[Xmca-l] Re: A methodological question

[Edward Wall]

David

    I was thinking of the SFL version of RST (I think - although I didn’t check - that the particular tool on this site incorporates some of Mathiessen’s ideas). If you know differently, I would appreciate that information. I think, doing as you did in your previous email, would work well also, but there is, perhaps, with this tool less of a learning curve.

Ed

> On Feb 9, 2017, at  4:39 PM, David Kellogg <dkellogg60@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Right, Ed. Note that there is a systemic-functional version of RST
> developed by Christian Matthiessen (using "elaboration", "extension", and
> "enhancement" as the main logico-semantic relations that are realized in
> parataxis, hypotaxis, and embedding (these are structurally different, but
> we can functionally relate them).
> 
> I've always wondered if there is something developmental going on here.
> It's a grammatical expression of the genetic law, because parataxis is
> easily SHARED between speakers, hypotaxis is more intra-mental, and
> "embedding" is when that intra-mentality can be assumed.
> 
> The latest analysis I did showed no statistically significant change
> between first graders and sixth graders in Korean schools in their
> hypotaxis and parataxis, but a big change in embedding. I think one of the
> reasons that Castro's speeches are so long is that when he embeds, he
> unpacks with taxis. But the lack of statistical significance in taxis was
> due to extreme variations within groups, dwarfing the variations between
> them. The embedding was significant between groups: one of the things that
> kids learn about Korean is how to embed.
> 
> Castro: "This nation has had to face the taming of not one tiger, not two
> tigers, not three tigers, but the taming of 1,000 tigers."
> 
> Embedding: "of ...." is rankshifted--a noun is embedded in a noun group
> 
> Castro: "Someone once said that it was a paper tiger, and it is, from a
> strategic point of view, because some day it will cease being the world's
> owner."
> 
> Unpacking: "it was a paper tiger" unpacks "tiger" into a sentence
> (elaboration) and then explains (enhancement)
> 
> David Kellogg
> Macquarie University
> 
> 
> 
> On Fri, Feb 10, 2017 at 7:08 AM, Edward Wall <ewall@umich.edu> wrote:
> 
>> Ulivi
>> 
>> This is only a suggestion, but you might find rhetorical structure theory
>> interesting if you want to get at embedding (there is a tool for analysis
>> and some discussion: http://www.sfu.ca/rst/06tools/ )
>> 
>> Ed
>>> On Feb 9, 2017, at  3:43 PM, Ulvi İçil <ulvi.icil@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Dear xmcas,
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> I would like to direct to you a methodological question and to kindly
>> have
>>> your idea.
>>> 
>>> I am reading Fidel Castro's speeches. They are full of critiques of
>>> neoliberal globalization, capitalism and so on.
>>> 
>>> If I would like to study those speeches in terms of the adult educational
>>> aspects, elements they possess (because they are addresses to conscience
>>> of the adult world, mostly Cuban people, various sections of Cuban people
>>> and society) I wonder what would be the best methodology.
>>> 
>>> For a study something like: Critical discourse in Fidel Castro's
>> speeches.
>>> 
>>> Not CDA, I suppose, because, my aim will not be looking at what lies
>> behind
>>> and hidden in these speeches, because they already demystify capitalism
>>> etc. which means that as an analyst I have a subjectivity which is on the
>>> side of Castro rather than aiming at criticizing him, I intend to make
>>> visible what he criticizes in the global neoliberal world.
>>> 
>>> Discourse analysis?
>>> 
>>> Thinking that I intend to include into the study all the emotional,
>>> spiritual elements in those speeches, with many evaluations,
>> qualifications
>>> like "teaching, medicine nobel professions" etc.
>>> 
>>> Should I study something on the line like "critical discourse (embedded)
>> in
>>> Fidel Castro's speeches"?
>>> 
>>> If yes, how?
>>> 
>>> And if not, what may be the best possible methodological alternative?
>>> 
>>> It is so interesting that while I studied the valuable works of Norman
>>> Fairclough on CDA, on the critique of globalisation etc, which, for the
>>> focus of study, they have, various aspects of capitalist, transnational
>>> company discourse etc, I found that same critique not as an analysis,
>> but,
>>> itself, in Fidel Castro's public speeches, criticizing neoliberal
>>> globalisation etc, so how to study Castro's speech texts?!
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Thank you very much.
>>> 
>>> Ulvi
>> 
>> 
>>