Narrative and Descriptive Text Structure
The Narrative Text
The narrative is a kind of text that includes real or fictional events that happen to characters in a given time and space.
The elements of the narrative include the structure, the narrator, space and time, the characters, and the narrative itself.
The Structure
The external structure of the narrative is how the text is distributed, i.e., the various component parts.
The internal structure refers to the content and depends on the order in which events occur and the narrative point of view.
The external structure organizes the text into formal paragraphs: paragraphs, chapters, parts, treaties, books, scripts, events and sequences, and head and body.
The internal structure is the way the contents of a text are organized. In the contents of the narrative, three parts are generally distinguished:
- Approach: Presents aspects of the context in which events unfold.
- Knot: Conflict occurs.
- Outcome: Resolves conflicts and leads to a new stable condition.
If we look at the chronological order in which events occur in the narrative, we find the following narrative structures, which can be combined:
- Linear: When events follow chronological order, as in Don Quixote.
- In medias res: When the story begins in the middle of the story and then goes back.
- In flashback: The narrator, from the present, goes back to the past, as in the Lazarillo de Tormes.
- In counterpoint: Where different narrative sequences alternate, when there are multiple stories that intertwine throughout the narrative.
The Narrator and the Viewpoint
The narrator is the person who presents the facts: it is a subject that belongs to the text, i.e., an element also created by the author, who should not be confused with the narrator.
The narrative point of view is the perspective from which the story is told. It is the narrator who organizes, explains, and gives voice to the characters when deemed fit.
- The external point of view: If told from outside the story.
- The internal point of view: If events are recounted from within the story.
The Space and Time
In a narrative, space is the physical framework in which the action unfolds.
When discussing the time of narration, we refer to two concepts:
- The external time: The time or era in which the story is set.
- The internal time: The time period covering the events reported.
Characters
The characters are the core of the narrative.
- The protagonist: It is the center of the narrative. Can be an individual, several individuals, or a community.
- The secondary: Accompanies the protagonist, with whom it interacts and dialogues.
The Narrative
The text is strictly narrative and occurs when the narrator relates the facts, real or fictitious. These actions, which are performed by characters in a given time, are expressed mainly by verbs and temporal markers.
Predicate Structure
Predicate Classes
The SV predicate may be nominal or verbal, which gives rise to two types of sentences that show clear differences, both semantic and syntactic.
Predicate Nominative
- The main element of the predicate is not the verb, but the attribute.
- The attribute, according to its meaning, selects the semantic characteristics of the NP subject.
- The predicate is constituted by the linking verbs ser, estar, and parecer plus an attribute.
Verbal Predicate
- The verb is the core syntax and semantics of the VP; hence, if deleted, the sentence is ungrammatical.
- The verb, depending on its significance, selects the items that should appear in the sentence.
- The verbal predicate consists of a predicate verb, which can take supplements or not. The verb, alone or with supplements, is the predicate verb of the sentence.
Attributive Sentence Structure
Attributive sentences consist of a subject NP and a VP predicate.
They often play the role of the attribute a Sadja and the NP, but can also perform this function a PrepP, a PADV, and a subordinate clause adjectival noun.
We recognize the attribute by the following features:
- If the attribute is a Sadja or an NP, it agrees with the subject in gender and number, and the copula agrees with the subject and the attribute in number and person.
- However, sometimes there is number agreement between subject and predicate.
- The sentence is ungrammatical or changes meaning if the attribute is deleted.
- It may be replaced by the pronoun it unchanged.
Verbs Seudocopulativos or Semipredicativos
Seudocopulativos verbs are verbs or predicative semipredicativos that lose their lexical content or change their usual significance to function as a copula between subject and attribute.
Verbs like to stay, go, go, terminate, be, continue, stop, stay, come back, get, get, etc.
Seudocopulativos verbs have the following risks:
- When used as copula, they lose their lexical content or change their meaning.
- Do not accept the substitution of the invariable pronoun it.
Ser, Estar, and Verbs Appear as Predicative
Ser, estar, and verbs apparently can function as predicative, i.e., meaning, when not accompanied by an attribute.
This happens when:
- Ser means exist, occur, or happen.
- Estar means being in a place or situation.
- Parecer means resemble, have similar appearance.
Predicative Sentence Structure
Active Sentences
Active predicate sentences are those in which the verb is in the active voice and the subject is an agent, performing the action.
