A Comparative Study Of Macro Information Structure Of Chinese Interdiscourse

Macro information structure of discourse is a functional relationship network which is constructed by different kinds of high level information units with corresponding functions. It is the key factor to form macro structure of discourse. Taking argumentative discourse as the study onject, and classifying different countries, levels and items, this dissertation compares and contrasts the similarities and differences how South Korean students and Japanese students construct and accquire macro information structure and its surface realization form both statically and dynamically. It also discusses both internal and external factors which result in the similarities and differences of different groups to construct and accquire macro information structure and its surface realization form. It.explores the value of comparative study of macro information structure of discourse both theorically and empirically.This dissertation contains seven chapters.Chapter One is introduction. Besides explaining the reason to choose this topic, this chapter introduces the study object, aim, method and procedure of this research elaborately.Chapter Two, Chapter Three and Chapter Four, these three chapters compare and contrast the similarities and differences of the components of macro information structure and its surface realization form between IKL group and IJL group, IKM group and IJM group, IKH group and IJM group respectively, from a static point of view.Chapter Five compares and contrasts the similarities and differences of the all kinds of components of macro information structure, the development characteristics of surface realization form, as well as the models of acquisition, and so on and so forth, between South Korean students and Japanese students, from a dynamic point of view.Chapter Six compares and constrasts the constructing principle and constraining factor of how South Korean students and Japanese students of different levels organize macro information structure respectively after having a general idea of the similarities and differences of all kinds of different components of macro information structure, the surface realization form, as well as the procedures of acquisition of these two groups.Chapter Seven is conclusion. This chapter provides a summary of the major arguments of the dissertation and expounds the theorical and empirical value of this research.The conclusions of this dissertation are mainly as follows,First one is about the similarities and differences of the way of construction and acquisition of macro information structure between South Korean students and Japanese students.Similarities:(1) From a static point view, there is no salient difference for constructing ability; main constructing principle is the same; core types and tokens show no difference.(2) From a dynamic point of view, the development trends and characteristics of homogeneous factors are identical; the development ways and tendencies of some types and tokens are inclined to be the same.Differences:(1) From a static point view, the preferred information model is different; the way of introducing key information is not the same; the allocation of argumentative information of sub-topic is conspiciously different.(2) From a dynamic point of view, the acquisition speed and fossilation degree of homogeneous factors is different; the development direction of dominant arrangement type of P, E module is not identical; the selection trend and development direction of information model is different.Second one is about the similarities and differences of constructing and acquiring surface realization form.Similarities:(1) From a static point view, the realization form of module is the same, and the preferred alignment of different realization forms is identical; the prior realization form of homogeneous module is almost the same; the way to divide and connect the modules is mainly identical, and some preferred alignments of homogeneous ways are the same; the stylization of division and connection markers is apparent.(2) From a dynamic point of view, the development tendency and characteristics of realization form of some information modules are the same; the general development tendency and characteristics of dividing and connecting methods are the same; the stylization characteristics of dividing and connecting methods fade successively.Differences:(1) From a static point of view, the preferred realization forms of a small number of information modules are not identical.(2) From a dynamic point of view, the development trends of some realization forms are in an opposite direction; the development speed and fossilation degree of the ability to divide and connect the surface structure is with difference; the development trends of some dividing and connecting methods are in an opposite way; the development direction of preferred alignment of different kinds of dividing methods is not identical; the development direction of preferred sub-type of division words and connection words is with difference.Third one is about the constraining factors which result in the similarities and differences of macro information structure and its surface realization form. There are two factors to constrain macro information structure:one is from internal discourse, which includes genre, intrinsic properties of macro information structure, interrelationship between different kinds of factors of macro information structure, as well as micro information structure; the other is from extra discourse, which contains discourse producers’general discourse constructing ability, as well as learners’way of thinking, cognitive ability and information processing ability. There are also two factors to constrain surface realization form:one is the characteristics of basic components of macro information structure; the other is learners’language competence and creativity.Fourth one is about theoretical and empirical value. The theoretical value mainly reflects on:through this research, we preliminarily realize that overseas students’ macro information structure constructing and accquiring process is both constant and unstable. It is a systematic and progressive process based on quantitative change, and type change as complement. And the empirical value mainly reflects on:this study has shed new lights on multitude aspects of teaching and learning macro information structure of discourse.