A Cognitive-Functional Analysis Of Discourse Coherence In English Linguistics Academic Paper Abstracts

As an important part of academic paper, English linguistics academic paper abstract plays an important role in today's rapidly developing international cultural communication. The coherence of abstract has a restrictive effect on the embodiment of its function and the linguistic features. After the publication of Cohesion in English, coherence has become a hot issue. Many linguists put forward various theories from different perspectives. There is no doubt that their study is helpful for us to understand coherence. However, the systemic study of the discourse coherence mechanism from the cognitive-functional perspective is still rare.This thesis attempts to explore the nature and feature of discourse coherence in terms of the cohesive theory and the textual function in the three meta-functions proposed by Halliday on the one hand and the cognitive theory such as the idealized cognitive model, the prototype theory and the cognitive reference points on the other hand. A theoretical framework is employed for the discourse coherence analysis of the sixty abstracts of English linguistics academic paper, with a special aim to facilitate the analysis of the coherence phenomenon and those cognitive features in the abstract construction.The transitivity analysis reveals that the actualization of the English linguistics academic paper abstract is done by way of the various processes used in a discourse. In the sixty abstracts, relational processes are frequently used; material and verbal processes are occasionally used; existential processes are infrequently used, mental processes are rarely used, which shows that the major function of academic paper abstracts is to describe the linguistic phenomenon and provide aomd relevant background information. The theme-theme analysis demonstrates that multiple themes are used less frequently than simple themes; simple themes are adopted in most academic paper abstracts. Unmarked themes are used much more frequently than marked themes. Cohesive devices like reference, conjunction and reiteration are frequently used. The activation of knowledge in the cognitive world and the supplementation of the default information contribute to the construction of a coherent discourse. The confirmation of the relations between a pronoun and the signified meaning depends on the cognitive world knowledge. The cognitive reference point is commanding in function. It is often served by the theme of a sentence. The prototype theory explains the degree of discourse coherence. If a large number of conjunctions are used in a discourse, there will be a clear cognitive orientation and the conceptual elements can be coordinated with each other. With a lot of indexical symbols in the proposition development, we can confirm the pragmatic inference. Therefore a mentally unified and acceptable cognitive world is constructed. The discourse is most coherent and can be considered as an idealized cognitive model.The findings show that a discourse is not coherent by itself. It only provides some directions for recipients'construction and interpretation of coherence with the help of their own background information. Moreover, the cognitive analysis and functional analysis of discourse coherence is not contrary to each other. The functional model focuses on the analysis of the formal cohesion from the external register. The cognitive model concentrates on discourse producers from the perspectives of mutual embodiment and mental coherence. The cognitive analysis helps people to realize the human's thinking models. The cognitive view can be considered as a development of the functional view. Therefore, the cognitive model of discourse coherence is supplementary to the functional model. The two schools are strongly complementary.