LEXICAL COHESION AND COHERENCE

Lecturer:

Hanura Febriani M.Pd

Comlited by:

Aniza Putri

Ori Andika Putra

Siti Mursyida Rani

ENGLISH EDUCATION

FACULTY OF TARBIYAH AND TADRIS

STATE INSTITUTE FOR ISLAMIC STUDIES BENGKULU

(2018/2019)
 UNIT I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background
The combination of meaning and neatness is an important factor to
determine the level of readability and understanding of discourse.
Cohesion and neatness (coherence) become no essence of discourse, no
one is involved in regulating the integrity of discourse. In the word
cohesion, there is an implicit understanding of cohesion and wholeness,
and in the word coherence there is an understanding of relations and
relationships.
If used with aspects of meaning and meaning, cohesion becomes
an aspect of form, and coherence for aspects of the meaning of discourse.
Furthermore, it can also be said that these aspects use formal aspects,
while coherence on speech aspects.

B. Formula of content
1. Definition and type of lexical cohesion
2. Definiton of coherence
3. Differences in cohesion and coherence

C. Purpose
1. To find out the definition of lexical cohesion.
2. To find out the type of lexical cohesion.
3. To find out the definition of coherence
4. To find out the differences in cohesion and coherence
 UNIT II

CONTENT

A. Defenition of lexical cohesion

Lexical cohesion devices involve one lexical item entering a
relationship with another. A key notion of lexical cohesion is the concept
of semantic field or general area of meaning. Specific topics and concepts
are associateed in the mind of the user of language with particular groups
of words. So, texts belonging to a particular area of meaning draw on a
range of words specifically related to that area of meaning.
Cohesion is the resources within language that provide continuity
in a text, over and above that is provided by clause structure and clause
complexes. Halliday and Hasan (1974) Claims that cohesion is formed by
the formal ties, which blind one sentence to another.
Cohesion also operates within the lexical zone of lexico grammar
by choosing of lexical items. Lexical cohesive devices refer to the role
played by the selection of vocabulary in organizing relatiom within a text
(Baker, 1992: 202). It does not deal with grammatical and semantic
connection but with the connection based on the words used. Meanwhile,
Nunan (1993: 28) says that lexical cohesion accurs when two words in a
text are simantically related in some way. So lexical cohesion is a
linguistic device which helps to create cohesiveness of the text. Lexical
cohesion refers to the way related words are chosen to link elements of a
text. They are related in terms of their meaning. There are two kinds of
lexical cohesion: Reiteration and collocation.
Type of lexical cohesion:
1. Reiteration
Reiteration is a form of lexical cohesion which involves the
repetition of a lexical item, at one end of the scale, the use of a general
word to refer back to a lexical item, at the other end of the scale and a
number of things in between the use of a synonym, near-synonym, or
superordinate. Reiteration is divided into repetition, synonymy or near-
synonym, superordinate and general word.
a. Repetition
The most direct form of lexical cohesion is repetition of a lexical item
Example:
a) There was a large mushroom growing near her, about the same
height as herself and when she had looked under it, it occurred to
her that she might as well look and see what was on the top of it.
She stretched herself up on tiptoe and peeped over the edge of
themushroom, ...
b) I turned to the ascent of the peak.

The ascent is perfectly. In (a), there is REPETITION: mushroom refers

back to mushroom. In (b), the same item repeated.

b. Synonym or Near – synonym

Synonym is used to mean ‘sameness of meaning’. Lexical cohesion
results from the choice of a lexical item that is in some sense
synonymous with a preceding one.
Example:
a) Accordingly ... I took leave, and turned to the ascent of the peak.
The climb is perfectly easy ...
b) He was just wondering which road to take when he was started by
a noise from behind him. It was the noise of trotting horses . . . He
dismounted and led his horse as quickly as he could along the
righthand road. The sound of the cavalarly grew rapidly nearer…
 In (a) climb refers back to ascent. In (b), sound refers back to noise.

c. Superordinate
Superordinate is term for words that refer to the upper class itself. In
contrary, term for words that refer to the lower class itself is hyponym.
Example:
a) Henry’s bought himself a new Jaguar. He practically lives in the
car.
b) There's a boy climbing the old elm. That tree isn’t very safe.

