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Article published In:
Pragmatics & Cognition
Vol. 25:2 (2018) ► pp.276–309

The linguistic marking of coherence relations

Interactions between connectives and segment-internal elements

| The University of Edinburgh
| University of Bern
| Utrecht University
| Utrecht Institute of Linguistics OTS

Connectives and cue phrases are the most prototypical linguistic elements that signal coherence relations, but by limiting our attention to connectives, we are likely missing out on important other cues readers and listeners use when establishing coherence relations. However, defining the role of other types of linguistic elements in the signaling of coherence relations is not straightforward, and it is also not obvious why and how non-connective elements function as signals for coherence relations. In this paper, we aim to develop a systematic way of categorizing segment-internal elements as signals of coherence relations on the basis of a literature review and evidence from parallel corpora. We propose a three-way distinction between division of labor, agreement, and general collocation to categorize the different ways in which elements inside discourse segments interact with connectives in the marking of coherence relations. In each type of interaction, segment-internal elements can function as signals for coherence relations, but the mechanism behind it is slightly different for each type.

Keywords: coherence relations, connectives, signals, linguistic marking, parallel corpus
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1The marking of coherence relations by connectives
    • 1.2The marking of coherence relations by other linguistic elements
    • 1.3The interaction between connectives and segment-internal elements
  • 2.The marking of coherence relations in parallel corpora
    • 2.1Coherence relations in translation
    • 2.2The Cognitive approach to Coherence Relations
  • 3.Division of labor
    • 3.1Division of labor between connectives and segment-internal elements
    • 3.2Division of labor in translation
  • 4.Agreement
    • 4.1Agreement between connectives and segment-internal elements
    • 4.2Agreement in translation
  • 5.General collocation
    • 5.1General collocation between connectives and segment-internal elements
    • 5.2General collocation in translation
  • 6.Discussion and conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 25 November 2019
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/pc.18016.hoe
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