- Transitive and intransitive: Transitive sentences are those carrying a direct object, and intransitive, which do not carry it.
- Reflexively: Are those sentences in which the reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos, os, se) replace an SN that matches the subject NP.
- Reciprocal: Are those sentences in which two or more subjects perform on each other the same action.
- Impersonal: Are those sentences without a subject NP. They can be casual, one-man grammaticalized, or reflex.
- Possible: They have burned the rubbish bins of the ride.
- Unipersonales: Will snow a lot in the Pyrenees.
- Grammaticalized: There were several meetings.
- Reflect: You eat well in this restaurant.
Passives
The periphrastic passives own or are those in which the verb is in the passive voice and subject to patient, i.e., the action received another place.
In Castilian, another building is used for passive call reflects passive meaning. It is recognized because it is constructed with the morpheme or trademark se plus a verb in the third person singular or plural in the active voice.
The Narrative
The Description
The description samples in words a reality or abstract, i.e., reports on how they are objects, places, environments, people, processes, concepts, or emotions.
The description is static as it represents the reality, that is, items are ordered in space and time seems to have stopped.
Predominates in the description or representation function benchmark.
How to Describe
- Pointer and selection of significant features or details of those who want to describe.
- Ordination or structuring of selected features. The descriptive texts usually have a common structure that consists of two parts: subject and expansion. The theme is the element you want to describe the expansion and development of the subject.
- Expression language-selected information and orderly.
Types of Description
Depending on your goal, we distinguish between technical descriptions, which have a practical purpose, and literary aesthetics aimed. The descriptions are objective, they dominate the referential function and denotative language.
In the literary descriptions, the aesthetic function dominates.
According to the matters described, there are several types of descriptions of characters, objects, landscapes, atmospheres, feelings, and emotions … as to the description of people we call prosopography and etopeya to psychological. If there are both together, it is a portrait. Sometimes the features are exaggerated or distorted with critical or humorous intent in such cases it is a caricature.
The description of landscapes or environments can be static if there is no activity, and if there is some movement dynamics.
Forms Description Language
The characteristic forms of description are:
- Space markers: Exposes the elements linearly.
- The enumeration: In order to present different aspects of reality. Sometimes there are links and prayers are juxtaposed. In other cases, there are many linkages and coordinated sentences, making a slow pace.
- The adjectives: They express the qualities. In the description, rhetorical figures such as metaphor, comparison, or personification are used.
- The present and imperfect indicative.
The Noun Phrase: Verbal Predicate Ons
The Direct Object
The direct complement completes the meaning of the transitive verb and indicates the thing on which the verbal exercises.
The direct object the verb is joined in two ways:
- Without a preposition when it refers to a person.
- With the preposition a when it refers to a person, beings, or personified.
The CD does not contain the preposition a when it comes to names of people who have a generic sense.
The Indirect Object
The indirect object is a prepositional phrase with the preposition a designating the recipient of the action of the verb.
The pronouns le, les to the unstressed personal pronouns take the form of CD is to avoid the cacophony.
In one sentence, the IC supports the dual form when nominal and pronominal precedes the verb, which expresses so redundant.
Supplement Verbal System
The complement system or prepositional complement is a prepositional phrase that some verbs require to complete its meaning.
The CRV is different from the CD that is replaced by a tonic pronoun preceded by a preposition.
The Predicative Complement
The supplement is usually an adjectival phrase that relates both to the verb predicate and the subject, with which it agrees in gender and number.
Sometimes the predicative complement is an adjectival phrase or a noun phrase that matches the CD.
Nor should it be confused with a DC CPred monkey because although it modifies the verb, it agrees with the subject or the CD, unlike the CC.
Complement Agent
The staff complement is a prepositional phrase with the preposition by – sometimes, also, that appears only in the passive voice, indicating the author or agent performing the action of the passive verb.
Adverbial
The circumstantial complement semantically expresses the varied circumstances in which the verbal action is done.
Some of the most common are:
- Location: designates the spatial location of the action.
- Time: means the temporary location of the action.
- Mode: the way an action is performed.
- Purpose: Designates the purpose of the action.
- Company: designates the being or beings that accompany the implementation of the action.
- Instrument: indicates the means or instrument by which the action is performed.
The role of the circumstantial complement can play:
- The noun phrase.
- The adverbial phrase.
- The prepositional phrase.
- An adverbial subordinate clause.