In (a) car refers back to Jaguar; and the car is a superordinate of

Jaguar. In (b) tree refers back to the old elm; and the tree is a
superordinate of the olm elm.

d. General Word
The general words, which correspond to major classes of lexical items,
are very commonly used with cohesive force. They are on the
borderline between lexical items and substitutes. Not all general words
are used cohesively; in fact, only the nouns are when it has the same
referent as whatever it is presupposing, and when it is accompanied by
a reference item.
Example:
a) There's a boy climbing that tree. The idiot's going to fall if he
doesn't take care.
b) There's a boy climbing the old elm. That old thing isn't very safe.

In (a) of a general word idiot. It is typical of such general words, at

least those referring to people, as we have seen, that they carry a
connotation of attitude on the part of the speaker, usually one of
familiarity (derogatory or intimate). In (b) the reiteration takes the
form of a general word thing.
2. Collocation
Collocations are groups of words that frequently occur together. These
combinations just sound "right" to native English speakers, who use
them all the time. On the other hand, other combinations may be
unnatural and just sound "wrong". Some common types of collocations
found in academic texts.
For example:
a. Adjective + noun
Key issues, persistent problems, wide range, further research,
current theory, larger context, detailed references, essential
information, prior knowledge, practical applications,
straightforward approach.
b. Verb + adverb (or adverb + verb)
Develop further, demonstrate conclusively, present effectively,
explore throughly, highly appreciate, successfully complete.
c. Verb + noun
Acquire vocabulary, gain awareness, reach a goal, address the
issue, raise the question, develop a theory, provide a framework,
set the scene, clarify the point.
d. Phrasal verbs
Depend on, relate to, focus on, bring together, deal with, consist of,
respond to, lead to, serve as, point out.
e. Prepositional phrases In that case, in any case, on the whole, with
regard to, in other words.
B. Definition Coherence
Coherence is the connection between one part and another, the
word sentences has a unified meaning. Coherence can be thought of as
how meanings and sequences of ideas relate to each other.
Another definition states that coherence is the link or inter-strings,
or sentences in the text. Two sentences that describe different facts can be
connected so that they appear coherent. So even unrelated facts can
become related when someone connects them. Coherence is an element of
discourse to see how someone strategically uses discourse to explain a fact
or event (Teun A. Van Dijk in Eriyanto, 2001: 242).
Coherent discourses make sense to the listener/ reader. Coherence
in linguistics is what makes a discourse semantically meaningful.

C. How is cohesion different from coherence:

a.) It is difficult to separate the two. However, think of coherence as
the discourse making sense as a whole at an ideas level, and
cohesion as rather more mechanical links at a language level. You
can imagine that it is possible for a piece of writing to contain
plenty of cohesion yet little coherence.
b.) Cohesion is the glue that holds a piece of writing together. In other
words, if a paper is cohesive, it sticks together from sentence to
sentence and from paragraph to paragraph. Cohesive devices
certainly include transitional words and phrases, such as therefore,
furthermore, or for instance, that clarify for listeners/readers the
relationships among ideas in a piece of writing. However,
transitions aren't enough to make writing cohesive. Repetition of
key words and use of reference words are also needed for cohesion.
 UNIT III

CLOSING

A. Conclusion
Based on the data above, it can be concluded that cohesion and
coherence are not clearly visible, because both terms are often equated,
even exchanged. Cohesion implies a sense of cohesion, wholeness. While
coherence contains the notion of linkage, relationships.
Cohesive means and coherent means of discourse appear to
overlap. The cohesive means consists of grammatical and lexical strata.
Discourse demands wholeness, both wholeness of form and meaning.
Various coherent facilities can also be viewed from the integrity of the
form (paragraph), and also in terms of the integrity of the discourse.