Ludwig Wittgenstein once compared human language to an ancient city:
a maze of little streets and squares, of old and new houses, and of houses with additions from various periods; and this surrounded by a multitude of new bor-oughs with straight regular streets and uniform houses (WITTGENSTEIN, 2003:
320). These thoroughly designed districts resemble languages for specific pur-poses (LSP), developed and still developing on the basis of a national language in order to meet the demands of human professional activity, such as: manufac-turing, scientific, cultural and other.
In terms of linguistic studies LSP as a professional activity tool exists in three basic forms: (1) as a thesaurus of professional knowledge established within the given corpus of texts; (2) as a medium conveying information on knowledge within the scheme of professional communication; (3) as a generator of new professional knowledge, being derived from its prior stages. Hence, the LSP essence lies in the three basic functions: accumulating, social (communica-tive) and creative.
As widely known, enough has been written in scientific literature about the human language function. An obligatory reference to K. Bühler’s classical triad is very often accompanied by quotations from J. FRAZER (2002), B. MALINOWSKI
(2000), R. JAKOBSON (1960), D. HYMES (1966) and others. Thus at present we have a few dozen names of language functions at our hand.
In the system of professional communication LSP is represented in a form of a professional text, known to take different shapes (ZMARZER, 2003). In con-trast to a regular text, a professional one has a set of characteristic features, namely: (1) a more or less complex set of concepts, i.e. mental knowledge units and these are carried by terms; (2) a logical, coherent sequence of discourse connectors as a determinant of adequate logical syntax as well as (3) lack of
Professional text analysis algorithm 71
implicite meanings, i.e. the lack of multiple implied meanings, which generally excludes the possibility of ambiguous interpretations of a professional text se-mantic structure. In other words, it constitutes its exclusive elementary meaning (LUKSZYN, 2003: 12—14).
As a rule, a professional text terminological set is represented by verbal signs of various discursive potential. Scientific literature mentions category terms (i.e. ab initio and verba genuina terms — in the following pattern repre-sented by the letter A), general scientific terms (scientisms) or polytechnical ones (termoids, represented by the letter B), interdisciplinary terms (forecasting and heuristic terms, or possibly quasi-terms, represented by the letter C) and subject terms (branch terms, or possibly professional nomenclature, represented by letter D) (, 1996; , 2006). The pattern of the abovementioned units, resulting from the analysis of a given professional texts corpus has be-come a determinant of the objective information on the professional discourse type. For example the following formula: C ~ D (B/A), where the first, binomi-nal, item stands for terms of the highest text-formation potential, and the other one: auxiliary units, can be used as a unique typological marker. Such a for-mula can be easily specified by means of additional indexes defining the onomasiological status of individual units (e.g. abstract, concrete, process and procedure terms as well as the ones denoting activities, qualities, relations and measurements). At this stage it is worth mentioning that defining a professional text terminological set is a derivative of its encyclopedic definition as an event within a professional communication process, having definite semantic struc-ture.
On the one hand, in a professional text discourse connectors define its con-ceptual structure, on the other they act as the key to its understanding. There-fore, these are the determinants of the logic of reasoning, which along the memory and imagination, according to Francis Bacon, determines the ability of a human to acquire knowledge (BACON, 2003: 32).
Various means may function as discourse connectors (DIJKvan and KINTSCH, 1983; LUKSZYN and ZMARZER, 2001; GRUCZA, 2004). Formal connectors under-stood sensu stricto include conjunctions, particles and articles. Speaking more generally, repetitions and deictic expressions may also be included in this group. The mentioned elements constitute the group of direct (technical) con-nectors.
First and foremost semantic connectors include aspect synonyms, comple-mentary and contradictory antonyms, hyponyms and hyperonyms. Then there also are lexical items which have resulted from explicit semantic implications within a given text extract. Syntax connectors are mainly the sentence word or-der as a determinant of its present (textual) meaning, i.e. its theme-rheme struc-ture. The syntactic connectors group also includes formal signs of the text beginning, internal division and ending (topic, final and middle sentences).
Prosodic connectors are an intonation symmetry and/or asymmetry of informa-tion units of a given message ( , 1987, 1997). Semantic, syntactic and prosodic means form a group of alternative (contextual) connectors.
