LINGUÍSTICA TEXTUAL (TEORIA DO TEXTO)

Summary

In this video, the host introduces textual linguistics, its evolution, and its three main phases: the transplastic phase (1960s), the textual grammar phase (1970s), and the current text theory phase (1980s-present). The video explains how the field developed beyond sentence structure, exploring text as a dynamic unit influenced by context, coherence, and speaker intentions. The presenter highlights critiques, such as the focus on formal elements like cohesion and coherence, sometimes neglecting the pragmatic aspects of language. Overall, it's an insightful journey through the historical development of textual linguistics.

Takeaways

• 😀 Linguistic textual analysis emerged in the 1960s to address language beyond just phrases, focusing on text and discourse.
• 😀 Textual linguistics attempts to expand upon structuralism by considering texts as more than just a sequence of sentences.
• 😀 The field of textual linguistics developed in three phases: Transplastic phase (1960s), Grammar textual phase (1970s), and Text theory phase (1980s to present).
• 😀 In the Transplastic phase, linguistics began to focus on text rather than just individual sentences, emphasizing connections like co-reference and pronoun usage.
• 😀 The Grammar textual phase in the 1970s emphasized competence in text production, recognizing the ability to create coherent and cohesive texts without explicit connectors.
• 😀 The Text theory phase, starting in the 1980s, viewed texts as dynamic processes influenced by various factors, integrating cognitive, discourse, and pragmatic studies.
• 😀 Throughout the phases, the concept of 'text' evolved: from a sequence of utterances (Transplastic phase) to a final product (Grammar phase) to a communicative process (Text theory phase).
• 😀 In the Text theory phase, the speaker's role became more significant, and text construction was seen as an ongoing, evolving process.
• 😀 The linguistics of text critiques its focus on formal semantics (such as cohesion and coherence), often neglecting pragmatic aspects, like the speaker’s intentions.
• 😀 Textual linguistics borrows concepts from other disciplines, such as cognitive studies and discourse analysis, but does not always reformulate or clarify them fully, leading to some confusion and oversimplification.

Q & A

What is the main focus of textual linguistics?

Textual linguistics focuses on the study of how texts are structured, how meaning is constructed through larger textual units beyond sentences, and the relationships between phrases and ideas within a text.

How did textual linguistics evolve from the 1960s?

In the 1960s, there was a shift in focus from sentence-level language study to a broader analysis of texts and discourse. Textual linguistics emerged as a response to the limitations of structuralism, which primarily focused on isolated sentences.

What was the 'transplasic phase' in textual linguistics?

The 'transplasic phase' (1960s) was when textual linguistics moved beyond analyzing individual sentences and started studying the relationships between phrases within a text. It also focused on phenomena like coreference, where terms in a text refer to each other.

What is coreference in the context of textual linguistics?

Coreference refers to how one term in a text refers to another. For example, in the sentence 'Ana ate the pastry. She is a troublemaker,' 'she' refers back to 'Ana,' and this reference helps connect ideas within the text.

What role do connectives play in textual linguistics?

Connectives, like conjunctions, help establish relationships between sentences or phrases in a text. However, textual linguistics discovered that, in some cases, understanding these relationships does not always require explicit connectives.

What was the goal of the 'textual grammar phase' (1970s)?

The goal of the textual grammar phase was to create grammars that could analyze texts as uniform, linear products. This phase emphasized the competence to produce and understand texts, as well as the ability to transform them into other forms while maintaining coherence.

How did the view of texts change during the 'theory of text phase' (1980s to present)?

In the 'theory of text phase,' texts were no longer seen as static products but as dynamic processes shaped by a variety of factors, such as cognitive and social influences. This phase highlights the importance of the speaker's role in producing and interpreting texts.

How are texts viewed in the third phase of textual linguistics?

In the third phase, texts are seen as ongoing processes of communication, where meaning is continuously shaped by linguistic, semantic, and pragmatic factors. This phase also emphasizes the role of the subject (speaker or writer) in creating meaning.

What are the three key concepts of a text in textual linguistics?

The three key concepts of a text in textual linguistics are: (1) as a sequence of statements, (2) as a completed product with coherence and cohesion, and (3) as a dynamic process influenced by various factors and interpreted in different ways depending on the context.

What criticisms are associated with textual linguistics?

Critics of textual linguistics argue that it focuses too much on formal semantics, like coherence and cohesion, while neglecting the speaker's intentions and pragmatic factors. Additionally, it borrows concepts from other fields without offering a thorough re-interpretation or expansion of those ideas.