Evaluation in Text: Authorial Stance and the Construction of Discourse (Oxford Linguistics)
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The adverbial pattern, for example, can be queried by the following command:. In macro-analytical terms, we want to consider general tendencies in the distribution of different realization types. As some studies e. In terms of micro-analysis, we consider differences with respect to the functionality of the realization types, which might be involved in evaluative and cohesive functions simultaneously.
One main observation was that there is a diachronic tendency to express evaluative meaning distinctively in sentence-initial position across disciplines. Linguistics and computer science were the disciplines that could best be distinguished by evaluative meaning. It can be seen that the adverbial pattern is the most frequent type of realization, followed by the it-pattern and the noun phrase. Note that the noun phrase type realizing the importance meaning has a relatively high frequency in comparison to the other two types. Diachronically, the general distributions of the types used for each meaning remain fairly stable.
However, while the it-pattern and the noun phrase either decrease in use or remain stable, the adverbial pattern increases for both meanings. Thus, the noun phrase is a more explicit variant, while the adverb and the it-expression are relatively general but also quite dense in terms of the information they convey. Note that the adverb is also a denser form in comparison to the it-pattern. Thus, the diachronic increase in the adverbial pattern could be related to the fact that as language evolves denser conventions are used to propagate context. This would have to be tested in information-theoretic terms and with appropriate methodologies see, e.
To approach this, we looked at the syntagmatic context of both meanings for the adverb and the it-pattern. Within the sentence, the adverb is used to express evaluative meaning toward the clause that follows.
Evaluation in text : authorial stance and the construction of discourse
Because of the question Can learning algorithms be applied to this problem? The adverb introduces the first argument, answering the question with a no. The conjunctive adverb on the other hand introduces the counterargument, even though the writers explain that this would also not be an option for their purposes. The thus , finally introduces the chosen option of the writers. We can see how the discourse is organized by these introductory items in sentence-initial position, i.
The argumentative structure could be read as follows: The expectation of a two-fold argument is set up in the first sentence by claiming that there are satisfying conclusions for a distinction between semantic and onymic reference.
Review: Hunston & Thompson, Evaluation in Text
There can be various cohesive functions that these adverbs can fulfil. Note that it could be argued that this rephrased structure still allows the reader to perceive both the evaluative and cohesive function. The evaluative function of putting forward something as factual can be said to be realized by shows that , while the cohesive function is realized by percentages , which relates back to the percentages mentioned in the preceding discourse.
However, the adverb is a much denser version when comparing both options. Moreover, while we could rephrase the multi-functionality of these adverbs by moving towards greater explicitness with a more extended expression, the adverb allows the writer to densify the information put forward. Interestingly, it does not show the kind of multi-functionality illustrated in the examples above. Moreover, the it-pattern expressing the obviousness meaning in computer science is mostly found in the body of research articles.
This differs from the use of the adverb, which is also found quite frequently in the introduction section, where it shows its multi-functionality contributing also to the cohesiveness of the introduction. While the adverb is almost always used in its pure form 0. The logical relations found are contrast e. While addition, modality and negation increase over time, causality, intensification and especially contrast decrease. While there are other options to express obviousness in sentence-initial position such as the it-pattern and noun phrase , they seem to be used either when a more explicit variant is needed, as in the case of the noun phrase, or when particular additional meanings such as modality or negation have to be expressed.
To build up cohesion around these variants it-pattern and noun phrase , respective conjuncts are used in addition such as however , therefore , etc. The adverb, instead, is a very dense way of expressing evaluative and textual meaning at the same time, and thus, might be the preferred option when no explicitness or particular modification or relation type is needed.
Here, the aim is to investigate whether, similarly to the evaluative meaning of obviousness, it is also multi-functional. The adverbs here are i. The relation is much harder to pin down to a specific conjunctive relation.
But they also argue that even though in these cases we cannot exactly pin down a cohesive function to these adverbs that matches the cohesive function of a conjunct, as we have done with adverbs of the obviousness meaning, they may still play a role in interpersonal coherence, which has been insufficiently investigated so far and which is therefore quite difficult to label or explicate cf.
We have observed that importance adverbs mostly introduce a specification of the preceding discourse, which is presented to the reader as being of importance. The following sentence is then somehow related to the previous more specific and important proposition. In some way a consecutive relation is built up that ranges from a relatively general proposition first sentence to a more specific proposition signaled as being important second sentence introduced by importantly to a further elaboration of this particular proposition third sentence introduced by viewed in this way.
Thus, we could read: Again, the consecutive relation is quite subtle and might also be perceived without the adverb. However, it is the adverb that signals the reader to pay attention to the following proposition, helping to establish a logical connection between the previous and the following discourse with this important proposition.
Again, we can detect a consecutive relation from the more general to the more specific proposition. Possible adjectives used in the pattern are i. Focusing on its possible cohesive function, we can see how it differs in fact from the adverb usage. They all function similarly to note varying slightly in their semantic notions, i.
This builds up a consecutive relation. Again, it is quite hard to say if the it-pattern of importance really builds up the relation, but the fact is that the it-pattern is involved. This differs from the obviousness meaning where the adverb is more frequently used Moreover, the adverb and it-pattern of the importance meaning also seem to share the kind of cohesive relations they are involved in.
This also differs from the obviousness meaning, which clearly shows a distinctive usage in this respect, i.
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We can observe that causality e. The use of hedges e. This is an interesting tendency as hedges diminish the force of the importance and negation even states the opposite something is unimportant. These usages seem to be avoided over time. In addition, the use of modality with the it-pattern has slightly increased e. Finally, contrast is used e. While the obviousness meaning realized by adverbs can be used multi-functionally, fulfilling an evaluative as well as cohesive function, the multi-functionality of the importance meaning can be realized in either way i.
Even though the adverb is a denser form to realize the importance meaning, it is not necessarily the preferred one. For this, we looked at how particular types of evaluative meaning expressed in sentence-initial position can also function cohesively, in that they help to structure the discourse by contributing to the cohesiveness of the text. We have analyzed two evaluative meanings, obviousness and importance, which were shown to be used distinctively in sentence-initial position in a previous study Degaetano-Ortlieb, In particular, we analyzed these two meanings by considering possible differences in terms of their lexico-grammatical realizations, but also accounting for a possible use of modification or specific types of relations combined with these meanings.
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This gave insights into possible preferences. The obviousness meaning has been shown to prefer the adverbial pattern over the it-pattern and nominal phrase. However, both meanings show an increase in the use of the adverbial pattern. We have argued that this might be related to information theoretic purposes, i.
Or whether the cohesive function of these evaluative items has been used constantly over time or emerged at some stage?
Moreover, so far we have considered the multi-functionality of these evaluative items in scientific writing in general more explicitly in scientific research articles , but it would also be interesting to look at whether scientific disciplines differ in their use of this multi-functionality. Request removal from index. This entry has no external links.
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But again, this is a suggestive and interesting model, embracing both overtly evaluative language and highly implicit evaluations. Association for Computational Linguistics: Open Journal of Modern Linguistics , Vol. The latter have been deliberately excluded so as to gain a clear understanding of the multi-functionality of these evaluative lexical items first, moving to more complex cases in the future. Current Studies, New Directions.
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Evaluation in Text: Authorial Stance and the Construction of Discourse
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