On analogical knowledge : metaphors in biotechnology discourse

During a period dominated by positivist thinking, metaphors seemed incompatible with science, at least for the most common manifestations of scientific discourse. However, this apparent transgression is now considered essential and even advantageous for the construction of knowledge. The terminology of specialised knowledge, like that from the field of biotechnology, undoubtedly contains metaphors. In the discourse related to scientific dissemination and the mass media, the use of metaphors is more original which makes them more attractive as strategies to increase the intelligibility of concepts and to stimulate layperson audiences. Thus, anthropomorphic projections are one of the types of…

Word of science : the rhetoric of scientific communication

Traductologia i discurs

The essay as a discursive genre: a border area

Resum: El gènere assagístic es configura amb Michel de Montaigne, com a forma de deliberació interior de l’autor, i posteriorment ha estat cultivat per importants autors de la literatura occidental. La seua definició no és fàcil d’establir. D’una banda, sovint s’ha situat a la frontera del discurs literari, al qual s’introdueix de ple dret quan el seu estil exhibeix una textura estilística molt elaborada i no es redueix a una escriptura expositiva pròpia del discurs acadèmic. Les zones de transició amb la literatura del jo i amb el periodisme són, sens dubte, dignes d’atenció. D’altra banda, en el camp de la literatura, és molt instructiu examinar les seues relacions amb altres gèneres i pr…

Fraseologia de l'encara i processos de gramaticalizació

The main aim of this paper is the study of the processes of grammaticalization involved in the evolution of Catalan concessive encara que from the root (time/aspect) meaning of encara. In the framework provided by the studies of grammaticalization (Traugott, Hopper, etc.), we consider mechanisms of emerging metaphor, strengthening of informativeness, scalar operators, increasing subjectification, and grammaticizacion of discourse strategies, on the basis of the contraexpectative implications of encara. Other usages of encara and some idioms including this word are also considered in the scope of this kind of processes.

L'estil nominalitzat

This paper deals with the subject of nominal(ized) style in contrast with clausal style. Expressing processes and qualities as entities involves a certain kind of metaphor –a grammatical metaphor, in the sense systemic functional linguistic conceives it. Furthermore this device is useful to improve the development of the thematic progression of a text. Nominalized style is characteristic of scientific academic discourse, but it widely spreads along other types of discourse, implying sometimes an effect of abstraction and opacity unsuitable for other discursive purposes and specially for literary genres.