Terminology

What is a discourse?

A discourse is an instance of language use whose type can be classified on the basis of such factors as grammatical and lexical choices and their distribution in
• main versus supportive materials
• theme
• style, and
• the framework of knowledge and expectations within which the addressee interprets the discourse

What is a compound discourse?

A compound discourse is a discourse that contains sections belonging to two or more kinds of discourse.

What is expository discourse?

Expository discourse is a discourse that explains or describes a topic.

It does not primarily present contingent events or focus on a performer of actions, but rather tends to present the following kinds of propositions:

• Existential
• Stative
• Equative

What is hortatory discourse?

Hortatory discourse is a discourse that is an attempt to persuade the addressee to fulfill commands that are given in the discourse.
Discussion

A hortatory discourse typically consists of
• one or more commands that are logically related to each other, and
• expressions offering motivation in support of the respective commands.

What is a narrative discourse?

A narrative discourse is a discourse that is an account of events, usually in the past, that employs verbs of speech, motion, and action to describe a series of events that are contingent one on another, and that typically focuses on one or more performers of actions.

What is a procedural discourse?

A procedural discourse is a discourse that
• is used to tell the addressee how to do something
• presents a series of steps leading to a goal, and
• centers on events that are contingent one on another, rather than focusing on the performer of the events.
What is a repartee discourse?
Repartee discourse is a discourse that is used to recount a series of speech exchanges.

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