Mind map

Discourse

is divided in
Oral Written

Speaking Writing

Mouth
Face to face Hands
Simple syntax Gestures
differences
Less structured More explicit
Gazes direction No interaction
General vocabulary Cannot change
Regrets and changes Better structured
Uses fillers like “umm” Sentences well structured
Tends to be incomplete Advanced vocabulary
similarities

Formal / Informal
Intonation / Tone markers
Purpose

Transactional Interactional
it’s about it’s about

Exchange of information Just chatting

Example 1: Example 2: Example 1: Example 2:

A: Excuse me, what A: Hey, Harry!
time is it? Professor sent me
B: It’s 5 o’clock. to tell you that you
A: Thank you. should attend all
B: You are welcome. your classes if you
don’t want to fail.
B: Thanks Ron.
A: No problem, see
you later.
B:
A: Excuse me, what A: Hi Luna, it’s me,
time is it? Hermione.
B: It’s 5 o’clock. B: Hi Hermione,
A: Thanks. My name how are you doing?
is Harry by the way. A: Superb, I went to
B: I’m Hermione, Paris this holydays
nice to meet you. with Ron
A: How are you? B: Really? That’s
B: Fine and you? great! Tell me all
… about it!
….
 Discourse relies on

Cohesion Coherence

Capacity to “unite ideas” Capacity to “make sense”

using connectors

example example without coherence

Hermione is a Hogwart’s student. There are many types of hats in a
She is intelligent and her favorite butcher shop. And I like animals
hobby is studying. but I don’t like cheese.
Discourse: A continuos stretch of language perceived to be meaningful, united and
purposive. (Cook 1989:156)

Coherence: It’s the capacity of a text to “make sense”. Thornbury coherence will
only produce one particular interpretation in which the elements of the message
are seen to be connected. (Brown 1983)

Transactional language: It’s the ability to transfer information to another person

with all details correctly. (Brown 1983)

Interactional language: Occurs when the participants use the language to establish
and maintain social relationships; not necessary giving information. (Brown Yule
1983)

Cohesion: occurs when writers connect their organized parts with sufficiently clear
and numerous signals--like the words 'finally,' 'thus,' 'however,'--to make the
development of their cases intelligible and to lead the reader safely along the
emrging lines of their arguments. . . . (Wayne C. Booth and Marshall W. Gregory, The
Harper & Row Rhetoric: Writing as Thinking/Thinking as Writing, 1987)