Discourse Flashcards
What does discourse refer to in the context of English language studies?
Ways in which whole texts (written, spoken, and multimodal) are constructed at a level beyond the word, phrase, clause, and sentence.
What is discourse structure?
How a text is structured overall, including how its parts are assembled.
Give an example of a discourse structure.
- Question and answer format
- Problem-solution structure
- Narrative structure
- Adjacency pairs in spoken interaction
- Sequence of messages in online/social media chat
What are cohesive devices?
Tools used to make references within and between texts.
How are narrative structures significant in texts?
They shape how stories are told and understood.
What do discourses in the plural refer to?
Wider beliefs, ideologies, and values in society that texts relate to and contribute towards.
What are discourse markers?
Words, phrases, or clauses that help to organise what we say or write (e.g., OK, So, ‘As I was saying…’).
Define adjuncts in the context of clauses.
Non-essential elements of clauses (usually adverbials) that can be omitted.
Provide an example of an adjunct.
‘ll see you in the morning.
What are disjuncts?
Sentence adverbs that express an attitude or stance towards material that follows.
Give an example of a disjunct.
- ‘Frankly, I’m appalled at what she said’
- ‘Sadly, not one of them survived.’
What are narrative structures?
How events, actions, and processes are sequenced when recounting a story
Define anaphoric reference.
Making reference back to something previously identified in a text, often using pronouns
Provide an example of anaphoric reference.
The woman stood by the door. She made detailed notes of what she could see
Define cataphoric reference.
Making reference forwards to something as yet unidentified in a text
