Analyzing the Macro and Microstructures of Editorial Texts

Second, conjunctions like while, after, however, etc are also noted in the editorials.

Examples are:

#3 Advances, however, in the field of agricultural research must have corresponding advances in other fields.

#5 Relations in the political, socio-cultural, and …after the Socialist Republic instituted…

#7 Some of the 49 ARCs are located in former enclaves of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, while others are scattered in the provinces…

Third, hedges like as a result, for the current year, alone, coincidentally, etc are also found in the text.

#4 Coincidentally, the visit of President Arroyo comes in…..

#5 As a result of Doi Moi, now in this second decade of implementation……

The Importance of Microstructural Features

The microstructural features of the texts signal or provides a clue to their macrostructures. Please see Editorial #2 as an example.

In this particular editorial text, the writer uses a time element like after to inform the readers of the previous occasion which is related to the headline. Since the editorial is about President Arroyo’s state visit to Indonesia, the writer would like to connect the relationship of the said visit and that is found in the first paragraph.

After that, he uses another microstructural feature: the transition device. He starts the 2^nd paragraph in saying: “As a return gesture, President…” This connects the 1^st and the 2^nd paragraph.

The third paragraph does not use a conjunction or a transitional device. But, it gives signal to the readers that it should be the next paragraph because of coherence. The 2^nd paragraph tells about the economic, socio-cultural, political and security concerns. And so, it is intensified in the 3^rd paragraph.

The last two paragraphs contain the comments or the ideas of the writer on the said issue/event. But it is in the last paragraph where he expresses his wishes for a successful visit.

Now, what specific example can a microstructure signal or provide a clue for a macrostructure? Since one of the macro structures being observed in the editorial text is the comment, the writer wishes for a successful visit of Pres. Arroyo in Indonesia. The word wish is an example of expressive.

Once you express your ideas or emotions, you are giving your comments to an issue or event. So, this may signal a macrostructure of an editorial text, which is the comment.

Conclusion

It appears from the analysis that the editorial texts contain conjunctions and/or transitional devices, hedges, co-reference, and time element as micro structures while the macrostructures are the issue/event, the claim and the comment.

However, the said analysis or observation is not conclusive due to its limitation. Thus, it is recommended to analyze more issues or copies of editorial texts from different newspapers across the country or from other countries and have a comparative study using discourse analysis.

References:

1. Engebretsen, Martin. Hypernews and Coherence. Retrieved September 17, 2014, from http://www.nordicom.gu.se/sites/default/files/kapitel-pdf/45_engebretsen.pdf
2. Toews, Brian G. A Discourse Analysis of Psalm 29. Retrieved September 17, 2014 from https://www.academia.edu/2372340/A_Discourse_Analysis_of_Psalm_29
3. Van Dijk, Teun A. Strategies of Discourse Comprehension. Retrieved September 17, 2014 from http://www.discourses.org/OldBooks/Teun%20A%20van%20Dijk%20%26%20Walter%20Kintsch%20-%20Strategies%20of%20Discourse%20Comprehension.pdf

© 2014 September 19 M. G. Alvior