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 Ling 131: Language & Style
 

 Topic 10 (session A) - Prose analysis > Bilgewater: Context and Cohesion > Task B

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Session Overview
Bilgewater: General
Prose Analysis Methodology
Bilgewater: Lexis
Bilgewater: Foregrounding
Bilgewater: Context and cohesion
Bilgewater: Speech & thought presentation
Bilgewater: Grammar
Methodology checksheet
Topic 10 'tool' summary
 
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Bilgewater passage

Bilgewater: Context and Cohesion

Task B - Deixis

As the passage is quite long passage, it is not practical to look at every deictic item. Instead, we will look at a few sentences spread throughout the passage:

(13) This was the third interview of the day. (14) The first had been as she had expected - carping, snappish, harsh, watchful - unfriendly even before you had your hand off the door handle.

(19) That had been a long one.

(31) I think Miss Blenkinsop-Briggs has already answered my questions in the interview this morning.

(38) And now, here we are. (39) The third interview.

(70) Shall I come here? (71) Would I like it after all?

For each of the above sentences, ask yourselves
(i) whose viewpoint is being presented and (ii) what deictic, and other, features in the text are indicating that viewpoint for us?
Then compare what you think with what we say.

It will be helpful for you to look at the immediate context for each sentence in the passage when working out what you want to say.

 

Our answer

 

 


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