Discourse Structure Research Articles

A Survey of Studies on Discourse Structure and Relation

A Survey of Studies on Discourse Structure and Relation

Integrating relational and intentional theories of discourse coherence

This paper explores the ways in which insights from the two influential formal pragmatic theories of discourse coherence, namely, Question Under Discussion (QUD) and Rhetorical Relation (RR) models, can be integrated to build a more inclusive theory of discourse coherence. It proposes a simple and concrete procedure to derive the hierarchical structure of discourse from the subquestion relations between implicit QUDs reconstructed using informational structural principles (Riester, 2019; Reyle & Riester, 2016) and contextual entailment relations (Roberts, 2012). It applies the procedure to discourse examples involving various RRs to determine subordinating and coordinating relations and to create a parsimonious feature-based inventory of RRs with formal definitions. The resulting theory shows that establishing the QUD-RR correspondence is possible, contrary to what has been claimed (Hunter & Abrusán, 2017; Onea, 2019; Riester, 2019).

Pragmatic Markers in Spoken Discourse

The roles, functions, and effects of pragmatic markers (PMs) in spoken discourse are explored in this study, with a focus on how language learners’ comprehension skills, classification and interpretation abilities, and interactions between verbal and non-verbal PMs are affected. A combination of quantitative and qualitative procedures was employed in this investigation. To evaluate how well PMs in spoken discourse were identified and understood, level 4, English Language Unit, Preparatory Studies Centre fifty participants from the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Salalah, the Sultanate of Oman completed fifteen quick audio samples with a range of pragmatic characteristics, five additional filler audio segments, and pre-and post-test questionnaires. The study discovered that learners' comprehension of PMs—which regulate discourse structure, convey speaker purpose, and manage conversation flow—improved dramatically with targeted instruction. It emphasized the significance of PMs in the development of communication skills as well as the problems with categorizing PMs due to a lack of a standardized framework.

Anatomizing Pope Francis’ pandemic homilies: Discourse parts and types in focus

In times of crisis, the role of religious leaders becomes paramount in providing solace and guidance to their followers. This study undertakes a comprehensive analysis of Pope Francis’ homilies during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on their discourse structure and text types. Employing a descriptive-qualitative approach rooted in discourse analysis, the study examines ten randomly selected homilies from an official Vatican compilation. The analysis reveals a consistent structural pattern comprising an introduction, narration, proposition, argumentation, pathetic, refutation, and conclusion. Furthermore, it discerns that the homilies predominantly exhibit characteristics of factual text, particularly the expository genre, elucidating theological insights and offering practical counsel. However, the study acknowledges limitations such as sample size and linguistic constraints, underscoring the need for careful interpretation of findings. These insights highlight the persuasive and pastoral efficacy of religious discourse during crises and emphasize avenues for future research and practical application in crisis communication and pastoral ministry.

Beyond expectations: (Applied) corpus linguistics and a framework for the study of spoken professional talk

The analysis of real-world, recorded, and transcribed texts (i.e., corpora) of professional, spoken communication in the workplace has been conducted quite successfully through corpus-based approaches (Friginal, 2024). Corpus linguistics is primarily a methodological research approach to the study of language, and specifically, discourse structure, patterns, and use (Biber et al., 2010; Thompson & Friginal, 2020), with corpora serving as datasets of systematically collected, naturally-occurring registers of texts utilized for a variety of purposes. The use of corpora has become a popular approach in the quantitative analysis of the linguistic characteristics of written and spoken language, in general, and sub-registers such as oral communication in the workplace, in particular (Egbert et al., 2022; Staples, 2015). Various findings have pedagogical and, more importantly, language policy applications. This paper focuses on the important contributions of an iterative corpus-based framework to examine linguistic patterning in telephone/telephony-mediated professional discourses so as to obtain novel understandings of how talk is used and construed in these domains. Current limitations, emerging contributions from generative AI applications, and a call to action proposing training and assessment models will be discussed.

