Page 275 - DENG504_LINGUISTICS

Unit 19: Discourse

in assimilating input from the smallest chunks of discourse: sounds in speech and letters in texts, Notes
afterwards moving to more and more general features. This technique is frequently applied by
lower-level learners who turn much attention to decoding particular words, thus losing the more
general idea, that is the meaning of a given piece of writing. In the same way learning a new
language begins: first the alphabet, then words and short phrases, next simple sentences, finally
elaborate compound sentences. While it is considered to be a good way of making learners
understand the language, a wider perspective is necessary to enable students to successfully
produce comprehensible discourse.
Alternatively, top-down processing starts with general features of a text, gradually moving to the
narrower. This approach considers all levels of communicative products as a total unit whose
elements work collectively, in other words, it is more holistic. Not only does the information in a
text enable readers to understand it, but it also has to be confronted with recipient's former
knowledge and expectations which facilitate comprehension. It is important to make students
aware of these two ways of dealing with written discourse and how they may be exploited
depending on the task. When learners are to get acquainted with the main idea of a particular
communicative product they should take advantage of top-down approach, while when answering
detailed true-false questions they would benefit from bottom-up reading.
Types of Text
Obviously, all texts have a certain feature in common, namely they are indented to convey some
meaning. This function, however, might be fulfilled in a number of different ways: a road sign
'stop', and a six hundred pages long novel are both texts which might serve that purpose, yet,
there are certain characteristics that distinguish them. The above example presents the idea
somewhat in the extreme, although, enumerating several other common types of texts might
affirm that the notion of text is a very broad one and is not limited to such varieties as those that
can be found in language course books.
Differences between texts might be striking, while menu is usually easy to read, legal documents
or wills are not. All of them, however, have certain features that others lack, which if explained by
a qualified teacher might serve as a signpost to interpretation.Additionally, the kind of a given
text might also provide information about its author, as for example in the case of recipes, warrants
or manuals, and indirectly about possible vocabulary items and grammar structures that can
appear in it, which should facilitate perception of the text. Having realized what kind of passage
learners are to read, on the basis of its title they should be able to predict the text's content, or even
make a list of vocabulary that might appear in the communicative product. With teacher's tutelage
such abilities are quickly acquired which improves learners' skills of interpretation and test results.
Patterns in Text

Having accounted for various kinds of associations between words, as well as clauses and sentences
in discourse, the time has come to examine patterns that are visible throughout written
communicative products. Patterning in texts contributes to their coherence, as it is thanks to
patterns that writing is structured in a way that enables readers to easily confront the received
message with prior knowledge. Salkie indicates that the majority of readers unconsciously makes
use of tendencies of arranging texts to approach information.
Among most frequently occurring patterns in written discourses there are inter alia claim-
counterclaim, problem-solution, question-answer or general-specific statement arrangements.
Detailed examination of such patterning revealed that problem-solution sequence is frequently
accompanied by two additional parts, namely background (in other words introduction) and
evaluation (conclusion). While in some elaborate texts the background and the problem might be
presented in the same sentence, in other instances - when reader is expected to be familiar with the
background, it might not be stated in the text itself. Although both cohesive devices and problem-
solution patterns often occur in written communicative products only the former are designated
as linguistic means, since patterning, when encountered, has to be faced with assumptions,
knowledge and opinion of the reader.

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