A sequence of connectors, as a repetitive determinant a given thought struc-ture, constitutes an important element of a professional discourse analytical model. In other words, it is an element of metatext playing a role of a certain connecting element in the professional communication situation, which consists of: the messenger’s knowledge context, the channel, the professional message (text) and the recipient’s knowledge context. A metatext describes the norm of professional communication within the given type of knowledge, whereas a given professional text is its manifestation. An incompatibility of a profes-sional text and the adequate metatext results in disturbances in the profesprofes-sional communication channel. A metatext represents a particular way of reasoning, which is more or less precisely repeated again and again in the open set of real texts.
Each sequence of connectors as a reproduced structure represents a particu-lar type of a content transposition within an adequate text module. There are three basic transposition types: radial, sequential and telescopical. Radial trans-position is when the new content is included within several predicative units and it directly refers to the common utterance preceding it. Unlike the radial one, sequential transposition means transferring a part of a content from the preceeding predicative unit to the next one in order to compliment it, whereas in the telescopical transposition the whole content of the previous unit is taken over by the subsequent unit (ZMARZER, 2006: 154—156).
Universal characteristics of professional messages, reflected in metatexts are: (1) semantic coherence, held by coordinated conceptual dominants;
(2) divisibility into basic modules, determined by given connectors’ sequences;
(3) being holistic, namely including signs of text beginning and end (LUKSZYN, 2002).
The professional text environment shows up in the following characteristics:
formal-linguistic, conceptual, constructive (normative) and pragmatic (stylistic).
Linguistic analysis involves the necessity of professional text statistical attribu-tion with its subsequent qualificaattribu-tion. In such a case the main tool used is in-dexation, i.e. overimposing a set of characteristics to a given set of texts. The outcome of so planned an analysis is a list of statistical data linked together, known as a matrix.
Despite the fact that the number of formal-linguistic parameters equals at least several dozen units, at an initial stage of a professional text linguistic iden-tification as a contentful typological factor, a formula consisting of nominal and verbal phrase, associated with reference to their capacity characteristics, may appear. From this point of view underdeveloped or poorly developed phrases (e.g. including no more than three units) shall be referred to as light, whereas
Professional text analysis algorithm 73
a developed phrase (e.g. including more than three units) shall be referred to as a heavy one. Thus the aforementioned formula may be found in four versions, namely: (1) both phrases are light (NF cop(ula) VF), (2) both phrases are heavy (NF¯ cop VF¯), (3) nominal phrase appears as a light one whereas ver-bal phrase as heavy (NF cop VF), (4) nominal phrase appears as a heavy one whereas verbal phrase as light (NF¯cop VF). Each of these formulae in-cludes a specific information of morphological and syntactical character, owing to which it is in itself the proper object of analysis in terms of professional texts theory.
Professional texts typology arrived at the method of applying the matrices forms the basis for its objective conceptual analysis, and that is because, among others, individual indexes data form a system of mutual links, which indirectly indicates a particular genotype of human intellectual activity. Thus, the main task of parametrical technolinguistics is the architecture of such networks.
Defining a professional text conceptual structure type requires setting a rep-ertoire of semantic relations forming it and linking individual types of concepts.
When applied to a specific professional language, the conceptual structure ac-quires a form of terminological network, the design of which is determined by base discourse concepts (terms; TB), regular concepts derived from the first class (TP1) and implied second class concepts (TP2). First class concepts are regular units for the unambiguous nature of their relation to the base concepts, while the second class concepts are derivatives of multileveled semantic impli-cations. Hypothetically third, fourth and further class units are also possible, however, they are of little precision if not imprecise at all as features of a given professional discourse type. Usually first class concepts represent stable termi-nological units of strictly defined meaning, which cannot be said of second class concept derivatives (LUKSZYNand ZMARZER, 2001: 24). On the borderline of the second class concepts key terms (TK) are being developed as a result of a given logical sequence. Obviously, general principles of scientific research as well as individual derivative concepts combinatorial potential in a more or less unambiguous way define the nature of a key term, yet there always remains a place for non-standard solutions within this field. Thus the conceptual struc-ture of a given professional texts type may be defined by the following formula:
TB: TP1– TP2 (TK), e.g. mental word: deep structure — internal grammar (transformation).
