Discourse Grammar Essentials: Cohesion, Reference, and Text Structure

Central Idea of Discourse Grammar

In “Discourse Grammar,” Paltridge highlights the idea that grammar discussions are no longer limited to sentences but extend to include discourse as well. This concept, expounded by Hughes and McCarthy (1998), emphasizes a strong connection among form, function, and context. In the initial phase of the development of discourse analysis, it was thought to be the analysis of language just beyond the sentence. However, with the passage of time, discussions moved

Read More

The Ghost Orchid: Facts, Conservation, and Literary Analysis

Ghost Orchid Comprehension Check

True or False Statements

  • 1.1. FALSE: “Traditionally, the best time to see a ghost is at night, and in fact botanists sometimes look for the Ghost Orchid when it is dark.”
  • 1.2. TRUE: “botanist Rex Graham, who had been searching for years in the hope of finding the Ghost Orchid.”
  • 1.3. FALSE: “An experienced botanist, she recognized it immediately.”

Key Facts and Discoveries

  • 2.1. The Ghost Orchid was named due to its pale appearance, mysterious beauty, and the way it appears
Read More

British Literary Eras: Romanticism and Victorian Masterpieces

Romanticism (c. 1780s-1830s)

Romantic poets often exhibited narcissistic tendencies, emphasizing the landscape as a reflection of themselves. They focused on the individual, imagination (often related to the evasion to a perfect world), and the presence of children, particularly in relation to innocence. Romanticism is deeply connected to the poetry of consciousness, national identity, the self, and nature.

There are distinct generations of Romantic poets:

  • Early Romantic Poets: William Blake, William
Read More

Construction Drawing Interpretation for Building Measurement

Interpreting Construction Drawings & Specifications

Measuring Concrete Slabs: Essential Drawings

To measure concrete in a slab on ground for a two-storey home, you would typically use the following drawings from a standard set:

  • Site Layout Plan
  • Section Drawing
  • Engineer’s Slab Drawing (if available)

Classifying Construction Drawings

Regarding the selected drawings:

  • The Site Layout Drawing is a plan that shows the perimeter of the building.
  • A Section Drawing provides a section view of the house. If an
Read More

Literary Concepts and Poetic Devices Explained

Art: Definition, Aspects, and Purpose

Art involves two steps: expression by the author (encoding) and perception by the observer (decoding). It has two aspects: content (reflecting reality and referring to different experiences of a person or group) and form (designed to reinforce said content). Three requirements for art are to speak to the recipient’s intelligence, evoke emotions, and trigger the senses.

Aristotle’s View

  • Aim: To represent the inward significance of things.

Harold Bloom on Art

  • “Perfectly
Read More

Computer Networking Fundamentals: Protocols, Topologies, and Media

Computer Networks: Definition and OSI Model’s Open Nature

A computer network is a collection of interconnected computers and other hardware devices that are linked together to share resources, exchange data, and communicate. These networks can be connected via wired (e.g., Ethernet) or wireless (e.g., Wi-Fi) means. The main purpose of a computer network is to enable devices to work together, share files, access the internet, and use shared applications or hardware like printers.

Why the OSI Model

Read More

Understanding Literature: Functions, Genres, and Reader Engagement

Defining Literature: What Makes a Text Literary?

What defines literature? It is necessary to understand how one distinguishes a literary text from a non-literary one; in other words, what is *specifically* literary.

Roman Jakobson’s Functions of Communication

Roman Jakobson argues that in any act of communication, the sender produces a message with a particular intention, emphasizing various elements of the communication circuit. These functions include:

  • Referential: The sender concentrates on the referent
Read More

Mester de Clerecía: Medieval Spanish Poetic Tradition

The Mester de Clerecía: Characteristics and Purpose

The Mester de Clerecía emerged in the 13th century and encompasses a series of works with common characteristics:

  • They are narrative, religious, or heroic, although some minor pieces offer a lyrical tone, often with a prevailing moral or didactic intent.
  • The authors express their erudition, alluding to written sources from the outset.
  • They are written in verse and use a regular meter, typically the cuaderna vía: an Alexandrine stanza of four monorhyme
Read More

Key Accounting Concepts: Goodwill & Depreciation

Goodwill: Partner Admission & Valuation

1. Meaning of Goodwill

Goodwill is an intangible asset that represents the value of a firm’s reputation, brand name, customer loyalty, favorable location, employee relations, and other non-physical advantages that allow it to earn higher-than-normal profits.

Definition:
According to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI),
“Goodwill is the value of the reputation of a firm which enables it to earn higher profits than the normal return on

Read More

AI Planning & Logic: Algorithms and Search Techniques

Backward Chaining Algorithm Explained

Backward chaining is a reasoning technique used in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and expert systems. It starts from the goal (what we want to prove) and works backward to find facts or rules that support it. It is commonly used in logic programming, rule-based systems, and Prolog.

Example: Simple Knowledge Base

Let’s consider a simple knowledge base (rule-based system):

Rules:

  • If it is raining, then the ground is wet. (Raining → WetGround)
  • If it is cloudy, then
Read More