Elements of Coherence
Refers to the way that a text is structured and laid out
Includes:
- The use of Headings and Subheadings
- Bullet Points
- Tables
- Images
- Changes to the Text Style, including: font, font size, colour, underlining, bolding, and italics
Formatting
Refers to the ways that the presentation of information can be altered by moving parts of a sentence
Includes:
- It-Clefting
- Pseudo-Clefting
- WH-Clefting
- Front Focus
- End Focus
Information Flow
The use of offensive or socially inappropriate language.
Can be used to intimidate others, add emphasis, reflect the situational context, convey a negative idea, or as a coping mechanism for pain.
Swearing
When a sound changes to become similar to neighbouring sounds
Eg. [kitten] pronounced as [kidden]
Eg. [did you] pronounced as [didja]
Assimilation
Aim to establish power dynamics that make participants in a discourse feel as though they are in a balanced and harmonious relationship.
Establishing Equality
Occurs when an individual uses implicature within a discourse and requires the audience to infer a piece of information that is deliberately not said
Inference
Involves replacing a term with another term. This can include replacing nouns with pronouns or using an abbreviation instead of a full phrase. Synonymy, antonymy and hyponymy are all parts of this.
Substitution
Use of words and expressions that are intentionally harsh, offensive or derogatory to describe a person, group or concept.
Usually used in relation to sensitive and taboo topics.
Dysphemism
Involves the process of creating initialisms and acronyms.
Initialism - each letter is individually pronounced. Eg. RSPCA
Acronym - the letters are pronounced as a word Eg. NASA
Abbreviation
- Maintain Positive Face: Language that enhances a person's feelings of belonging and respect
- Challenge Positive Face: Language that threatens a person's feelings of belonging and respect
- Maintain Negative Face: Language that enhances a person's autonomy and control
- Challenge Negative Face: Language that threatens a person's autonomy and control
Politeness Strategies
Refers to the ‘rules’ and expectations of a specific text type
Each text type has a specific set of rules that will be used
Conventions
Occurs where a pronoun is substituted for a noun BEFORE the noun has been introduced.
Eg. He is walking. Rupert likes sports.
Cataphoric Referencing
Consists of words, phrases and expressions that are considered culturally or socially inappropriate within a community or situational context.
Can include vulgar or obscene language, swearing, dysphemism, and language that demeans, insults and denigrates.
Taboo Language
Give more information about a noun, including it’s number, definiteness or possession.
Eg. his, this, a
Determiner
Establish an individual as part of a specific group through the use of covert and overt norms and prestige to reflect a shared understanding and relationship.
Supporting In-Group Membership
Refers to a way a text is structured and laid out to make clear sense for this text type.
Includes:
- Chronologically ordering information
- Using Headings and Subheadings to break up information
- Following the conventions of the text type to present information
Logical Ordering
Occurs when words or phrases have been removed from a discourse. This might be to avoid repetition, and requires inference from the audience and other interlocutors to figure out what information has been removed.
Ellipsis
The use of language that includes informal words, phrases or 'sayings' and which is often specific to geographical areas.
Colloquial Language
Using language to give human qualities or abilities to a non-human thing.
Eg. [The plants are crying out on this hot day.]
Eg. [These notebooks are waiting to be filled.]
Personification
Use language to discuss a topic that is uncomfortable to discuss publicly. This can include language that makes the topic more OR less socially acceptable to discuss in public.
Negotiating Social Taboo
Refers to elements of the text that are kept the same to ensure that information is able to be more clearly understood
Common elements in a text include:
- Field
- Sentence Types
- Sentence Structures
Consistency
Relies on the knowledge of the people involved, as well as the place and time a discourse occurs for interlocutors to infer WHO, WHEN, and WHERE a discourse may refer to.
Eg. It’s over [there].
Eg. Hey [you]!
Deictics
Neologistic words and phrases
Tied to small social and cultural groups, and is not as widely used or accepted in the wider community as colloquial language.
Slang
Gestures
Facial Expressions
Eye Contact: Whether an interlocutor maintains or avoids eye contact is dependent on the situational context AND identity of the speaker
Non-Verbal Communication
Aim to reduce the social distance to reduce the social distance between participants to make them feel closer and more comfortable in their relationship
Encouraging Intimacy