Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
AND CHARACTERISTICS
In this unit we are going to look at descriptive texts . Within this area we
are going to include an examination of the constituents of texts in
general, so that we can see the principles that will be included in any
type of description. This will involve an examination of the word text and
the cohesive devices that go into providing a text with coherence.
The information will be taken from Halliday and Hassan, Ramon Seldon
and The Penguin Guide to Literature.
We will begin by looking at the meaning of the word text in general, so
that we can see the foundation of descriptive texts.
Definition of text
Basically, a text can be taken to mean a stretch of language that can
form the process of communication. This can be made either through a
linear pattern of sound waves. , Otherwise otherwise known as speech,
or a linear sequence of marks on paper, or writing. This communication
must make coherent sense in the context of its use. The linguistic form is
important, but it is not in itself sufficient to give a stretch of language the
status of a text. For example, a road sign reading No Overtaking is an
adequate text, though comprising only a short noun phrase. It is
understood as a statement, paraphraseable as something like: it is
dangerous to overtake here. By contrast, the same sign placed out of
context, for example in a supermarket, is not an adequate text because
although we can recognise the structure and understand the words, the
phrase can communicate nothing to us as we pass by, and is therefore
meaningless. This is the key to understanding the text. In order for the
communication to work, it has to be placed in context. This is as true for
descriptive texts as it is for any other type.
We will now look at text and context in connection, along with descriptive
texts, in greater detail.
TEXT AND CONTEXT
Text is all about meanings. However for those meanings to have any
value, they need to be received by someone who understands them.
CHARACTERISTICS
OF
DESCRIPTIVE
The dDescriptions help to fix the setting in the mind of the reader. Some
significant details can be added, but the author can do more. It is
possible to go into detail about the scene from an aspect that appeals to
other senses other than the visual, such as by the addition of smells,
sounds, temperature, etc.
Characters
With rRespect to the characters, the author has the choice over how he
presents this person, and how he that person relates to the his or her
surroundings. For this purpose hHe can add as many details as he
wishes to for this purpose, until a complete mental image is produced.
He may wish to add to hisdetails about appearance, such as the clothes
he someone is wearing, his facial characteristicsfeatures and or any
other aspect of the a character that may be considered of importancet.
The main point is that whatever description is given, the reader can
ascertain as toinformation about the characters appearance and role
within the scene, and, hopefully, have his or her interest will be aroused.
Mood
Now the author may wish to refer to the psychological condition of the
character, in order thatso that we may might have an insight into the
workings of his that characters mind.
If we place these three factors together, as often happens in texts, we
see that the description has not only set the scene, but it has also
introduced the plot.
The type of description we have been talking until now is subjective on
the part of the writer. However, not all descriptions correspond to art.
Technical or scientific matters can also require describing, and here the
description is far more objective.
The novel writer gives us a description that appeals to our senses, . he
He tries to portray a sense of vividness, and of course everything relies
on his imagination, so it s is completely subjective.
An objective description on the other hand can be said to deal with facts,
; either internal or external to the author. It may be argued that as we are
all influenced by our emotions, it may be difficult to present a truly
objective description, . but But as the main aim of objective or technical
descriptions is to provide information related to factual things, we can
say that they are more in touch with reality and impartiality than the
subjective variety.
EXTRA ELEMENTS OF DESCRIPTIVE TEXTS
The setting of the scene that we were talking about previously is perhaps
one of the most common forms of description. However, this can be
expanded on. It is not only the physical characteristics of a setting that
are important to us. ; The the author can take other factors into account,
such as the period of the setting. In this case, he may wish to add details
about the surroundings, the way people lived etc., that which relay
information to the reader information about a time that the reader has no
knowledge of.
Having said this, let s us move now to see the various patterns of
description.
We can divide the patterns of descriptive texts up into the following
categories:
Pictoricpictoric,
Topographic
topographic
and
Cinematographiccinematographic.
In the case of a pPictoric description, here we have to think about a
photograph. Nothing is moving. The writer will describe the scene but in
terms of colour and light.
In a tTopographic description, here the writer is movingmoves past an
object that is stationary, such as the description of the view from the
train., as opposed to a
Cinematographiccinematographic description, where it is the writer who
is stationary, whilst the object is in motion.
Words used in descriptive texts
We have already mentioned how adjectives can be used in descriptive
texts. Clearly their very nature makes them the most important means of
expression, but there are other ways of creating an effect. For example,
it is possible to use nouns and verbs to make a description of a scene. In
addition to this, we can find certain rhetorical devices within the text,
such as metaphor, simile, repetition, synonymy, etc.
CONCLUSION
In this unit we have seen the ways that texts are formed and held
together to make a cohesive unit. The descriptive text, which mainly
forms a part or other text types, is no exception to the maxim of True,
Brief, Relevant and Clear. The vocabulary that is used within the text can
be poetic or functional, depending on the wishes of the author. The point
is that the students should have as much exposure to the forms as
possible in order for them to become familiar with the use of this
important element of communication.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
The sources for this topic include:
Understanding Grammar by Paul Roberts, published in 1954 by Harper
and Row in New York;
Linguistic categorization: Prototypes in Linguistic Theory by John
Taylor, published in 1995 by Oxford.
The structure of English clauses by David Young in 1980, in New York
And The study of language by George Yule, published in 1996 by
Cambridge
Thanks Thank you for your kind attention