author based theories
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7/28/2019 Author Based Theories
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AUTHOR-BasedAUTHOR-BasedApproachApproach
HERMENEUTICSHERMENEUTICS
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Focus of Hermeneutics is actuallyFocus of Hermeneutics is actuallyon examining “what is absenton examining “what is absent
rather than what is present”rather than what is present” Find Roots in the work of theFind Roots in the work of the
German philosopher MartinGerman philosopher MartinHeidgger and AmericanHeidgger and American
Hermenutist Hirsch Jr.Hermenutist Hirsch Jr. Hermeneutics in one way or theHermeneutics in one way or theother stands for a place where inother stands for a place where in
the most natural, original waythe most natural, original waysubjectivity and the sociocultural,subjectivity and the sociocultural,-political and –economic backdrop-political and –economic backdrophave to come together with thehave to come together with the
being of the text relegated to abeing of the text relegated to a
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Hermeneutics encompasses not onlyHermeneutics encompasses not onlyissues involving the written text butissues involving the written text butevery aspect involved in the processevery aspect involved in the process
of interpretationof interpretation
The process of interpretation inThe process of interpretation in
Hermeneutics include verbal andHermeneutics include verbal andnonverbal forms of communicationnonverbal forms of communicationas well as prior perspectives thatas well as prior perspectives thataffect- positively or negatively-affect- positively or negatively-
communicative process, such ascommunicative process, such aspresuppositions, preunderstandings,presuppositions, preunderstandings,
the meaning and philosophy of the meaning and philosophy of language and semiotic relationslanguage and semiotic relations
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Thus Hermeneutics stands for theThus Hermeneutics stands for the
analysis of texts for coherentanalysis of texts for coherent
explanation and interpretationexplanation and interpretation
This experience resides in anThis experience resides in an
imaginative continuum of certainimaginative continuum of certainpatterns, themes, problems,patterns, themes, problems,
dilemmas, and images focusing ondilemmas, and images focusing on
the relation and nature of the relation and nature of experience to the artistic processexperience to the artistic process
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Hermeneutics attempts to interpretHermeneutics attempts to interpret
and understand social events byand understand social events byanalysing their meanings to theanalysing their meanings to thehuman participants-mainly thehuman participants-mainly the
writer’s self-and their culturewriter’s self-and their culture
It emphasizes the importance of It emphasizes the importance of
the context as well as the form of the context as well as the form of any given social behaviourany given social behaviour
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The central principle of The central principle of Hermeneutics is that it is onlyHermeneutics is that it is only
possible to grasp the meaning of anpossible to grasp the meaning of anaction or statement by relating it toaction or statement by relating it tothe whole discourse or world-viewthe whole discourse or world-view
from which it originatesfrom which it originates
Hermeneutic circle: Relationship of Hermeneutic circle: Relationship of
the whole to the part and the partthe whole to the part and the partto the wholeto the whole
H
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How can we escape our currentHow can we escape our current
viewpoint and see a piece of viewpoint and see a piece of
literature as its author intended?literature as its author intended? There is no language free of prejudicesThere is no language free of prejudices
and preferences. Nor can we get outsideand preferences. Nor can we get outsidelanguage to some purer mode of language to some purer mode of understandingunderstanding
Words mirror objects imperfectly atWords mirror objects imperfectly atsurface level of language but it is on theirsurface level of language but it is on theirmultilevel reflecting surfaces that truthmultilevel reflecting surfaces that truthbecome perceptiblebecome perceptible
These patterns are not merely containersThese patterns are not merely containers
for words, but interpretive conventions,for words, but interpretive conventions,ways of understanding, and ways of ways of understanding, and ways of locating relevant subjects for discourse.locating relevant subjects for discourse.
Hermeneutics sees interpretation as aHermeneutics sees interpretation as a
creative effort to compose ancreative effort to compose anunderstandin on the art of theunderstanding on the part of the
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AuthorityAuthority TheThe authorityauthority of a text is its reliability as a witness toof a text is its reliability as a witness to
the author's intentions that can be:the author's intentions that can be: InitialInitial medialmedial
finalfinal An attempt is made to explore authorialAn attempt is made to explore authorial
intention- either it is recoverable or thisintention- either it is recoverable or this
recovery is impossiblerecovery is impossible
A text's authority becomes more problematicA text's authority becomes more problematic
when it has more than one author, when itwhen it has more than one author, when it
falsely asserts itself to be someone else's work orfalsely asserts itself to be someone else's work or
when it is revised many timeswhen it is revised many times
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Hermeneutic Code: theHermeneutic Code: the
voice of the truthvoice of the truth Associated with enigmas of theAssociated with enigmas of the
texttext It is entities or elements thatIt is entities or elements that
articulate a question and itsarticulate a question and its
answer, as well as events thatanswer, as well as events thatprepare the question or delayprepare the question or delay
its answerits answer
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Thematisation. What in the narrativeThematisation. What in the narrativeis an enigma?is an enigma?
Positioning. Additional confirmationsPositioning. Additional confirmationsof the enigma.of the enigma. Formulation of the enigma.Formulation of the enigma. Promise of an answer of the enigma.Promise of an answer of the enigma.
Fraud. Circumvention of the trueFraud. Circumvention of the trueanswer.answer. Equivocation. Mixture of fraud andEquivocation. Mixture of fraud and
truth.truth. Blocking. The enigma cannot beBlocking. The enigma cannot be
solved.solved. Suspended answer. Stopping theSuspended answer. Stopping the
answering after having begun.answering after having begun. Partial answer. Some facets of thePartial answer. Some facets of the
truth are revealed.truth are revealed.
