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9 - Grammar and Genre

from Part III - Grammar of Discourse

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 October 2022

Heidrun Dorgeloh
Affiliation:
Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf
Anja Wanner
Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin–Madison
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Summary

Chapter 9 of Discourse Syntax (Grammar and Genre) deals with patterns of English grammar as tied to the situational settings of a register or the conventions of a genre. It notes that a feature of grammar, such as the passive voice in academic discourse, may either be pervasive in some as compared to other registers, or that it can be typical, like a hashtag in tweets. The chapter also refers to the modality of the discourse situation and distinguishes between conceptually oral and written language. For a written genre, it discusses the scientific abstract and the various grammatical forms of expressing agentivity that typically occur in it. It also examines the way in which scientific genres show a condensation of information through syntactic complexity, particularly within the noun phrase, and how to study that type of complexity based on a sample of attestations retrieved from an electronic corpus. The chapter also discusses digital genres and the use of hashtags in discourse on social media platforms as well as the “because X” construction as a characteristic case of linguistic innovation within that medium.

Type
Chapter
Information
Discourse Syntax
English Grammar Beyond the Sentence
, pp. 254 - 288
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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  • Grammar and Genre
  • Heidrun Dorgeloh, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Anja Wanner, University of Wisconsin–Madison
  • Book: Discourse Syntax
  • Online publication: 20 October 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108557542.009
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  • Grammar and Genre
  • Heidrun Dorgeloh, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Anja Wanner, University of Wisconsin–Madison
  • Book: Discourse Syntax
  • Online publication: 20 October 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108557542.009
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Grammar and Genre
  • Heidrun Dorgeloh, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Anja Wanner, University of Wisconsin–Madison
  • Book: Discourse Syntax
  • Online publication: 20 October 2022
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108557542.009
Available formats
×