Register-analysis as a means for eliciting the meaning of literary texts
Intuitive reading of a literary text does not enable one to understand how the text means. For that purpose one needs a suitable semantic theory. This article proposes such a theory, based on the concept of register as meaning-potential. Situation-types have semiotic properties, which set up expecta...
Gespeichert in:
Veröffentlicht in: | Literator 2002-08, Vol.23 (2), p.87-104 |
---|---|
1. Verfasser: | |
Format: | Artikel |
Sprache: | eng |
Schlagworte: | |
Online-Zugang: | Volltext |
Tags: |
Tag hinzufügen
Keine Tags, Fügen Sie den ersten Tag hinzu!
|
Zusammenfassung: | Intuitive reading of a literary text does not enable one to understand how the text means. For that purpose one needs a suitable semantic theory. This article proposes such a theory, based on the concept of register as meaning-potential. Situation-types have semiotic properties, which set up expectations of the kind of meaning likely in that kind of situation, and those expectations constitute the meaning-potential of the situation, that is the register, which is realised in whatever texts are actually uttered there. So register determines meaning; and register is determined by situationtype, which can be precisely defined by means of categories of (discourse-) situation. Five such categories are put forward. Their application constitutes register-analysis. The process is demonstrated on a literary text; and it is claimed that an intuitive, practical-criticism-type analysis could not be as clear, precise and comprehensive as a register-analysis. And the coherent theory of meaning which supplies the categories also provides a consistent, defined metalanguage to work in. So register-analysis offers a significant advance on intuitive reading. |
---|---|
ISSN: | 0258-2279 2219-8237 |
DOI: | 10.4102/lit.v23i2.332 |