Kufundziswa kwetilwimi taseNingizimu Afrika ngekusebentisa bucwepheshe

African languages are behind, especially with regards to terminology in education, and entering the digital environment. This research considers the teaching of South African languages through technology and its presence in the digital space. What can we do in this regard? First, it is important that we have to educate our teachers on how to use technology in teaching South African languages. The paper explores the potential in the use of technology and occupying the digital space available. It examines how South African languages can be integrated with other subjects like coding and robotics. In other words, teaching African languages through technology can produce learners who will be empowered with 21st-century skills and be able to use the information that will be digitally relevant. The study adopted Actor Network Theory (ANT) to direct its activities. This framework gives credit to any being or factor, irrespective of its nature, human, or non-human. ANT is a theory of the progressive constitution of a network in which both human and non-human actors assume identities. The data and information that were generated through participatory action research, a desktop review, a literature review and textual analysis were analysed using critical discourse analysis (CDA). This was used to show how discourse structures reproduce, legitimize, question, or perform power and dominance relations in society. Also, CDA is an analytical research approach that analyses speech critically. A person or group of dominant tendencies review critical discourse analysis trying to explain a social reality and have a specific goal in mind. Findings suggest that collaboration with all stakeholders in digitising and teaching through technology is possible. We also look at the contribution of the Web in promoting the use and status of African languages. Participation in sharing and producing knowledge through the Web can play a key role in the economic, social and educational development of Africa. The research will be of interest for educators, especially in higher education institutions, in teaching African languages through technology. It is important to digitise all our African languages, especially Siswati. These languages can develop and then be found in the digital space in such a way that they can be used or spoken internationally. Another opportunity can be found in the enhancement of the national corpora, the use of other software and open-source platforms like Wikipedia, WordNet, and also the use of technology to teach the South African languages. African languages can indeed be satisfactorily developed in these respects. Lugcogco Tilwimi tase-Afrika betatiwa njengetilwimi letisemuva ngetintfo letiningi, lokunye kwato kungabi nemagama (terminology) kulomkhakha wetemfundvo tibuye futsi tingabikhona etindzaweni tedijithali. Inhloso yalolucwaningo kubuka kufundzisa kwetilwimi tase-Africa ngebucwepheshe besimanje kanye nekubakhona kwato etindzaweni tedijithali. Umbuto longatibuta wona kutsi, Yini lekumele yentiwe kute tilwimi tetfu tase-Afrika tifundziswe nato ngebucwepheshe besimanje? Singatisabalalisa njani etindzaweni tedijithali? Ngalemibuto lemibili kubalulekile kutsi bothishela bafundziswe kusebentisa bucwepheshe besimanje ekufundziseni tilwimi taseAfrika. Leliphepha lihlose kuveta kutsi Tilwimi tase-Afrika tingafundziswa tisebentisa bucwepheshe besimanje kantsi futsi tibuye lisatjalaliswe etindzaweni tedijithali. Lokunye lelikubukile kutsi tilwimi tase-Afrika tingafundziswa ngekuhlanganisa letinye tifundvo letifana nabo-khodingi kanye nerobothiksi. Ngalamaye emavi tifundvo letikhicita bantfwana lebatakwati kucabanga, kucatulula tinkinga nekutfola tisombululo letinemcondvo tingafundziswa etilwimini taseAfrika. Lolucwaningo lusebentise indlela yekucwaninga ye khwalithethivu lephindze isebentise indlela yekusampula lebuka injongo (purposive). Lolucwaningo lincike kakhulu ekubukisiseni lwendlela yeluhlolo lwedeksithophu(Desktop), luhlolo lwetincwadzi (document analysis). Lelucwaningo lubuke kusetjetiswa kwe-Actor Network Theory lokuyi mfundziso-njulalwati (theoretical framework) lokungilo lolukwati kusebentisana naleminye imibhalo. Kuhlatiywa kwalokutfolakele (data analysis) lutawusebentisa Indlelanchubo yekwehlukanisa ngetingcikitsi. Kufaka ligalelo: Lolucwaningo lungaba lusito kubafundzisi, ikakhulukati etikhungweni temfundvo lephakeme ekufundziseni tilwimi tase-Afrika ngekusebentisa itheknoloji kanye netilwimi tase-Afrika uma selutfolakala, selukhulunywa ngaphesheya kwetilwandle.

Discourses of Anti-Racism in Afro-Uruguay: A Black Feminist Perspective

Abstract: While a number of studies have examined (anti) racism in Uruguay in general (e.g., Andrews; Bucheli and Porzecanski; Olaza, "Políticas"; Rodríguez), discourse analytic studies of anti-racism in the Uruguayan context have not received the same degree of attention. In order to contribute to this gap, the current study examines resistance discourses of Afro-Uruguayan women. Through a Black Feminist lens, discourses regarding intersectionality, gender and racial inequality within the Uruguayan community, and solidarity among Afro-Uruguayan women are examined. A thematic analysis of Uruguayan media (news and social media) is employed to explore such discourses (e.g., Uruguay's Radio Camacuá, YouTube ), and the data are analyzed for discursive strategies following a Critical Discourse Studies approach. Findings reveal themes including the lack of access to employment and education for Afro-Uruguayan women, candombe as central to the identity of Afro-Uruguayan women and site of resistance, intersectionality, and community building within and beyond Uruguay. The discourse structures observed include expressing solidarity and collectivity through pronominal choice (De Fina, Identity ; Martín-Rojo), self-presentation, the use of statistics, and the use of non-sexist language, among others. This investigation aids in furthering our understanding of the ways in which anti-racist ideologies and praxes are reflected through discourses of women regarding racism in Uruguay.

