Modes of Speech: Narrative, Descriptive, and Oral Texts
Modes of Speech
The Narrative
A text is a sentence or a coherent set of statements, oral or written, that have a communicative intention. Texts are divided into five basic types according to their linguistic and intention of the issuer: narration, description, dialogue, exposition, and argumentation.
Narrating events involves relating characters in a determined time and space. Its intention is to explain, tell, inform, or entertain. If it has a purpose besides aesthetics, it is a literary narrative.
Elements of Narrative
The narrative has some key elements: narrator, characters, narrative events (narration), space, and time.
Narrator
Not to be confused with the author. The narrator is a fictional character in the story. They can tell the story from different points of view:
- First person: As a character in the story, which can be the protagonist or a witness.
- Third person: Having limited knowledge of the facts or being all-knowing (omniscient).
Narrative (Plot)
This corresponds to the argument, the facts that happen to the characters, and the theme or topic of the text. It is organized in a linear structure divided into:
- Presentation: Contextualization of the elements of the narrative.
- Rising Action: Story development.
- Outcome: Resolution of the facts.
Characters
They experience the story and are characterized by physical, social, and psychological features.
Space and Time
The narrative is always situated in space and time, but they may not appear explicitly in the text.
The Language in the Narrative
Lexical Features
The most characteristic feature of the narrative is the predominance of verbs.
Morphological Traits
In the narrative, past tense verbs prevail, both perfect and imperfect (for the development of the facts). The present tense is also frequently used to bring past actions to the present.
Syntactic Features
Specific syntactic features are present in the story (details not provided in the original text).
Textual Features
The most characteristic feature is the use of discourse markers. The most frequent refer to the timeframe: then, when, after, then the next morning, and so on.
Description
Objective or Scientific Description
It reflects reality as it is, using precise and denotative language. It’s the type of description found in scientific treatises or leaflets.
Subjective or Literary Description
It has an aesthetic purpose, and therefore, the poetic function of language dominates. The sender expresses their views and emotions about what is described.
Types of Description
According to the element described, the description may refer to any element: an object, a place (topographical), a sensation, or a person. Descriptions of people are more complex and are classified as:
- Prosopography: Physical description of a person.
- Etopeya: Refers to the character, habits, and actions of a person.
- Portrait: A combination of prosopography and etopeya. The description is complete, focusing on both physical and moral features.
- Self-Portrait: Description by the issuer themselves.
- Caricature: Exaggeration or ridiculing of a person’s features to create a distorted image, usually negative.
- Grotesque (Esperpento): Exaggerated and deformed features of a person, far from reality, with a specific intent.
Oral Texts
There are two types of oral texts:
- Unplanned or spontaneous: Like conversations, which do not presuppose a prior plan or a decided issue in advance.
- Planned: Like conferences, interviews, debates, and planned conversations. Such planning usually consists of writing what we are going to say, but not always. One can prepare a speech with a script of topics, a series of cards for improvisation, or a list of possible questions.
The Conference
A conference is a dissertation or rationale from a written text delivered to an audience.
Structure
Texts are organized logically, beginning with a greeting, followed by an introduction, development, and conclusion. They close with a farewell and thanks to the audience.
Textual Features
The representative function predominates, and discourse connectors and exemplification are frequently used. Since the speaker and audience share the same space-time, the speaker must use the appellative function and elements of delight.
The Interview
A formal dialogue in which a respondent asks a series of questions to a character to gather information and make their views known.
Structure
The interview starts with a presentation of the character and then proceeds with turns of speaking, marked by the interviewer’s questions and the interviewee’s responses.
Textual Features
The appellative function predominates.
The Debate and Conversation
An exchange in which several partners express their views, guided by a moderator. The moderator presents the topic and participants, regulates speaking turns, and keeps the discussion focused.
Both are formal dialogues and involve some planning: the issue is defined in advance so partners can prepare their interventions. They differ in that the debate stems from a dispute, whereas, in the conversation, the partners’ views are not necessarily opposed.
Structure
Both begin with a presentation by the moderator of the topic and participants. Next, each participant expresses their position. During the development, the defense of different points of view occurs. Finally, the moderator summarizes the expressed views.
Textual Features
Each participant expresses their opinion in a reasoned way, using argumentative formulas, elements of oral exchange (rhetorical questions, deictic elements, attention-calling phrases), and formal courtesies.
Unplanned Oral Genres
Conversations are oral texts that do not respond to pre-planning or pre-arrangement.
Characteristics of Conversations
Structure
The structure is based on turns of speaking, which are not granted in advance and are taken or ordered through various verbal and nonverbal resources.
Textual Features
The appellative function, which serves to draw the attention of others, and the phatic function, whereby partners check the operation of the communication channel, dominate.