Wholeness

[John Bateman]

>
> >What exactly do you mean by "an impression of wholeness"?
>
> >Tom H
>
as usual there are at least three ways to view the wholeness of a text:

 textually: is it a textual whole (viz.
cohesion+theme+macrotheme+generic stage)
 ideationally: is it a coherent whole that makes sense
 interpersonally: is it a piece of discourse that enacts a complete
                  piece of interaction (telling a story, writing a
                  dissertation, etc.).

 RST probably contributes some to the latter, not sure if it contributes
 elsewhere as yet....

 although some argument for a textual contribution should be doable...

Beginning/middle/end in Labov style appars to be textual, with a
smattering
of interpersonal (perhaps).

For non-narratives the importance of taking all three equally becomes
greater.

John B.


--
John Bateman
FB10, Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaften
Universität Bremen
28334 Bremen, Germany.

Tel: +49/421-218-9483
Fax: +49/421-218-4283 (or 218-7801)
http://www.uni-bremen.de/~bateman