Discursive system of Periodicity in an argumentative text

Abstract

The discursive system of Periodicity, proposed by Martin (1992) and by Martin and Rose (2007) towards the analysis of discourse flow is based upon systemic functional linguistics (Halliday, 1967, 1985; Halliday; Matthiessen 2004, 2014). More precisely upon Hallidayan concepts of Theme and New information (New), in addition to concepts of thematic progression and hyperTheme (Daneš 1974) as well as texts’ methods of development and point (Fries 1981; 1995). In this study we analyze how information flows in an argumentative text to verify the relationship between different levels Themes (hyperTheme and macroThemes) and the method of development as well as their relationship with text genre and the expression of a point of view. We also looked at the relationship between New clauses and macroTheme, which focuses on the expansion of ideational meaning around the field of the text and coincides with the Reiteration of the thesis stage. Results show a simple method of development marked by a Periodicity hierarchy in which smaller discourse units are structured within greater units.