Coherence (linguistics)

The coherence indicates the way in which the text will be linked content in speech or writing or considered as contiguous - in contrast to cohesion but on a logical rather than linguistic terms.

One consequence of coherence, for example, that in certain language situations certain reactions are expected to follow from the previous speech acts. Thus, a greeting is a greeting in response initially expected to return, or to a question an answer that is usually given as well. Coherence also plays a role in linguistic pragmatics. Coherence refers to the content, deep structure, while the textual cohesion on the syntactic shape, surface structure refers. This would be consistent in the strict sense. The term is also used in a broader sense and includes all funds, the sentences in a text connect with each other, including resources that would otherwise be understood cohesion.

Texts that do not appear on the surface, in their syntactic form, coherently, may have a connection to their content entirely. To make this connection, employees of the recipient ( dialogue partner ) is necessary. The relationship may depend on the situation. This can also be interpreted on the various possible coherence of a text: A text can not be understood just because of cultural differences or the like in its cohesion. But if this means an extra used to elicit such a feeling, coherence is present without cohesion (compare "The Sandman " by ETA Hoffmann in which is not clearly determine whether it is a fantastic or rational history ).

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