Discourse Topics

Discourse Topics Are A Frequently Mentioned But Rarely Operationalised Concept In Linguistics. Taking A Text Linguistic Approach And Defining Discourse Topics As Clusterings Of Concepts, This Book Examines And Compares Methods For Investigating Topic Boundaries, Topic Identification And Topic Development. The First Book To Be Devoted To Topics In Extended Discourse, 'discourse Topics' Examines Topics In Several Genres And Generates New Insights Into The Nature Of Discourse Topics That Challenge The Status Quo. It Is Essential Reading For Researchers In Linguistics, Discourse Analysis, Natural Language Processing And Psychology Whose Work Concerns Topics. List Of Figures -- List Of Tables -- Glossary Of Commonly Used Abbreviations -- Introduction -- Investigating Discourse Topics -- Uses Of Discourse Topics In Applied Linguistics -- Defining And Operationalising Discourse Topics -- Connectedness -- Aboutness -- Relevance -- Topics, Connectedness, Aboutness And Relevance -- Text Linguistics -- A Preliminary Analysis Of Discourse Topics -- Data Analysed -- Conclusion -- Topic Boundaries -- Problems In Identifying Topic Boundaries -- Signals Of Topic Boundaries -- Topic-shift Markers And Phrases -- Lexico-semantic Indicators Of Topic Boundaries -- Markedness, Phonology And Other Signals Of Topic Boundaries -- Identifying Topic Boundaries In Discourse -- Conclusion -- Identifying Topics -- How To Express Topics -- Sentence Topics And Discourse Topics -- Identifying Topics In Discourse -- Ways Of Identifying Topics -- Word Frequencies For Topic Identification -- Lexical Chaining -- Text-specific Hierarchies -- Text-specific Networks Of Associations -- Combining Sentence Topics -- Conclusion -- Topic Development -- Typologies Of Topic Development -- Linguistic Features Of Topic Development -- An Exchange Structure Analysis Of Topic Development -- Applications Of Topic Development -- Conclusion -- Text Linguistic Analyses Of Discourse Topics -- Theme-rheme Progression Analysis -- Given-new Progression Analysis -- Lexical Cohesion Analysis -- Topic-based Analysis Using Relations -- Average Distance Of A Move -- Frequency Of Moves -- Frequency Of Coherence Breaks -- Recycling Of Concepts And Moves -- Topic-based Analysis Using Associations -- Conclusion -- Comparing The Analyses Of Discourse Topics -- Triangulation Of Methods Of Analysis -- The Location Of Topic Boundaries -- The Topics And Topic Entities Identified -- The Types Of Topic Development -- Validation Of The Results Of The Analyses Against Human Judgments -- Conclusion -- Applying Discourse Topic Analysis -- Text Selection -- Analysing The Texts -- Text 3 : Uses Of Topics -- Text 4 : Wikitalk -- Text 5 : Satirical Sermon -- Text 6 : Anecdote -- Comparison Of Methods For Texts 3 To 6 -- Comparison Of Analysis Of Texts 3 To 6 -- Text 7 : A Longer Text -- Conclusion -- Implications Of Discourse Topics -- Topic Identification -- Topic-based Analysis Using Relations -- Topic Boundaries -- Topic Development -- Natural Language Processing Applications -- Other Applications Of Discourse Topics -- Conclusion -- References -- Appendix A. Transcription Conventions -- Appendix B. Text 1 : Classroom Discourse -- Appendix C. Text 3 : Uses Of Topics -- Appendix D. Text 4 : Wikitalk -- Appendix E. Text 5 : Satirical Sermon -- Appendix R Text 6 : Anecdote -- Name Index -- Subject Index. Richard Watson Todd. Based On The Author's Ph. D. Thesis Entitled Topics In Classroom Discourse, University Of Liverpool, Liverpool Uk, (2003). Includes Bibliographical References And Index.