Discourse Topics
Author
Discourse topics are a frequently mentioned but rarely operationalised concept in linguistics. Taking a text linguistic approach and defining discourse topics as clusterings of concepts, this book examines and compares methods for investigating topic boundaries, topic identification and topic development. The first book to be devoted to topics in extended discourse, Discourse Topics examines topics in several genres and generates new insights into the nature of discourse topics that challenge the status quo. It is essential reading for researchers in linguistics, discourse analysis, natural language processing and psychology whose work concerns topics.
[Pragmatics & Beyond New Series, 269] 2016. xv, 304 pp.
Publishing status: Available
© John Benjamins
Table of Contents
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List of figures
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List of tables | pp. xi–xiv
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Glossary of commonly used abbreviations
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Introduction | pp. 1–3
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Chapter 1 . Investigating discourse topics | pp. 5–28
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Chapter 2. Topic boundaries | pp. 29–47
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Chapter 3. Identifying topics | pp. 49–65
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Chapter 4. Topic development | pp. 67–82
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Chapter 5. Text linguistic analyses of discourse topics | pp. 83–148
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Chapter 6. Comparing the analyses of discourse topics | pp. 149–191
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Chapter 7. Applying discourse topic analysis | pp. 193–240
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Chapter 8 . Implications of discourse topics
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References | pp. 261–279
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Transcription conventions
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Appendix A.. Transcription conventions
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Appendix B.. Text 1: Classroom discourse
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Appendix C.. Text 3: Uses of topics
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Appendix D.. Text 4: Wikitalk
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Appendix E.. Text 5: Satirical sermon
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Appendix F.. Text 6: Anecdote
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Author index for Discourse Topics
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Subject Index for Discourse Topics
“This book investigates 'topic' from a discourse analytic perspective. It makes a major contribution to our understanding of the ways in which topics are launched, developed and managed in spoken discourse. Importantly, Richard Watson Todd provides a comprehensive description of appropriate methodologies for investigating topic, an invaluable and much needed feature of the book. Discourse Topics will be an extremely useful resource for anyone interested in studying or researching this often overlooked aspect of discourse analysis.”
Steve Walsh, Newcastle University
“This is an important book on an important but neglected concept; it is original, scholarly and accessible and should be essential reading for anyone planning to talk about spoken or written discourse.”
Michael Hoey, University of Liverpool
“The volume is inspirational and makes a major contribution to the growing literature on discourse analysis. It will undoubtedly open up new perspectives for researchers who take an interest in discourse topics in discourse analysis, linguistics, psychology and natural language processing.”
Jixian Pang, Zhejiang University City College, In Discourse Studies 20(2), 2018
Cited by
Cited by 6 other publications
Ambele, Eric A. & Richard Watson Todd
2022. Translanguaging patterns in everyday urban conversations in Cameroon. International Journal of the Sociology of Language 2022:273 ► pp. 181 ff. 
Izutsu, Katsunobu & Mitsuko Narita Izutsu
2023. Chapter 11. Highlighting beginning, end, or transition in-between. In Discourse Phenomena in Typological Perspective [Studies in Language Companion Series, 227], ► pp. 295 ff.
Panseeta, Sayamol & Richard Watson Todd
2022. Repetition and paraphrase in contexts of concordant and discordant orientations. Pragmatics and Society 13:2 ► pp. 250 ff.
Renkema, Jan & Christoph Schubert
Sherstinova, Tatiana, Olga Mitrofanova, Tatiana Skrebtsova, Ekaterina Zamiraylova & Margarita Kirina
2020. Topic Modelling with NMF vs. Expert Topic Annotation: The Case Study of Russian Fiction. In Advances in Computational Intelligence [Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 12469], ► pp. 134 ff.
Watson Todd, Richard & Punjaporn Pojanapunya
2022. Shifting attitudes towards native speaker and local English teachers: an elaborative replication. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development 43:2 ► pp. 111 ff.
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 15 september 2023. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.
Subjects
Main BIC Subject
CFG: Semantics, Pragmatics, Discourse Analysis
Main BISAC Subject
LAN009030: LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Linguistics / Pragmatics