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HERMENEUTICS IN EFL/ESLHERMENEUTICS IN EFL/ESL
CONTEXTCONTEXT For an EFL/ESL learner, fromFor an EFL/ESL learner, from
Hermeneutical perspective,Hermeneutical perspective,reading literature is actually areading literature is actually a
process of decoding the languageprocess of decoding the language
codes that are operative in thecodes that are operative in thecomposition of any given text andcomposition of any given text andthe socio-historical and culturalthe socio-historical and cultural
contexts in which it was composedcontexts in which it was composed EFL/ESL teacher must compose thisEFL/ESL teacher must compose this
position by explaining how he/sheposition by explaining how he/sheteaches a PARTICULAR piece to ateaches a PARTICULAR piece to a
group of historically ignorantgroup of historically ignorantstudentsstudents
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For an EFL/ESL learner, literary textFor an EFL/ESL learner, literary text
contains a historically accuratecontains a historically accurate
interpretation in terms of theinterpretation in terms of themeaning of the text, and the role of meaning of the text, and the role of
hermeneutics is to recover thathermeneutics is to recover that
meaningmeaning
The major concern of an EFL/ESLThe major concern of an EFL/ESL
teacher is to rehabilitate referenceteacher is to rehabilitate referenceitself itself
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Basically EFL/ESL teacher’s practiceBasically EFL/ESL teacher’s practiceis to inform his/her students of theis to inform his/her students of thesedimented meanings of the termssedimented meanings of the terms
around which pivot the kind of around which pivot the kind of interpretation that would beinterpretation that would be
performed by a person of the targetperformed by a person of the targetwriter’s generation, culture, andwriter’s generation, culture, and
gender-a traditional hermeneuticgender-a traditional hermeneuticrecuperation of the textrecuperation of the text
Hermeneutic interpretations areHermeneutic interpretations are
thus instrumentally different fromthus instrumentally different fromliterary texts, and language isliterary texts, and language isunderstood as a set of techniquesunderstood as a set of techniques
for presenting informationfor presenting information
unmediated by authorialunmediated by authorial
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EFL/ESL learner as an interpreter thusEFL/ESL learner as an interpreter thusbecomes a cataloguer of semioticbecomes a cataloguer of semiotic
references that can be applied to a textreferences that can be applied to a textin the way that meaning is buried inin the way that meaning is buried inlanguage that has become opaquelanguage that has become opaque
because of the passage of timebecause of the passage of time
This position of the literary text inThis position of the literary text inHermeneutics continues to privilege theHermeneutics continues to privilege thepastpast
Thus, an EFL/ESL learner exploitsThus, an EFL/ESL learner exploits
interpretation only to efface theinterpretation only to efface thechanges that language undergoes inchanges that language undergoes in
time, employing language as secondarytime, employing language as secondaryto context simply to present theto context simply to present the
discoveries made by interpretationdiscoveries made by interpretation
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The production of an interpretationThe production of an interpretationand explanation about a text,and explanation about a text,
requires the application of specialrequires the application of specialtopics andtopics and methods on the part of methods on the part of
the learner/readerthe learner/reader
From Hermeneutical perspective,From Hermeneutical perspective,for an EFL/ESL learner a text is notfor an EFL/ESL learner a text is nota repository of meaning, but rathera repository of meaning, but rather
a potential opportunity fora potential opportunity fordiscoursediscourse
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However, there is no absoluteHowever, there is no absolutestandard of evaluation forstandard of evaluation for
interpretive propositions ininterpretive propositions in
Hermeneutics because interpretationHermeneutics because interpretationhappens within informal, openhappens within informal, opensystems involving words andsystems involving words and
systems of thought that cannot besystems of thought that cannot becodified and formalizedcodified and formalized
The purpose of HermeneuticalThe purpose of Hermeneutical
interpretation, thus, is not tointerpretation, thus, is not torepresent thought in words or torepresent thought in words or toconvey abstract meanings to othersconvey abstract meanings to others
by means of words, but rather toby means of words, but rather to
exert power over experience-toexert power over experience-to
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EFL/ESL teacher is required toEFL/ESL teacher is required tomake the students understand thatmake the students understand that
when meaning is understood aswhen meaning is understood asresulting from authorial intention,resulting from authorial intention,a single stable meaning is assumeda single stable meaning is assumed
available to a particularavailable to a particular
methodology, and one topic ismethodology, and one topic isalways privileged over all othersalways privileged over all others
This makes some of what is learnedThis makes some of what is learned
in a literature classroom relevant toin a literature classroom relevant toother endeavors without renderingother endeavors without rendering
literature subservient to otherliterature subservient to other
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Interpretation is understood not as aInterpretation is understood not as apsychological event or metaphysicalpsychological event or metaphysical
quest or a methodical reconstruction of quest or a methodical reconstruction of
a historical consciousness, but rather asa historical consciousness, but rather asa conscious effort to apply formalizinga conscious effort to apply formalizingprinciples to previously formed matterprinciples to previously formed matter
through an exploration into thethrough an exploration into the
experience of the writerexperience of the writer
Hermeneutics provides theHermeneutics provides theargumentative framework for evaluatingargumentative framework for evaluating
the relative plausibility of variousthe relative plausibility of variousinterpretations and, most significantly, itinterpretations and, most significantly, it
provides a practical method in anprovides a practical method in anEFL/ESL context for discovering how toEFL/ESL context for discovering how to
offer interpretations--for inventingoffer interpretations--for inventingmeanin smeanin s
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What is alien for a learner isWhat is alien for a learner isworrisome and so must beworrisome and so must benormalized by the employment of normalized by the employment of
different means by the instructor asdifferent means by the instructor asit is always possible to redirectit is always possible to redirect
compositional attentioncompositional attention
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