Linguistic Analysis: Text Cohesion, Pragmatics, and Syntax

Textual Cohesion and Redaction Principles

To organize text and give it meaning in an essay, use textual markers. In a text, we must differentiate between the title, which indicates the subject of the text, and the division into paragraphs, which expresses a single idea. Sentences are groups of words separated by a full stop.

Exercise: Textual Connectors

Indicate what type of connectors are used and explain why they have been chosen. It is intended that their communicative intent is clearly reflected in the text through their use.

Pragmatic Application of Written Expression

The intentions of the issuer when writing a message can vary. These intentions are understood in accordance with the functions of language that prevail. These communicative intentions include:

• Representative
• Conative
• Phatic
• Expressive
• Poetic

Example Scenario

Matilde lost her agenda a few days ago. She reads the poster hung in her school to find it.

Exercise: Language Functions and Message Creation

Could you identify the predominant functions of language in the example above? Produce a similar message, imagining you have lost a backpack, and use certain features of language different from those in Matilde's poster.

Semantic Relationship Between Syntax and Phonetics

The primary relationship lies in the use that gives a sign its declarative function.

Exercise: Morphological and Syntactic Analysis

Morphologically analyze the words of the following sentences, stating their word type, gender, number, person, tense, and the syntactic function each performs in the sentence:

• "Your friends called twice."
• "How high is a palm tree?"
• "And we ask for a juice."

Pragmatic Application in Reading Comprehension

Describe different situations in which you have to interpret the following text differently.

Psycholinguistic Application in Reading Comprehension

In a given text, answer the following questions.

Syntax, Semantics, and Pragmatic Relationship

The following words share features related to the concept of 'old' or 'aged': rancid, antediluvian, ancient, old, senile, durable, frail, venerable, aged. Use the most appropriate word from this list to complete each of the following statements:

1. I love wine; it is now a ...................... vintage.
2. The ...................... ruins stood for centuries, a testament to a forgotten civilization.
3. His ...................... jokes, though familiar, still brought smiles to everyone's faces.
4. The cheese had a distinctly ...................... smell, indicating it was past its prime.
5. After a long illness, she felt incredibly ......................, struggling with simple tasks.
6. The ...................... traditions were passed down through generations, preserving cultural heritage.
7. This material is exceptionally ......................, designed to withstand years of wear and tear.
8. He was an ...................... man, his face etched with the wisdom of many years.
9. The ...................... oak tree had witnessed centuries of history unfold beneath its branches.

Exercises in Written Expression

Forming Complex Sentences

Form a complex sentence from each of the following simple propositions:

• He is coming; he is very busy this morning.
• He thinks much; he works much.
• He is very pleased; he is actively involved.