Variant – 3 What problems is text semantics concerned with?

VARIANT – 3

1. 
   What problems is text semantics concerned with?
   

Text Semantics. Text semantics covers a wide range of problems. Text semantics studies the inner content structure of the text which, being a genuine speech production, does not belong to the language system. It comes into existence only in the process of text production and text perception. It should be emphasized that the content of the text though based on the meanings of the language units, nevertheless, is not just a sum of these meanings. It assumes qualitative changes and transformations generated by interaction of numerous linguistic and extralinguistic factors. So, the linguistic mechanisms of text semantics and those of language units are quite different.
According to the definition given by A. I. Novikov, the inner text content is a mental formation produced by human intellect, and has no element-wise correlation with its formal structure, but corresponds to it as a whole (1983:5). Text integrity is certainly based on cohesion and arises from it. The cohesion leading to integrity is defined by I.R. Galperin as a process of integration. Integration is the unification of all the parts of the text into one integral unit. Integration can be achieved by means of cohesion, and also by associative and pre-suppositional relations (1981:512). This definition indicates the difference between the terms: cohesion, integration and integrity. Cohesion is a means of connections (grammatical, semantic, lexical, etc). Integration is a process of combining all parts of the text, its “deep structure” which transforms the combination of sentences into a single whole.
Text integrity, as many scholars state, is achieved by the thematic unity of the text: it is regarded as a condensed and generalized content of the text, its semantic kernel. According to G.V. Kolshanskiy, integrity of the text is formed first of all by its denotative kernel and thematic structure (1984:100). The thematic unity is ensured by the referential identity of the language units functioning in the text. It means that any text belongs to a definite denotational sphere, that provides basis for the semantic integrity and completeness of the text.
The semantic structure of the text is presented by a chain of complexly interwoven and mutually complementary themes subdivided into subthemes and microthemes reflecting events, actions, facts of reality. According to A.I. Novikov, text content is a dynamic model of some fragments of reality (1983:73). Consequently, the main task of text semantics is to reveal correlations between verbal signs and mental content, between the verbal layer of the text and its mental representation. In this respect content analysis should include: searching for the “key” elements of the text, defining subthemes and microthemes and their hierarchical interrelations. A detailed analysis of the thematic chains in different functional styles is given by T. V. Matveeva who singles out primary and secondary thematic chains. The primary chains are those which directly name the subject of speech. The secondary chains, also called additional, are presented by substitutes, transforms, synonyms, pronouns, dexis, etc (1990).
The semantic integrity sustained by its thematic unity is the main property of the text, its compulsory, inherent category without which text doesn’t exist as such. According to Turaeva Z.Y. text integrity is achieved a) by hierarchy of relationships of all language units (phonetic, morphological, syntactical, lexical); b) by interaction of surface and deep layers of the text; c) by additional senses, which language units acquire in the text. Let’s analyse some examples which illustrate various ways to achieve text integrity. It is acknowledged that many phonetic means can be used in the text as a means of cohesion, thus ensuring text integrity. Particularly significant is the role of phonetic means in the oral text. Here all prosodic elements such as intonation, pitch, tempo, tembre, pause, melody serve to achieve semantic integration, and combine separate parts into a single unit. In the written type of the text, phonetic means also fulfill the text forming functions, and at the same time secure the semantic integrity of the text. The role of phonetic means is most conspicuous in poetry. In this respect it will suffice to mention the phenomenon of sound symbolism. As is known, sound symbolism is based on the assumption that some sounds due to their acoustic properties make awake certain ideas, perceptions, images, feelings. It follows then that a particular phonetic arrangement of the text can lead to the semantic integration of its parts.

2.