Linguistic Analysis: Text Types and Verbal Structures

Differences Between Oral and Written Texts

Oral Texts

• Resources are based on nonverbal communication, prosodic features (pauses, intonation), and extralinguistic elements (gestures).
• They establish immediate communication and interaction between both sides.
• They present a less structured and less complex syntax.
• The situation in which communication occurs is vital for interpreting the message.
• Deictics (e.g., "I", "you") are frequently used.
• Structures are repeated to focus the message being conveyed.

Written Texts

• They are supported by punctuation signs.
• The issuer and receiver do not share the same space and time.
• Interaction is more difficult as they do not share the same context.
• The syntax is more complex and often lacks syntactic inaccuracies.
• The situation is not as important as in oral communication.
• Because they do not share space and time, the use of deictics is not as common.
• Repetition of structures is unusual, and the reader can reread the message.

Classification of Texts

• Expository: Providing information on a certain objective topic.
• Argumentative: Convincing through arguments.
• Descriptive: Enumerating the qualities of a person, animal, or thing.
• Narrative: Recounting events involving characters.
• Dialogued: Representing the conversation of two or more people.
• Instructive: Teaching how to perform a task.
• Predictive: Anticipating information about facts that will occur.
• Academic: Disseminating scientific and technical knowledge across different areas.
• Journalistic: Informing on current social or cultural events.
• Publicity and Propaganda: Exalting the qualities of a product, value, or idea.
• Legal-Administrative: Regulating the management of formalities between citizens and public administration.
• Literary: Capturing the reader's attention to spread a message.

Non-Finite Verb Forms

The Participle

The participle has both adjectival and verbal values.

• Adjective: It agrees in gender and number with the noun it accompanies.
• Verb: It is the core of the verbal passive, verbal periphrasis, and compound tenses with the verb "to have." It accepts verbal complements.

The Gerund

• Adverbial value: It can be replaced by an adverb and functions as a circumstantial complement (CC).
• Verbal value: It can take verbal complements and be part of a verbal periphrasis.
• Absolute construction: The gerund has its own subject that does not match any other elements.
• Agreed construction: The subject of the gerund matches an element of the principal clause.

Defining the Text

The text is the maximum unit of language capable of expressing a particular purpose in a specific communicative situation. It is a linguistic unit (oral or written) with complete sense that responds to a specific communicative intention.

A text must have cohesion, consistency (coherence), and adequate information to be progressive and fulfill its communicative intent.