INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH TEXT LINGUISTICS

Professor Christopher Gledhill
(Notes de cours, Linguistique du texte anglais, 48LGAN23, EILA, Université Paris Diderot)
Genre
Register analysis
Extract 1 Article on science Field: The text deals with a new discovery, using terms relating to
science and research such as scientists, synthetic life forms,
experiment and neologisms such as designer organism. The
specific field is likely to be biology. Note also the implicit semantic
field of ‘novelty’ (new, landmark, pave the way, world’s first.)
Extract 2
Instruction
manual
Mode: This text is likely to be the first sentence in a breakthrough
story in a current affairs magazine or newspaper. The press often
uses capitals for the first letter or the first word in their articles, as
can be seen here in: SCIENTISTS. Notice that the text uses typically
journalistic terms to refer to a scientific breakthrough, such as
landmark experiment, pave the way. These expressions would
probably not be used in a more technical context.
Tenor: The text is written for general readers, not specialists. It is
likely that the author is a journalist. There is a degree of
evaluation, even ‘hyperbole’, in the use of certain expressions
(new, landmark, pave the way, world’s first).
Field: On an explicit level, this text names and describes a
technical product (explicit use of proprietary terminology and
abbreviations, IW6 loudspeaker. Also note the use of heavily premodified
noun groups: wall/ceiling mounting, which are typical of
many technical texts. It is likely that the subsequent text will deal
with issues about safety and other technical aspects of the
product. Implicitly, the purpose of this particular part of the text is
to establish that the product has come into the owner’s
possession though a wise act of ‘consumer choice’ (and this is in
fact referred to by two lexical items: confidence and choice.)
Mode: This extract is a typical introduction from a technical
manual. It is likely to be the first ‘move’ (‘congratulate the reader’)
in a text which is likely to turn to other, more technical, topics
(how to use the product, how to carte for it, how to obtain service
etc.)
Tenor: The text addresses the reader directly, and narrows down
the readership of the text to one person: the owner of a new
product. But the text also takes the point of view of the producers
or manufacturers, and attempts to establish a rapport with the
consumer. The use of exclamation marks and contractions
(you’ve) introduce a note of informality. The text also uses
flattering language to the owner (initial emphasis on
congratulations, confidence and choice).
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