METADISCOURSE AND DISCOURSE STRUCTURE IN L2 NARRATIVE WRITING

METADISCOURSE AND DISCOURSE STRUCTURE IN L2 NARRATIVE WRITING

A Pragmatic Study on the Identity Construction of Deceptive Telecom Discourse

Taking identified fraud telephone recordings as the corpus, the study first analyses the lexicon and overall structure of fraud discourse from the perspective of pragmatics and then explores the identities constructed by fraudsters. It found that, in deceptive telecom discourse, address forms and technical terms are used to construct the turn, and the fraud conversation has a relatively complete structure, including a beginning, problem construction, problem solving, and a closing. In addition, the lexical choice and the overall structure of deceptive conversation help to construct the fraudster’s individual identity, interpersonal identity and group identity. Individual identity includes the real identity as a fraudster and the false identity as a help seeker; interpersonal identity involves identity as a relative or superior; and group identity can be divided into institutional identity and professional identity. This study aims to enhance people’s awareness of fraud and assist in identifying the fraudulent identities of scammers, thereby reducing the occurrence of telecom fraud incidents.

A Study of Media Evolution and its Integral Role in Shaping Political Dynamics in the Arab World: The Case Study of Al Jazeera Network

This article delves into the transformative journey of media within the Arab world and its profound impact on shaping political dynamics. By tracing the evolution of media, this research explores the pivotal role media has played in influencing public opinion, political discourse, and governance structures. Through an interdisciplinary approach encompassing media studies, political science, and cultural analysis, the study examines the intricate interplay between media innovation and socio-political change. This study focuses on the Arab Spring as a pivotal moment in the recent history of the Arab world, investigating the transformative role of media in shaping political dynamics during these tumultuous events. By examining Al Jazeera network as a case study and offering insights into the evolving landscape of the Arab political scene and media, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between media evolution and political transformation in the region.

Параметрирование содержания коммуникации в бизнес-дискурсе (на материале русского и английского языков)

The aim of the study is to identify the possibility of parameterization of data and the means of parameterization of the multilevel system of business discourse, based on its inherent models of communication, distributive analysis, contextual translations, stereotypes and realities, units of categorical and axiological semantics, the frame structure, and discourse constraints. The article reviews the representation of parameters in terms of the content of business discourse in a comparative-contrastive aspect. The scientific novelty of the research is that for the first time, based on the material of the Russian and English languages, it presents a comprehensive structure of business discourse, describes some of its components, and practically creates an algorithm for working with text or information, which allows, according to formal criteria, provided that the parameters are met, to classify the text as business discourse. In the future, it may be possible to create special software that will be able, in addition to analytics for semantics, sentiment, and content, to process texts, including spoken texts, for compliance with a certain type of discourse. Such algorithms in the form of a set of rules, tasks, and parameters can contribute to the automation of business processes, in particular within the framework of business discourse, generate scenarios for the interaction of actors in it, and search for the most favorable course of discourse for intentional purposes. As a result of the study, a multilevel structure of business discourse was recorded, due to its frame nature; the most important parameters of the discourse space were classified. It has been established that under the influence of changing geopolitical conditions, there is a conscious emotional and evaluative rethinking of business processes and phenomena, which causes changes in the speech activity of communicators in the fields of discourse. It has been proved that discourse as a process of linguistic activity is a system and, like any system, can be modeled and parameterized.

Discourses of ISDS reform: a comparison of UNCITRAL Working Group III and ICSID processes

Abstract The reform of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) has been tackled by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Working Group (WG) III. Despite different objectives, both processes have relied on written submissions from various stakeholders. What are the structures and the narratives underlying the discourses of ISDS reform in these organizations? This article explores the content of 172 submissions by using mixed methods. It demonstrates that UNCITRAL WG III has involved less structured submissions whose content has expanded the initial mandate, with narratives encapsulating deeper disagreement among participants. By contrast, ICSID operated through a common pattern across submissions and a stronger focus on procedural issues, with less disagreement revealed in its narratives. The article proceeds in three steps. First, it compares the structure of discourses for each reform process by aggregating the content of submissions through computational analysis. Second, it relies on critical discourse analysis to reveal narratives that have emerged in each process. Lastly, the article explores submissions from actors who have participated in both processes to illustrate how they have navigated the tension between structures and narratives when reforming international investment arbitration.

