1.7 | Notions
From classical rhetoric to textual linguistics
Aristotelian rhetoric looks at ways of persuading an audience and considers how this can be achieved by appealing to the intellect or feelings, using logical or psychological techniques. Some of the issues raised by Aristotle will reappear in contemporary discourse analysis.
1.7.1 | Notions
The Three Genres of Classical Rhetorical Tradition
In his rhetoric, Aristotle studies the genres of discourse based on the audience to which the discourse is addressed, the intended purpose, the subject matter, and the predominant temporal reference. Aristotle defines three genres of discourse: deliberative or political, judicial, and demonstrative or epideictic.
1.7.2 | Notions
Classical rhetorical categories for discourse analysis
Aristotle divides rhetoric into four main steps: inventio, dispositio, elocutio, and actio, to which the Roman tradition adds a fifth: memoria. These categories describe the five stages in the creation and circulation of a speech.
1.7.3 | Notions
Cohesion and coherence
Cohesion and coherence are key areas of study in textual linguistics since the 1970s. Cohesion is defined as the way a text is structured in order to present itself as a unified whole. Coherence is defined as the suitability of a text to a communicative situation and to the shared knowledge and world experience of speakers of a given language or language variety.