Article published In:
Journal of Historical Pragmatics: Online-First Articles

Presenting manuscript tables and diagrams to the Middle English reader

ORCID logo | University of Turku,
| University of Turku,
In this paper, we examine information-organising graphic devices such as tables and diagrams in Middle English manuscripts. Our focus is on text producers’ metadiscourse describing these devices and instructing the reader in their use. We also pay attention to the visual and spatial relationship between the graphic device and the surrounding text. Our findings indicate that the metadiscourse associated with graphic devices serves similar functions to image captions (verbal cueing) in modern textbooks: identifying and describing the devices and instructing the reader in using them.
Keywords: graphic devices, instructional writing, manuscript studies, metadiscourse, Middle English
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Graphic devices and reader instruction
  • 3.Metadiscourse
  • 4.Primary sources
  • 5.Presenting graphic devices in late medieval English texts
    • 5.1The relationship between device and verbal cues
    • 5.2Identifying the device
    • 5.3Describing the device
    • 5.4Instructing the reader
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgments
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 27 August 2024
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/jhp.22004.pei
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