Sentiment Analysis by Hierarchical Deep Neural Networks for Audience Opinion Mining

The prominent applications of sentiment analysis encompass various fields, including marketing, customer service, and communication. The conventional bag-of-words approach for measuring sentiment only counts term frequencies, while neglecting the position of the terms within the discourse. As a remedy, this research aims to build a discourse-aware approach upon the discourse structure of documents. For this purpose, rhetorical structure theory (RST) is utilized to label (sub-) clauses according to their hierarchical relationships, and then polarity scores are assigned to individual leaves. To learn from the resulting rhetorical structure, a hierarchical category structure-based deep recurrent neural network is proposed to infer underlying tensors of salient passages of narrative materials to process the complete discourse tree. The significance of this study lies in enhancing the structure of exploding and vanishing gradients in deep recurrent neural networks and also improving evaluation criteria in text analysis using the structure of opinion mining. The proposed approach is RST-HRNN. Exploding gradients is a process in the backpropagation stage aimed at continuously sampling the gradient of the model parameter in the opposite direction based on the weight (w), which is continuously updated until reaching the minimum global function.

The discourse of ‘falling standards’ of English in Hong Kong

AbstractThe phenomenon of the ‘complaint tradition’, expressing the belief that language standards are deteriorating in some way, has had a long and vibrant existence in discussions of English in Hong Kong. The contribution of a Cultural Linguistics perspective here highlights the nature and significance of the cultural conceptualisations of language, for example, those that are revealed by the use of metaphor. The article begins with an overview of the discourse in Hong Kong, based on a corpus of media articles. The discourse structure and content of the articles, including their metaphorical aspects, are then analysed in more detail. To help understand the persistence of the discourse I draw on the insight that metaphors constitute ‘mini‐narratives’ which construct identities and identity boundaries. The discussion considers how the prevailing conceptualisations of English—some general, and others more culturally specific—serve to reproduce dominant, standardising views and inhibit the acceptance of local variation.

To copy verbatim, paraphrase or summarize – listeners’ methods of discourse representation while recalling academic lectures

Abstract It is unanimously agreed that comprehension of academic lectures is cognitively demanding; however, few studies have focused on a listener’s real-time discourse representation of a lecture. Based on the qualitative analysis of the verbal protocols, the present study investigated sixteen Chinese university students’ verbal recall of an academic mini-lecture to explore how they made sense of the lecture and represented its discourse when they recalled it episode by episode, and to what extent they differed in discourse representation. The results show that listeners’ discourse representation involved a range of cognitive processes such as paraphrasing, summarizing, and verbatim copying. Paraphrasing and summarizing were the main methods of discourse representation used by the participants when they verbally recalled the lecture. Those who correctly paraphrased more idea units recalled more content of the lecture. They were able to select and retain more idea units in their short-term memory, build more associations between the selected idea units, integrate them with the existing discourse structures and ensure contextual coherence in the construction of the local discourse structures. The findings of the study contribute to a better understanding of how listeners comprehend academic lectures and confirm that improving students’ paraphrasing skills and hierarchical discourse construction in recall are conducive to better comprehension of academic lectures.

Rethinking the Relationship between Subjectification, Intersubjectification, and Textualization from a Constructionalist Perspective

Abstract In the last forty years there have been several proposals regarding a generalizable historical ordering among subjectification, intersubjectification and textualization. To date, most hypotheses have been developed within the framework of grammaticalization, in which hypotheses about unidirectional paths of change have played a significant role. In this paper I ask two questions: 1: Is there evidence for a generalizable historical ordering among subjectification, intersubjectification and textualization? 2. What hypotheses about the relationship between these three change-types appear to be optimal from the perspective of Diachronic Construction Grammar? I argue that, although particular data may suggest one trajectory or another, it is not possible to generalize over the order of changes. I propose a constructionalist model in which constructions have communicative, among other, functions, and in which the properties subjective, intersubjective and textual are of equal status and may emerge simultaneously in certain domains of grammar, such as Discourse Structuring Markers.

