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A Functional Analysis of Connectives in English Composition: Implications for the Teaching of English as a Second Language

Errors by ESL writers involving connectives show a need for changes in the current teaching approach of composition teachers, an approach which reflects a lack of attention to the discourse function of connectives on the part of linguists and rhetoricians. More recent studies in text and functional grammars reveal that factors other than syntax control conjunctive use. These include pragmatic differences between spoken and written language, the role of semantics in defining dependency, and discourse functions of connectives. Conjunction is seen as part of a continuum of semantic dependency that is manifested as degrees of syntactic complexity. Teaching methods should take into account semantic and pragmatic factors and encourage learning of connectives through activities such as revision of student writing for content as well as mechanics.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc504148
Date08 1900
CreatorsLeavelle, Cynthia A. (Cynthia Ann)
ContributorsHardy, Heather K. (Heather Kay), 1952-, Crow, John T., Hughes, Robert L.
PublisherNorth Texas State University
Source SetsUniversity of North Texas
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis or Dissertation
Formatii, 147 leaves, Text
RightsPublic, Leavelle, Cynthia A. (Cynthia Ann), Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

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