A professional texts stylistic analysis should reflect fundamental characteris-tics of the discourse generating mechanism within the professional communica-tion, as a form of the knowledge transfer is determined by an adequate cognitive style as a function of a mental state of a given intellectual environ-ment. Defining the cognitive style is not possible unless universal discourse techniques, expressed in the three basic mental activity scenarios: dialogue, polilogue and monologue, are taken into consideration. Various methods of
searching for and retaining knowledge formulae adequate to the topic are used within professional discourse. In a model version all these methods can be syn-thetically expressed as three basic techniques, namely: explicit, descriptive and defining.
Explicit technique (EKS) in its “classic” form is a derivative of closed, stative terminological lexicon, as the discourse structure is entirely dependant on information ordering principles from the position of the involved recipient of a given type. In such a case logical syntax has a characteristic feature of a unique unidirectionality, which is to be understood as a sequence of trans-ferred content elements, directly following each other. This technique represents a specific type of discourse style. Its factors are: barytonic rhythm, strict suprasyntactic units arrangement, clear-cut beginning and ending signs of text parts, parallel syntactic structure, etc.
Descriptive technique (DES), on the contrary, is characteristic to open and dynamic terminological lexicons because it involves an assumption of a multi-ple change of reference points towards the concepts discussed from the view-point of messenger, which results in the phenomenon of introducing new or semantically renewed units into functional terminological paradigms. Hence logical syntax is expressed in several dimension, which is reflected in syntactic text structure. Markers of this style are the following: oxytonic rhythm, auxil-iary semiotic codes, syntagmatic class flexible organisation and syntax structure wide repertoire. While in case of explicit style there is a linear transposition of content elements, in a descriptive style it is discourse dynamics of radial con-figuration which, in a way, is predestined to searching for new knowledge for-mulae.
Defining technique (DEF) is a comfortable device used in case of diffusional terminological lexicons, which easily absorb individualised concept units. Its result is a specific discourse obligation, which makes it necessary to strictly define all or almost all elements of a given conceptual field. In a partic-ular text forming act diffusional lexicon plays a role of a system of conceptual units open to cooperation with other, not necessarily related terminological sys-tems. It is reflected in logical syntax, which is characterised by states change-ability dependant on discourse “deep semantics”. Defining style factors are the following: unique discourse rhythm arrangement, with its characteristic regular repetitiveness of prosodic elements, thus called regular discourse; hyperphrasal text units symmetry, telescopic content transposition in sentence sequence, etc.
Within this style a process of harmonisation of the chosen concepts with indi-vidual professional knowledge emerges.
It is obvious that in reality the abovementioned styles exist in various com-binations, however, in most cases one of them functions as a typological domi-nant. For instance, the formula: DES (DEF/EKS) conveys the message of being cognitive style type, which according to its typological dominant shall be
de-Professional text analysis algorithm 75
fined as descriptive style. Therefore, all the possible combinations of the quoted indexes represent three main cognitive styles indicating their functional variations.
Stylistic, syntactic, terminological and conceptual identifiers create knowl-edge ideogram of a given professional texts corpus, recreate the structure of an adequate metatext. The presented algorithm of professional texts analysis is a useful device for typological identification of a real message within the pro-fessional communication situation in order to choose effective and efficient techniques of its processing in terms of both translating and foreign language pedagogy needs. The algorithm consists of the following stages:
(1) defining the predicative unit structure;
(2) establishing terminological set;
(3) recreating the adequate conceptual network;
(4) stylistic text identification.
As a formula:
(1) NF cop VF¯ Þ (2) C ~ D (B/A) Þ (3) TB: TP1– TP2 (TK)Þ (4) DES (DEF/EKS)
Each stage of the abovementioned algorithm may suggest a rather signifi-cant scope of the issue, which may be the subject of a separate area of studies within technolinguistic studies. Taken together they constitute the basis of sci-entific analysis of professional texts.
REFERENCES
ADLER M.J. (ed.) (2003): Great Books of the Western World. Vol. 28. Chicago:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
BACONF. (2003): “Novum Organum”. In: ADLERM.J. (ed.): Great Books of the Western World. Vol. 28. Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
BRIGHT W. (ed.) (1966): Sociolinguistics. The Hague: Mouton.
