The coding of discourse relations in English and German argumentative discourse
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Augustin Speyer
Abstract
This chapter examines contrastively the overt and non-overt coding of discourse relations in British English and German editorials. Particular attention is given to the linguistic coding of discourse relations between adjacently and non-adjacently positioned discourse units, and to the question of granularity. In the data, the discourse relation of Contrast is coded overtly in adjacent and nonadjacent positioning in the two languages, while Continuation, Elaboration, Explanation and Comment are coded differently. In the British data, there is a clear preference for coding discourse relations between adjacently positioned subordinating discourse relations overtly on the level of clause, and in the German data, discourse relations holding between non-adjacently positioned sentences are preferably marked overtly.
Abstract
This chapter examines contrastively the overt and non-overt coding of discourse relations in British English and German editorials. Particular attention is given to the linguistic coding of discourse relations between adjacently and non-adjacently positioned discourse units, and to the question of granularity. In the data, the discourse relation of Contrast is coded overtly in adjacent and nonadjacent positioning in the two languages, while Continuation, Elaboration, Explanation and Comment are coded differently. In the British data, there is a clear preference for coding discourse relations between adjacently positioned subordinating discourse relations overtly on the level of clause, and in the German data, discourse relations holding between non-adjacently positioned sentences are preferably marked overtly.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Introduction 1
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Coherence and genre
- Explicit and implicit coherence relations in Dutch texts 23
- Contrastive relations, evaluation, and generic structure in science news 53
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The signalling of coherence relations
- The coding of discourse relations in English and German argumentative discourse 87
- Resolving connective ambiguity 121
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Coherence in multimodal discourse
- Multimodal coherence research and its applications 145
- Coherence in multimodal arts installations 179
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Developmental and educational perspectives
- “Why? Because I’m talking to you!” Parental input and cognitive complexity as determinants of children’s connective acquisition 209
- (Non-)signalling of coherence structures in English learner writing 243
- Signalling coherence in Austrian students‘ seminar papers: macro- and micro-structural cues 267
- Index 293
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Introduction 1
-
Coherence and genre
- Explicit and implicit coherence relations in Dutch texts 23
- Contrastive relations, evaluation, and generic structure in science news 53
-
The signalling of coherence relations
- The coding of discourse relations in English and German argumentative discourse 87
- Resolving connective ambiguity 121
-
Coherence in multimodal discourse
- Multimodal coherence research and its applications 145
- Coherence in multimodal arts installations 179
-
Developmental and educational perspectives
- “Why? Because I’m talking to you!” Parental input and cognitive complexity as determinants of children’s connective acquisition 209
- (Non-)signalling of coherence structures in English learner writing 243
- Signalling coherence in Austrian students‘ seminar papers: macro- and micro-structural cues 267
- Index 293
