Understanding Text Adequacy, Coherence, and Cohesion

UNIT 8: Text: Adequacy, Coherence, and Cohesion.

1. Text and Sentence:

"Statement: This is the minimum unit of communication, the minimum message. Features:

• Goes between long pauses (points).
• It has a single pitch.
• Is the full meaning unit.

There are 2 types: phrases (no verb) and sentences (verb conjugated).

-Text: A coherent set of statements.

Features:

• Is the maximum communication unit.
• It is composed of statements.
• Must be adequate.
• Must be consistent and well-knit.

Types of Text:

1. Narrative: feature story.
2. Description: discover something or someone.
3. Exhibition: tell us something.
4. Argumentative: try to convince.
5. Dialogue: maintained between 2 or more partners.

2. The Adequacy of the Text:

The adequacy of the text is the property that meets or does not violate social norms, personal, linguistic, situational, etc., governing communicative acts.

• A communicative act is valid if:
  • It adopts the theme of the talk.
  • It considers the receiver or receivers.
  • The situation is appropriate.
  • It suits the purpose.
  • It adopts formal language.

3. Cohesion:

Cohesion is the fundamental property of the text. It refers to the union of the various parts of the text. Therefore, we say that a text has cohesion when its sentences and paragraphs are properly connected.

• Cohesive Devices:
  • External structure (split into paragraphs): The division into paragraphs is a fundamental cohesive procedure, and each paragraph contains a fundamental idea.
  • Maintenance of reference: This is what is spoken and is achieved through lexical and grammatical procedures.

Lexical Mechanisms: They are divided into 2 parts:

Lexical Repetitions: Total: repeats the same.

Partial: does not repeat the same.

Replacement: Synonymy: use synonyms.

With hypernyms: Apple / Fruit.

With preform lexical (general words).

Grammar Mechanisms: They are divided into 3 parts:

-Anaphora: José. He was ...

-Cataphoric: le ... your cousin.

-Ellipsis: the non-appearance of some element.

Connectors are words used to join sentences or paragraphs.

Connectors that Contribute to the Overall Organization of the Text:

Initiators Connectors -> Getting Started.

Spatiotemporal Connectors -> From ancient times: before.

In Concurrency: at the same time.

In Later.

Distributors Connectors -> Firstly, on one hand.

Conclusive Connectors -> In short.

Finisher -> that is, in other words.

Connectors Introducing Discursive Operations:

Expression of the point of view: in my opinion.

Expressing certainty: undoubtedly.

Reformulation: that is, in other words.

Connectors that Connect Logical-Semantic Textual Segments:

Additives or summative -> "and", "well".

Contrastive -> "but", "instead".

Causal base -> Causative -> "because".

Row -> "therefore".

Conditional -> "if".

End -> "to".

Temporary -> "when", "suddenly".

Space -> "front", "in front".

4. Consistency:

It is the property of the text that gives unity and meaning and can be interpreted. Cohesion helps the text to be coherent, i.e., to make sense.

A text is coherent if:

It is cohesive.

It addresses an issue that concerns all parties.

Its statements do not contradict each other.

The information flows in an orderly manner.

It has time management -> "I slept and slept".

5. The Thematic Progression:

It is an action for consistency. It studies how information moves within the text.

In thematic progression, there are 2 important concepts:

• Theme: that of which we speak.
• Rema: the new information.

There are 3 types of thematic progression:

• Linear progression: it starts with a first issue, and what is presented as a theme becomes the next topic, which is attributed to another row that then becomes the main theme.
• Constant theme progression: the theme is different, but being added.
• Progress of matters arising: from a bike, where different sub-themes emerge with their paddles.