DIJK T.A. van and KINTSCH W. (1983): Strategies of Discourse Comprehension. New York: Academic Press.
FONTAŃSKI H. (ed.) (1997): Zagadnienia słowotwórstwa i składni w opisie współczes-nych języków słowiańskich. Katowice: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego.
FRAZERJ.G. (2002): Złota gałąź. Warszawa: KR.
GRUCZA S. (2004): Od lingwistyki tekstu do lingwistyki tekstu specjalistycznego.
Warszawa: Katedra Języków Specjalistycznych Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego.
HYMES D.H. (1966): “Two types of Linguistic Relativity (with examples from Amerin-dian Ethnography)”. In: BRIGHT W. (ed.): Sociolinguistics. The Hague: Mouton.
JAKOBSON R. (1960): “Linguistics and poetics”. In: SEBEOK T.A. (ed.): Style in Lan-guage. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
KIELAR B. and GRUCZA S. (eds.) (2003): Lingwistyczna identyfikacja tekstów specja-listycznych. Warszawa: Katedra Języków Specjalistycznych Uniwersytetu War-szawskiego.
LEWANDOWSKI J. (ed.) (2002): Problemy technolingwistyki. Warszawa: Katedra Języków Specjalistycznych Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego.
LUKSZYN
Warszawa: Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe.
LUKSZYN
FONTAŃSKI H. (ed.): Zagadnienia słowotwórstwa i składni w opisie współczesnych języków słowiańskich. Katowice: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego.
LUKSZYN J. (2002): “Uniwersalia tekstów specjalistycznych”. In: LEWANDOWSKI J. (ed.):
Problemy technolingwistyki. Warszawa: Katedra Języków Specjalistycznych Uni-wesytetu Warszawskiego.
LUKSZYN J. (2003): “Parametry analizy tekstów specjalistycznych”. In: KIELAR B. and GRUCZAS. (eds.): Lingwistyczna identyfikacja tekstów specjalistycznych. Warszawa:
Katedra Języków Specjalistycznych Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego.
LUKSZYN J. (2005): Słownik terminologii przedmiotowej. Warszawa: Katedra Języków Specjalistycznych Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego.
LUKSZYN J. and ZMARZER W. (2001): Teoretyczne podstawy terminologii. Warszawa:
Katedra Języków Specjalistycznych Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego.
MALINOWSKIB. (2000): “Problem znaczenia w językach pierwotnych”. In: PISARKOWAK.
(ed.): Językoznawstwo Bronisława Malinowskiego. T. 2. Kraków: Universitas.
MORTIMER J.A. (ed.) (2003): Great Books of the Western World. Vol. 55. Chicago:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
PISARKOWA K. (ed.) (2000): Językoznawstwo Bronisława Malinowskiego. T. 2. Kraków:
Universitas.
SEBEOK T.A. (ed.) (1960): Style in Language. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
WITTGENSTEIN L. (2003): “Philosophical Investigation”. In: MORTIMER J.A. (ed.): Great Books of the Western World. Vol. 55. Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
WOŁODŹKO-BUTKIEWICZ A. and ZMARZER W. (eds.) (2006): Glottodydaktyka i jej kon-teksty interkulturowe. Księga pamiątkowa ofiarowana profesorowi Władysławowi Figarskiemu w siedemdziesiątą rocznicę urodzin. Warszawa: Studia Rossica.
ZMARZER W. (2003): “Typologia tekstów specjalistycznych”. In: KIELAR B. and GRU -CZA S. (eds.): Lingwistyczna identyfikacja tekstów specjalistycznych. Warszawa:
Katedra Języków Specjalistycznych Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego.
ZMARZER W. (2006): “Estetyka języków specjalistycznych”. In: WOŁODŹKO-BUTKIE
-WICZ A. and ZMARZER W. (eds.): Glottodydaktyka i jej konteksty interkulturowe.
Księga pamiątkowa ofiarowana profesorowi Władysławowi Figarskiemu w siedem-dziesiątą rocznicę urodzin. Warszawa: Studia Rossica.
.. (1996): “ ”. B:
"#$%
Professional text analysis algorithm 77