Understanding Text: Properties, Types, and Linguistic Forms

Text: Any linguistic communication, oral or written, made by a speaker in particular circumstances. It is a communicative act, because the speaker performs an action by expressing an intention. It occurs in a particular extra-linguistic situation. The text has a structure that relates its entirety by giving coherence and unity. The extension has no precise boundaries. All text must satisfy requirements: textual properties, which are adequacy, coherence, and cohesion. These properties must be added

Read More

Understanding Sentence Structure, Berceo, and Renaissance Poetry

Sentence Structure and Verb Types

Subject-predicate: The subject is always present, either expressed or omitted.

Impersonal Prayers: These are without a subject. The verb is always in the third person.

Attributes: Attributes are shown with a copula (to be, or may seem).

Predicative products do not have an attribute.

Transitive verbs: These have a direct object.

Intransitive verbs: These do not have a direct object.

Active voice: Attention is focused on the subject agent.

Passive voice: These are formed

Read More

Understanding Text Types and News Structure

Types of Texts

Exposition: Is the linguistic manifestation of content. Such exposure may follow a deductive approach (idea-analysis) or an inductive approach (analysis, idea).

Demonstration: Try using the statement of observable facts and a hypothesis. You can also develop these through deductive or intuitive approaches.

Argumentation: Used when the argument is to prove an idea.

Description: This is when parts of a very important whole are exposed. It is in spatial order.

Commentary Text

1. Type

  • It is
Read More

Semantic Tests: Key Concepts and Definitions

Weak Determiners

Weak determiners denote a cardinal quantifier (Q).

Simple Future Representation

S_E,R is the representation of simple future.

Quantifier Restriction over Event Time

The restriction of a quantifier over an event time variable consists of a relation between the event time and reference time.

Relational Predicates

Which of the following grammatical categories denote relational predicates? Action verbs and prepositions.

Quantifier Restriction and Logical Modality

The restriction of a quantifier

Read More

Modernist Literature and Societal Shifts: 16th-20th Century

Unit 1: Literature in an Ever-Changing World

Theme: “Make it New” – Modernism and Challenges to Victorian Values

Introduction to the Modern Era: Beginning in the 16th century, this era was characterized by significant change and innovation. The phrase “Make it New,” coined by Ezra Pound, reflects a distinct break from Victorian traditions. Industrialization and mechanization prompted profound societal and literary shifts.

Crisis of Victorian Positivism: Post-1880s, there was a noticeable decline

Read More

Historical Linguistics: Language Change and Evolution

Topic 1: Historical Linguistics

1. What Historical Linguistics (HL) Is Not

HL is not concerned with the history of linguistics, though it has played an important role in the development of linguistics. Its main aim is not to unravel the ultimate origin of human language and how it may have evolved. Historical Linguistics’ theory and methods are, nevertheless, very relevant to corroborate theories of language evolution. Historical Linguistics is not about determining or preserving what are the correct

Read More