Objectives and competences
The objective of this course is is for the students to gain the ability to analyze language use in different genres of spoken and written English, making them aware of the features of English text in connection to the specific cultural contexts in which they are used.
Content (Syllabus outline)
• General approaches to the study of discourse,
• Concept of text and discourse.
• Concept of textual cohesion.
• Cohesive devices in English texts.
• Reference.
• Substitution and ellipsis.
• Conjunction.
• Lexical cohesion.
• Analysis of cohesive devices in texts from a variety of genres.
Learning and teaching methods
• lectures,
• guided discussion,
• guided analysis and text interpretation,
• independent data collection and analysis.
Intended learning outcomes - knowledge and understanding
On completion of this course, the student will be able:
• to understand how meaning is expressed through texts,
• to recognize and use the resources of language that are at work in the creation of textual meanings, in particular different cohesive devices used in English texts,
• to understand the interaction between text and context,
• to understand the concept of register and genre and learn how to conduct indepth analysis of texts from a variety of genres.
Intended learning outcomes - transferable/key skills and other attributes
• ability to collect linguistic data and to use theoretical notion underlying language use in the examination of the data,
• ability to recognize different genres and to write well-formed texts.
Readings
• Eggins, S. 2004. Introduction to Systemic Functional Linguistics: 2nd Edition . A&C Black.
• De Beaugrande, R. in W. Dressler. 1994. Introduction to Text Linguistics. London/New York: Longman.
• Halliday, M.A.K. in R. Hasan. 1976. Cohesion in English. London: Longman..
• Martin, J.R. in D. Rose. 2003. Working with Discourse. Meaning beyond the Clause. London/New York: Continuum.
Prerequisits
Attendance of 80% and regular completion of coursework are required for taking the exam.
