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Text Analysis 1 lecture notes (LCX025P05)
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Notes video lectures Text Analysis IWeek 1
There are two types of discourse classification. These classifications are always related. Both need to
be thought about when writing a text. When analysing a text, the classifications can be distinguished.
1. Based on communicative purposes (functions) – Jakobsen.
2. Based on the forms – Werlich.
The functions mean what you want the discourse to achieve with the people. A text with a function
can have different forms (what does the text look like), depending on the purpose of the text. A text
with a conative function, for example, can be realized by a persuasive, instructive, opiniating or
activating text.
So there are two ways to classify discourse: from the function or from the form.
A text is subjective when it is written from the writer’s perspective, in contrast to an objective text.
An argumentative text has the following characteristics.
- Standpoint markers, e.g. “I think that …”
- Argumentation markers, e.g. “My argument is …”
- Evaluative expressions, e.g. “Wisest investment.”
- Truth claims, e.g. “Many people will be struggling.”
- Discourse connectives, e.g. “Because …”
A narrative text has the following characteristics.
- Past tense verbs.
- Reference to persons.
- Main character.
- Protagonist’s subjective viewpoint.
- Indications of time and place.
- Chronological ordering of events.
- Causal relations.
Narrative discourses enhances persuasiveness, text understanding (and remembering) and
motivation to read.
Cognitive effects of narratives are simulation, impression of having lived it yourself, and identification
with the story characters, empathising with them. These effects are used to make the readers act like
the characters (e.g. in order to buy a product), but there is also a risk: readers may find it childish.
Complicating action is also called story proper.
The story structure (Labov) can also be applied to non-interactional discourse: e.g. news articles with
the headline as an abstract and, often, the bold text as the orientation.
The evaluation of the story is how the writer/speaker feel about the event that happened (the story).
Week 2
Overall, the discourse types are very broad: an advertisement, an letter to the editor and an research
abstract can all be a persuasive type of discourse genres to narrow it down.
, Content and structure, form/lay out and the style are very important in genres.
Letter to the editor (opinion piece in a newspaper):
- Content and structure: headline – reference line – claim + arguments – signature.
- Form/lay out: corporate design – headline stands out.
- Style: detached (formal, ‘newsrol’) – complex sentences and words – evaluative expressions.
Research abstract, which follow a specific structure:
- Content and structure: introduction – methods – results – (discussion).
- Form/lay out: basic – corporate font.
- Style: detached – hedging (nuancing) – complex sentences and words – evaluative
expressions.
Advertisement:
- Content and structure: product – slogan – (implicit (no specific arguments presented)) reason
for buying.
- Form/lay out: picture dominates.
- Style: creative (it should stand out)– implicitness – evaluative expressions.
Multimodal = having text and images at the same time.
Persuasive discourse types vs. persuasive genres.
- Abstract description (‘persuade someone into doing or thinking something’) vs. concrete
description of communicative events.
- Generalizing over communicate events vs. specifying style, structure, form in relation to
communicative purposes.
- Highly variable appearances vs. invariable (slight variations).
- Occurs in many different genres vs. may contain different discourse types.
A genre is a recognisable class of text.
Genre can be used to evaluate the quality of the text.
Genres can be characterized with reference to one or more communicative purposes, constraining
choices of: content/structure, style, and lay our/form.
Thomas Upton is only discussing the content/structure (moves) of the genre direct mail letters.
Upton claims that any direct mail letter, in order to be a good direct mail letter, should have seven
moves: components of content in specific order. Move is used as a metaphor, under the assumption
that every part is a ‘move’ towards your goal.
1. Get attention ‘to awake the interest of the reader’.
2. Introduce the cause, establish credentials ‘what are you writing about and why is your
organisation worth the attention of the reader?’.
3. Solicit response ‘what does the direct mail letter want form you?’.
4. Offer incentives ‘what does the direct mail letter offer to you in return?’.
5. Reference insert ‘send in the mail with an envelope, in which you can find a flyer, or present,
or insent form, or a form in which you say how many money you will give’.
6. Express gratitude.
7. Conclude with pleasantries ‘kind regards / hope to see you, etc.’.
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