LECTURE NOTE: SITUATIONAL REFERENCE

INTRODUCTION

RELEVANCE OF THE THEME

Situational Reference is a fundamental part of the textual cohesion system, an element that promotes the connection and harmony between sentences and words in the text. Its understanding is essential for the interpretation and production of efficient texts, ensuring a coherent and complete understanding of the message.

CONTEXTUALIZATION

Situational Reference is engaged in the study of cohesive elements within the scope of the Portuguese subject. They are present in all types of texts, from literary to scientific. Its study is situated in the broader context of text comprehension and interpretation, skills that are not only central to the Portuguese subject but permeate all other disciplines and are necessary in various aspects of everyday life.

Learning this topic will contribute to the consolidation of previous knowledge about textual cohesion, involving other elements such as temporal and spatial reference, and will prepare the student for future topics that require efficient use of the Portuguese language.

THEORETICAL DEVELOPMENT

COMPONENTS

• Situational Reference: Textual cohesion element that refers to the situation narrated in the text. It is not about references to time or space, but rather to events, actions, or circumstances that are implicit in the context of the narrative. Understanding situational reference requires a deep understanding of the text and the ability to identify and interpret contextual clues.

• Referential Cohesion Elements: These are the linguistic tools we use to establish situational references. These include pronouns, demonstratives, synonyms, antonyms, hypernyms, repetitions, and ellipses. These elements allow readers to track and understand situational references as they move through the text.

KEY TERMS

• Textual Cohesion: It is the connection, the relationship, the union between the words, expressions, or sentences of the text. Cohesion contributes to making sense of the text and can be achieved in different ways, including the repetition of words, the use of synonyms, and, of course, situational reference.

• Context: The environment or situation in which the events or actions of a text occur. In terms of situational reference, the context refers to the clues in the text that allow us to infer certain details about the situation in which the text occurs.

EXAMPLES AND CASES

• Example 1 - Pronouns: Pronouns, such as he, she, it, those, etc., are often used to establish situational references. For example, consider the sentence "John went to the market because he needed to buy fruits." Here, the pronoun 'he' is making a situational reference to 'John'.

• Example 2 - Ellipsis: Ellipsis is a figure of speech that consists of omitting a term that, even absent, is easily identified. This is an important way to establish situational reference. For example, in the sentence "I bought a book and Maria, a magazine", the ellipsis of the verb 'buy' in the second segment of the sentence allows us to understand that Maria bought a magazine.

The detailed exploration of these topics provides a solid foundation for understanding situational reference and its function in creating cohesive and coherent texts.

DETAILED SUMMARY

RELEVANT POINTS

• Importance of Situational Reference: An indispensable element in texts of all types, responsible for ensuring the cohesion and understanding of the essence of the text. It is necessary for the correct interpretation of the text and for efficient textual production.

• Differentiation between References: Situational, temporal, and spatial references are distinct from each other, with the latter centered on events, actions, or circumstances narrated in the text. It does not indicate time or space, but is capable of suggesting important information about the context of the narrative.

• Referential Cohesion Elements: These are the tools used to compose situational references in a text. They include pronouns, demonstratives, synonyms, repetitions, and ellipses that allow the reader to identify and understand situational references at any point in the text.

• Textual Cohesion and Context: Two concepts retained in the discussion about situational reference. Textual cohesion refers to how the text is interconnected and coherent, with situational reference being one of its main components. The context is the narrative environment that involves the actions and events of the text and is crucial for understanding situational reference.

CONCLUSIONS

• Correct understanding of situational reference is crucial for the appropriate interpretation of texts and effective textual production.
• Situational reference is distinct from temporal and spatial references, focusing on events, actions, or circumstances within the text.
• Referential cohesion elements, including pronouns, synonyms, and repetitions, are used to build situational references in the text.
• Textual cohesion and context are two fundamental notions in the discussion about situational reference.

EXERCISES

1. Analyze a paragraph from a book or newspaper and identify all situational references present and the referential cohesion elements used.

2. Rewrite a sentence or short paragraph, replacing some referential cohesion elements and observe how this changes (or not) the situational reference.

3. Create a brief narrative where the situational reference is clearly visible and central to understanding the context and plot.