Connectors, Textual Elements, and Semantic Relations

Posted on Mar 19, 2025 in Philosophy and ethics

Connectors and Additives

Connectors Additives: (added new info)

  • Continuity: (and then more, then)
  • Specialization: (but even more so)
  • Distribution: (one side of …, … to one side, entrance, began by firstly, finally …, end)
  • Digression: (By the way, on purpose)
  • Generalization: (in general, generally)
  • Specification: (in particular, especially, particularly, in particular)
  • Amplification: (in fact, certainly)
  • Comparison: (the same way, similarly, likewise, also parallel)

Disjunctive Connectors

Disjunctive Connectors:

  • Reformulation (paraphrastic): (i.e., or, that is, axes are, in other words, put another way)
  • Reformulation (non-periphrastic): (more exactly, although rather improvements)
  • Exemplification: (e.g., cutting example, if we put x)
  • Summary: (in short, synthesis, counted and discussed, in short, total)

Contrastive Connectors

Contrastive Connectors:

  • Opposition: (however, now, unless otherwise)
  • Restriction: (if + not, at least)
  • Concession: (remainder this, however, and despite that, but (the words))
  • Refutation: (on the contrary, well / otherwise)
  • Versus: (in reality, in fact, closer consideration)

Consecutive Connectors

Consecutive Connectors: (therefore, so therefore x, consequently, in consequence)

Textual Elements

Textual Elements:

  • Adequacy: Consider the receiver (to whom it is explained), the sender (who emits), spatial or temporal location, and purpose.
  • Coherence: Logical, informative, and well-structured.
  • Cohesion: Sentences linked together well, avoiding confusion.

Elements of Communication

Elements of Communication: sender, receiver, channel, code, message, context.

Explanatory Texts

Explanatory Text: A text with an objective to explain something. Uses a more or less cold, clear language, often with technicalities. Usually has a tripartite structure (introduction, body, conclusion). Found in textbooks and dictionaries.

Argumentative Texts

Argumentative Text: Subjective intent, aiming to convince. Uses a highly personal language, rife with traditional expressions and stylistic figures. The structure consists of the thesis, arguments and counterarguments, and the thesis defended at the conclusion. Found in opinion articles, essays, and opinions.

Text Structures

  • Analytical or Deductive: From the general to the particular (general hypothesis is developed).
  • Inductive or Synthetic: From individual data to the general conclusion.
  • Framed or Circular: Exhibits the same idea at the beginning and end. The argument is in the body.
  • Dialectic: The thesis is offered and contrasts with the antithesis to reach a synthesis.
  • Question: Begins with a question that is answered throughout the text.
  • Parallel: Discusses various aspects of a topic; all are equally important.

Meaning Relations

Meaning Relations:

  • Antonymy: Opposite meaning.
  • Synonymy: Equal meaning.
  • Polysemy: Multiple meanings for one word.
  • Hypernym: A general term (e.g., vehicle).
  • Hyponym: A specific term (e.g., car).
  • Homonymy: Words denoted as equal but with very different meanings (e.g., hard (adj)).
  • Homophony: Words that sound the same but are written differently.
  • Homography: Words written the same but pronounced differently.
  • Paronymy: Words that are similar in pronunciation and spelling.

Word Creation

Word Creation:

  • Differentiation: Adding affixes.
  • Regressive: Derived word coincides with the root.
  • Composition: Two or more roots.
  • Cultured Composition: Greek roots.
  • Habilitation: Changing the category.
  • Acronym: Abbreviated names (e.g., UFO).
  • Borrowing: A word from another language.

Semantic Opposition

Semantic Opposition:

  • Complementary Words: If one exists, the other cannot (e.g., alive/dead).
  • Reverse: One presupposes the other (e.g., buy/sell).
  • Antonyms: Words with intermediate degrees.

Examples

  • More specialized: pharyngitis / bad neck.
  • More general: break / rip, number / amount.
  • Colloquial: steal / pilfer, fear / fright.
  • Childish: drink / beverage, grandmother / grandma.
  • More positive: blind / visually impaired, gift / present.
  • More intensive: steal / rob, homeless / destitute.
  • Geographically narrower: broom / besom, cat / puss.

Relative Pronouns

Correct Use of Relative Pronouns (What, Which, Where, That):

  1. Assumes a noun before “that.” (Gives you the machine and, as appropriate (= and the machines that apply))
  2. Is equivalent to “what.”

Incorrect Use: Equivalent to the / the / which the / s.