and grammar
- A lexico-paradigmatic approach to English setting-constructions 133
- How did we think? 149
- The adverb truly in Present-Day English 169
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III. Current trends in pragmatics and discourse analysis
- Nominal reference and the dynamics of discourse 189
- ‘Pragmatic punting’ and prosody 209
- Besides as a connective 223
- Searle and Sinclair on communicative acts 243
- Strategies of (in)directness in Spanish speakers’ production of complaints and disagreements in English and Spanish 261
- Name index 285
- Term index 289
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Contributors vii
-
Introduction
- On the relatedness of functionalism and pragmatics 1
-
I. Methods in the analysis of language and discourse
- Developing comprehensive criteria of adequacy 19
- A method of analysing recontextualisation in the communication of science 37
- Contrastive corpus annotation in the CONTRANOT project 57
- Form and function in evaluative language 87
- Life before Nation 111
-
II. Pragmatics and grammar
- A lexico-paradigmatic approach to English setting-constructions 133
- How did we think? 149
- The adverb truly in Present-Day English 169
-
III. Current trends in pragmatics and discourse analysis
- Nominal reference and the dynamics of discourse 189
- ‘Pragmatic punting’ and prosody 209
- Besides as a connective 223
- Searle and Sinclair on communicative acts 243
- Strategies of (in)directness in Spanish speakers’ production of complaints and disagreements in English and Spanish 261
- Name index 285
- Term index 289
