Discourse StructureWhy?

Discourse Structure

Discourse structure is a linguistic method.

The other linguistic methods are: Lexis Grammar Pragmatics Phonology Graphology Linguistic methods are used to analyse

language in detail

So what does discourse structure analyse?

When you look at discourse structure you are looking at how a text starts, how it may develop in the middle and how it ends.

Ok, so why should I care? Well discourse structure is one way in which you could

group texts. Certain texts may share a similar discourse structure and so could be grouped together, for example adverts may have an anxiety/solution structure. A joke may have a three part structure. A story may have a equilibrium, disequilibrium, climax, resolution structure.

It is important to look at the texts carefully and suggest why the texts may have this structure-how does it help to fulfil the text’s purpose or appeal to its audience?

Cohesion

Cohesion is closely linked to discourse structure but it looks at the text in a more detailed way. It is useful to know how a text is made cohesive because when you analyse your style models for your coursework it will help to show you ways in which the author has “glued” their text together. This should help to inform your own writing.

Warning!

When grouping texts you have to be selective in what you choose to write about and you have to show insight into why language features are used. Therefore saying something like: “Texts A, B, C, D, E and G, substitute nouns for pronouns, which are therefore anaphoric references, which help the texts to be cohesive.”

Whilst accurate, it is not very insightful because many texts do this-it does not really help to give us insight into why language is being used in the way it is in any particular text. It is only a little better than saying: “All of these texts use lexis, so they can be grouped together.”

It would be much better if you were able to talk about a text that used cohesive features in an interesting way, or if it was not cohesive for some reason, for example in a child’s writing. Then you can show insight into how and why that cohesive feature is being used!