Introduction to Introduction to Information StructureInformation Structure

A Day that will live in Infamy!A Day that will live in Infamy!

22

Structuring InformationStructuring Information

1.1. I went to the store, to the beach, and to bed.I went to the store, to the beach, and to bed.

2.2. I went to the store and to the beach and to bed.I went to the store and to the beach and to bed.

3.3. I went to the store and I went to the beach and I I went to the store and I went to the beach and I went to bed.went to bed.

4.4. I went to the store. I went to the beach. I went to I went to the store. I went to the beach. I went to bed.bed.

33

Structuring InformationStructuring Information

““I went to the store.” “I went to the store.” “II went to the beach.” “ went to the beach.” “II went to bed.”went to bed.”

““I am of Paul,” “I am of Paul,” “II am of Apollos,” am of Apollos,” “I “I am of am of Cephas,” “Cephas,” “II am of Christ” am of Christ” ((1 Cor. 1:121 Cor. 1:12).).

44

Mental RepresentationsMental Representations

Dooley and Levinsohn state, Dooley and Levinsohn state, “The organization that hearers associate with a “The organization that hearers associate with a discourse is…a reflection of how the content comes discourse is…a reflection of how the content comes together and is stored in the mind” (2001:10). together and is stored in the mind” (2001:10).

The information structuring devices are one of the The information structuring devices are one of the means used to guide the reader in their construction means used to guide the reader in their construction of the intended mental representation of the of the intended mental representation of the discourse.discourse.

55

Mental RepresentationsMental Representations

The “Mental File Cabinet”The “Mental File Cabinet” Major components of the discourse each get a Major components of the discourse each get a

filefile Narrative: Participant (people) orientedNarrative: Participant (people) oriented Exposition: Procedure or Topic orientedExposition: Procedure or Topic oriented Hortatory (exhortation): Activity orientedHortatory (exhortation): Activity oriented

New information is added to appropriate fileNew information is added to appropriate file

66

Mental RepresentationsMental RepresentationsWhen new discourse entity is added, several When new discourse entity is added, several

questions:questions: Create a new file or use an existing one?Create a new file or use an existing one?

This is the question of “I am of X, I am of Y…”This is the question of “I am of X, I am of Y…”

77

Mental RepresentationsMental RepresentationsWhen new discourse entity is added, several When new discourse entity is added, several

questions:questions: Create a new file or use an existing one?Create a new file or use an existing one?

This is the question of “I am of X, I am of Y…”This is the question of “I am of X, I am of Y…” What label do I put on the file?What label do I put on the file?

Who is “I”?Who is “I”?

88

Mental RepresentationsMental RepresentationsWhen new discourse entity is added, several When new discourse entity is added, several

questions:questions: Create a new file or use an existing one?Create a new file or use an existing one?

This is the question of “I am of X, I am of Y…”This is the question of “I am of X, I am of Y…” What label do I put on the file?What label do I put on the file?

Who is “I”?Who is “I”? How does this file relate to the ones I already How does this file relate to the ones I already

have? What drawer do I put it in?have? What drawer do I put it in? How does “I” relate to the other participants in the How does “I” relate to the other participants in the

discourse?discourse?

99

Mental RepresentationsMental RepresentationsWhen new discourse entity is added, several questions:When new discourse entity is added, several questions: Create a new file or use an existing one?Create a new file or use an existing one?

This is the question of “I am of X, I am of Y…”This is the question of “I am of X, I am of Y…” What label do I put on the file?What label do I put on the file?

Who is “I”?Who is “I”? How does this file relate to the ones I already have? How does this file relate to the ones I already have?

What drawer do I put it in?What drawer do I put it in? How does “I” relate to the other participants in the How does “I” relate to the other participants in the

discourse?discourse? When we mis-communicate or “get lost”, it is When we mis-communicate or “get lost”, it is

generally because of one of these things.generally because of one of these things.

1010

Natural Information FlowNatural Information Flow

Every statement is a mix of presupposed and new Every statement is a mix of presupposed and new information.information.

Presupposed (i.e. old or established) information Presupposed (i.e. old or established) information provide basis or processing the new.provide basis or processing the new.

The reason that this class is so hard is The reason that this class is so hard is thisthis: : You are getting brand new information and then You are getting brand new information and then

needing to immediately build on it. needing to immediately build on it.

If it was more familiar, it would be much easier.If it was more familiar, it would be much easier.

1111

Natural Information FlowNatural Information Flow

Default is to move from most known info to Default is to move from most known info to least known, as much as language allowsleast known, as much as language allows EnglishEnglish GreekGreek HebrewHebrew

Verbs play significant role in this structuringVerbs play significant role in this structuring

1212

Violating Natural Information FlowViolating Natural Information Flow

Sometimes Natural Information Flow is violated:Sometimes Natural Information Flow is violated: EmphasisEmphasis: Adding extra prominence to the : Adding extra prominence to the

new information.new information. Taking what was already most important and Taking what was already most important and

attracting more attention to it because of its attracting more attention to it because of its significance.significance.

