Communication: Signs, Texts, and Narrative Structures

Communication, Signs, and Texts

Communication is the process by which an issuer transmits a message to a receiver. A sign is something that suggests the idea of something else. A text is a complete message that is transmitted orally or in writing.

Types of Text

• Informative: Informs us of facts.
• Persuasive: Aims to convince the receiver of an idea.
• Prescriptive: Tells us something (e.g., a manual on how to do something).
• Literary: Tries to create an impression or aesthetic experience.

Classes of Text According to the Speaker

• Narrative: Tells a real or fictitious account of facts.
• Descriptive: Displays traits that define people or objects.
• Expository: Explains facts, concepts, or phenomena.
• Argumentative: Defends a viewpoint with reasoning.

Classes of nouns: Common or proper, abstract, individual or collective, countable or uncountable.

The Narrative

A narrative is the story of real or fictitious actions conducted by characters. These facts can be real or fictional.

Elements of a Narrative

The Narrator

• Internal: Protagonist or witness (1st person).
• External: Not part of the story. Can be:
  • Omniscient: Knows everything about the past, present and future.
  • Objective: Knows only what is happening at that moment (3rd person).

Characters

Characters are those who carry out the action. They can be:

• Main: Protagonist or antagonist.
• Secondary: Less important characters.
• Round or Flat: Complex or simple characters.

Structure and Action

The narrative structure typically includes a trigger, rising action, climax, and resolution.

Time

• External Time: The era or moment in which the events occur.
• Internal Time: How events are arranged chronologically. This can include:
  • Retrospection (Flashback)
  • Anticipation (Flashforward)

Space

The space can be real or imaginary.

Linguistic Elements of the Narrative

• Direct Style: The literal words produced by the characters.
• Indirect Style: The narrator reproduces, in their own words, what the characters say.

Modality of the Statement

• Declarative: The statement is presented as a fact and aims to be affirmed or denied (e.g., "Carmen is dedicated to the care of her three children.").
• Interrogative: The statement takes the form of a question.
• Exclamatory: The statement takes the form of an exclamation.
• Imperative/Exhortative: Presents an order.
• Desiderative: Is presented as a wish.
• Dubitative: Expresses doubt.
• Possibility: Is presented as possible or likely.