The Monarchy of the North (1919) in the iconographic discourse of the Ilustração Portuguesa

On January 19, 1919, rebellious troops proclaimed, in Oporto, the reinstitution of the Monarchy, soon followed by other garrisons in the north of Portugal. Monarchist rule in almost all of the north of the country, particularly in Oporto, had no equivalent in the south. The ensuing confrontation between monarchist insurgents and republican forces led to the end of the Northern Monarchy on February 13. This research aimed to unveil, through a quantiqualitative study, the structure of the iconographic discourse that Ilustração Portuguesa, the only large-circulation contemporary illustrated magazine, built about this episode. It was accepted the starting hypothesis, that the discourse of the Ilustração Portuguesa was aligned with the republican governmental power, which controlled the capital city, Lisbon, where the magazine had its headquarters. The magazine's iconographic narrative glorifies the Republic and its "heroes," transforming the publication into an instrument of “infopropaganda” at the service of the established power in Lisbon.

The work performed through interprofessional meeting discourse: an observational study

ABSTRACT The effectiveness of work performed through interprofessional practice is contingent on the nature and extent of communication between professionals. To date, there is little research exploring how the patterns of communication may impact interprofessional work. This study focused on communication during interprofessional meetings to better understand the interprofessional work performed through these encounters. Specifically, it examined how interactional discourse, that is, the patterns of language, influenced work performed during interprofessional meetings. A series of four interprofessional meetings in a rehabilitation unit were observed. Twenty-one participants were observed, including medical, nursing, allied health clinicians, and health professions students. Follow-up stimulated-recall interviews were conducted with five meeting participants. The data collection consisted of video and audio recordings and detailed field notes. Data were analyzed using a combination of genre analysis, a form of discourse analysis, and activity system analysis, drawing on Cultural Historical Activity Theory. This facilitated an in-depth examination of the structure of discourse and its influence on meeting outcomes. The meeting structure was defined and predictable. Two distinct forms of discourse were identified and labeled scripted and unscripted. Scripted discourse was prompted by standardized documents and facilitated the completion of organizational work. In contrast, unscripted discourse was spontaneous dialogue used to co-construct knowledge and contributed to collaboration. There was constant shifting between scripted and unscripted discourse throughout meetings which was orchestrated by experienced clinicians. Rather than fragmenting the discussion, this shifting enabled shared decision making. This research provides further insights into the interprofessional work performed during interprofessional meetings. The scripted discourse was highly influenced by artifacts (communication tools) in meetings, and these were used to ensure organizational imperatives were met. Unscripted discourse facilitated not only new insights and decisions but also social cohesion that may influence work within and outside the meeting.

Идентификация дискурсов советских профессионалов: социологический анализ

The article presents a sociological analysis of the discourses of Soviet professionals, as well as the identifica-tion of their antagonism and hegemony. Soviet production brochures containing author’s narratives of profes-sionals of several specialties and industries are analyzed. The sequence of discourse analysis is developed according to the methodological model of E. Laclau and Ch. Mouffe. The following categories are identified: key signs, articulation, moments, elements, domain of discursivity, discourse structure, nodal point, subject, discourse, slippage, antagonism, hegemony. Within the overarching hegemonic Soviet discourse, the following specific discourses are identified: quantitative and qualitative indicators, collectivism and individualism, men-torship and apprenticeship, personal responsibility and public good. Social practices for shaping these dis-courses were identified, as well as mechanisms for forming, maintaining, and preserving the social patterns of Soviet professionals. A generalizing classification of the identified discourses has been developed. Through a rigorous sociological analysis, this study sheds light on the diverse discourses among Soviet professionals and their role within the broader societal context. Furthermore, the developed methodology provides a framework for future studies on discourse analysis in similar socio-political contexts.

PARAMETRIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ENGLISH AND KOREAN RESPONSE PARTICLES: A DISCOURSE‐BASED HPSG APPROACH1

AbstractAcross languages, polarity particles like yes and no can be used as a response to the polar (yes/no) question. This paper offers a discourse‐based account for the distribution and interpretation of response particles in languages like English and Korean. The paper supports the view that response particles are anaphoric in nature and their interpretation is determined by the salient antecedent evoked by the context in question. The paper also suggests that the parametric differences between English‐style polarity‐based and Korean‐style truth‐based answering systems have to do with tight interactions between the anaphoric nature of response particles and discourse structure, rather than with the position of negation in syntactic structures. This direction, formalized in the framework of HPSG, offers a simpler account for the parametric differences between the two different answering systems as well as other related puzzles concerning variations in contextual bias.