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Lecture 6 Coherence (2):. Topical coherence Coherence relations. What is topic?. Topic, in its general sense, refers to a particular subject that we discuss or write about.. For discourse analysts,
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1. An Introduction to Discourse Analysis Cheng Xiaotang Beijing Normal University
2. Lecture 6 Coherence (2): Topical coherence
Coherence relations
3. What is topic? Topic, in its general sense, refers to a particular subject that we discuss or write about.
4. For discourse analysts, topics are to be defined in terms of propositions, sets of propositions and/or propositions entailed by such sets (van Dijk, 1977:114)
A discourse topic is the question of immediate concern.
5. Example
E.g., Sandy Ison will never forget her
honeymoon.
The topic is an unforgettable honeymoon.
6. Local topic vs. global topic A distinction is often made between local topic and global topic. A local topic concerns components or elements of text, whereas a global topic concerns the whole text.
Of course, local topic and global topic are relative concepts.
7. Topical continuity A coherent text must develop around one single global topic; within the text, sub-topic or local topics may develop and may change from one to another, but this should not be done at the expense of the loss of the global topic;
8. The change of local topic should be justified and very often indicated by explicit or implicit linguistic, semantic or pragmatic devices, such as anaphoric reference and lexical repetition or substitution.
An sample analysis: See handouts
9. Topic change The principle of topical continuity does not mean that topics in texts do not change. In a discourse we often talk about more than one topic. As Grimes (1982) notes, often, while talking about one thing, we put it aside temporarily and talk about something else for a while. After we finish with the new thing, we may come back to the first one, [though] we do not always do so (p. 164).
10. As has been mentioned early, local and global topics co-exist in text at different levels. Local topics centred around a global topic will necessarily differ from each other one way or another. When text components move from one local topic to another, topic change or topic shift takes place.
11. Abrupt topic change can, however, prompt disturbed coherence (Bublitz & Lenk, 1999:169). Abrupt topic change is always locally incoherent; it can also be coherent on a global level provided that the new topic is a noticeable contribution either to a superordinate topic or to a general conversational goal. If both conditions are not fulfilled, the abrupt topic change will also be seen as globally incoherent.
12. Let us look at an example and see how topic shift may result in incoherence. Compare the following two examples of discourse:
We went to the movies. John didnt come. He was ill.
We went to the movies. John was ill. He didnt come.
13. EFL example Breaks must be the happiest time for every student. We rushed out of the classroom and played on the grey ground as soon as the teacher dismissed us from the class. We flew here and there, jumped ropes and played some other games. There was a flag pole in a corner of our school, and every Monday morning we gathered on the playground, watching the flag raised up in the breeze.
- EFL student writing (underline added)
14. Topic break Topic change or shift that is not justified is called topic break, which is synonymous with topic drift. the contention is that topic break (drift) of whatever cause will result in disturbed coherence or incoherence.
15. Topic break refers to the phenomenon where a text segment (usually not the initial segment) introduces a topic that neither relates to the topic of the previous segment nor has obviously connection with the global topic.
16. Topic drift occurs when the global topic is temporally neglected or even permanently abandoned. When this happens, discourse will develop according to what is associatively closest or easiest to say next rather than to what the speakers projected goals of the global topic demand.
17. An extract of discourse between a psychiatrist and his patient, an 80-year-old, educated, middle-class woman See Handouts
18. Topic drift is also common in compositions produced by students learning to write. one of causes of incoherence in these compositions is topic drift. Below is an example:
19. Then I went to a junior middle school. It was a key school of Beijing. So there were lots of good teachers and well-equipped classrooms. There was a standard racetrack of 400 metres long. So I had to test 800 metres every year. I cant forget how uncomfortable when I finished the test. I was choked after my covering 800 metres. I really hate it. There were more subjects and homework than my primary school. So I spent more time finishing it.
20. Coherence relations The studies of logico-semantic relations between two or more discourse segments are often referred to as the coherence relation approach to discourse analysis. There are a very wide range of possible relations existing between clauses, which can be either signalled explicitly by the so-called discourse markers or implied implicitly.
21. Logical vs. non-logical relations An important distinction needs to be made first between logical relations and non-logical relations. A relation is logical when there is a logical connection or logical interdependence between two or more things. The causal relation and conditional relation mentioned above belong to this category. A relation is non-logical when the things in question do not have a logical connection.
22. E.g., Peter arrived ten minutes late, and
Michael arrived when the meeting was
almost over.
Peter arrived ten minutes late, so the
meeting was postponed.
23. Semantic vs. pragmatic relations A distinction is also made between semantic and pragmatic sources of coherence relations. A relation is semantic if the discourse segments are related to each other because of their related propositional content. For example:
E.g., Mary was injured in a car accident, so she
was hospitalised.
24. A relation is pragmatic if the discourse segments are related because of the illocutionary meaning of one or both of the segments. In other words, the propositional meanings of the two segments in their own right have nothing to do with each, but the purposes of saying the two segments are related. For example:
E.g. Im busy. The drinks are in the fridge.
25. Real-world vs. non-real-world relations Another distinction that is important in explicating coherence relations is the distinction between real-world relations and non-real-world relations. A real-world relation refers to a relation that actually exists between two or more events in the worlds represented in the text. For example,
E.g., It rained heavily for three days. Many parts
of the country were flooded.
26. A non-real-world relation refers to a relation that does not actually exist between the things or events in question; rather, language users assign a certain relation to them. Below is an example:
E.g., Peter went to the cinema, but Mike stayed
at home reviewing his lessons.
27. Significance of the distinctions First, if a text segment has a semantic relation, the use of connectives is optional. However, the presence of connectives makes the relation more prominent, and the absence of connectives may undermine the relation. Here are two examples:
E.g., Mary was sick, so she stayed at home.
Mary was sick. She stayed at home and
felt bored.
28. Second, connectives cannot be used in certain situations, if two text segments have a pragmatic relation. For example,
Im busy. The drinks are in the fridge.
* Im busy. So the drinks are in the fridge.
* Because Im busy, the drinks are in the fridge.
29. In some situations, however, connectives CAN be used even the relation is a pragmatic one. Here is an example:
E.g., The Smiths must have gone to bed,
because the lights are all out.
30. A common problem with some EFL student writings is that many adjacent sentences do not have any discernible coherence relations. Below are two examples,
E.g., The constant [continuous] education is a means to adapt us to the modern society. The fast developing world has made education a lifelong process.
31. The primitive men ate raw meat, and now people find various ways to cook the food.
Many people spend most of their free time watching television. Certainly, there are many worthwhile programs on television, including news, educational programs, plays, movies and so on. Nevertheless, perhaps people should not spend so much of their time in front of television.
See a sample text of Chinese