1313

Violating Natural Information FlowViolating Natural Information Flow

Sometimes Natural Information Flow is violated:Sometimes Natural Information Flow is violated: EmphasisEmphasis: Adding extra prominence to the new : Adding extra prominence to the new

information.information. Taking what was already most important and attracting Taking what was already most important and attracting

more attention to it because of its significance.more attention to it because of its significance. Frames of referenceFrames of reference: Adding prominence to known or : Adding prominence to known or

knowable information for organizational reasons.knowable information for organizational reasons. Creates an explicit frame of reference instructing the Creates an explicit frame of reference instructing the

reader how to relate what follows to what precedes. reader how to relate what follows to what precedes.

1414

Violating Natural Information FlowViolating Natural Information Flow

EmphasisEmphasis: Adding extra prominence to the : Adding extra prominence to the new information.new information.

Frames of referenceFrames of reference: Adding prominence to : Adding prominence to known or knowable information for known or knowable information for organizational reasons.organizational reasons.

The only difference between The only difference between emphasisemphasis and a and a frameframe is the status of the information! is the status of the information!

Status of information is based on context!Status of information is based on context!

1515

Questions, Presuppositions, and Questions, Presuppositions, and AnswersAnswers

To whomTo whom did you give the book did you give the book? ? (Presupposition: You gave the (Presupposition: You gave the book to book to someonesomeone.).)

Default answer: I gave the book to Default answer: I gave the book to JamesJames, or To , or To JamesJames..Marked answer: (It was) toMarked answer: (It was) to JamesJames I gave the book (and not to I gave the book (and not to someone else).someone else).

WhereWhere did you put my book did you put my book?? (Presupposition: You put my book (Presupposition: You put my book somewheresomewhere.).)

Default answer: I put your book Default answer: I put your book on the tableon the table, or , or On the tableOn the table..Marked answer: (It was)Marked answer: (It was) on the table on the table I put your book (and not I put your book (and not somewhere else).somewhere else).

WhenWhen did you arrive did you arrive?? (Presupposition: You arrived (Presupposition: You arrived some timesome time.).) Default: I arrived Default: I arrived yesterdayyesterday, or , or YesterdayYesterday..

Marked: (It was)Marked: (It was) yesterdayyesterday I arrived (and not at some other time). I arrived (and not at some other time).

1616

Statements and PresuppositionsStatements and PresuppositionsDivers hope to resume their search of the frigid, murky Divers hope to resume their search of the frigid, murky

Hudson River on Wednesday. They will be looking Hudson River on Wednesday. They will be looking for for the most coveted piece of debris from the for for the most coveted piece of debris from the plane that safely splashed down in the river last week: plane that safely splashed down in the river last week: The missing left engine.The missing left engine.

New York Police Department harbor officers working New York Police Department harbor officers working with a sonar expert … got a reading about 60 feet with a sonar expert … got a reading about 60 feet down of an object 16 feet long and 8 feet wide. It is down of an object 16 feet long and 8 feet wide. It is near where US Airways Flight 1549 made its near where US Airways Flight 1549 made its emergency landing. The engine is about the same size emergency landing. The engine is about the same size as the object picked up by sonar.as the object picked up by sonar.

““Left engine of US Airways jet still missing in NYC,” Left engine of US Airways jet still missing in NYC,” By COLLEEN LONG, Associated Press Story, 1/21/09. By COLLEEN LONG, Associated Press Story, 1/21/09.

1717

Violating Natural Information FlowViolating Natural Information Flow

EmphasisEmphasis: Adding extra prominence to the : Adding extra prominence to the new information.new information.

Frames of referenceFrames of reference: Adding prominence to : Adding prominence to known or knowable information for known or knowable information for organizational reasons.organizational reasons.

The only difference between The only difference between emphasisemphasis and a and a frameframe is the status of the information! is the status of the information!

Status of information is based on context!Status of information is based on context!

1818

Frames of ReferenceFrames of ReferenceWhatWhat did you give to James and Elizabeth? did you give to James and Elizabeth? DefaultDefault: I gave the : I gave the book tbook to James, I gave the o James, I gave the backpack backpack to to

Elizabeth.Elizabeth. MarkedMarked: To James, I gave the : To James, I gave the book; book; to Elizabeth, I gave the to Elizabeth, I gave the

backpackbackpack..

WhatWhat did you do this week? did you do this week? DefaultDefault: I : I arrived yarrived yesterday; I will go esterday; I will go sightseeing sightseeing today.today. MarkedMarked: Yesterday, I : Yesterday, I arrived;arrived; today, I will go today, I will go sightseeingsightseeing..

The The status of the informationstatus of the information determines the effect achieved by determines the effect achieved by adding prominence to the information.adding prominence to the information.

1919

ExamplesExamples

Yoda’s EnglishYoda’s English Mark 4:3-8Mark 4:3-8; ; 14-2014-20 1 Corinthians 13:1-31 Corinthians 13:1-3 1 John 1:6-81 John 1:6-8 Romans 7:1-3Romans 7:1-3 Ephesians 2:8-9Ephesians 2:8-9 Matthew 6:1 ff, especially vv. 5 and 7Matthew 6:1 ff, especially vv. 5 and 7