Scribd
Upload
125 views9 pages

Types of Discourse: Narration, Description, Exposition, Persuasion (Including Argument), Poetic Discourse

This document defines and provides examples of five types of discourse: narration, description, exposition, persuasion, and poetic discourse. It notes that narration involves depicting events over time through stories, description uses sensory details to represent the physical world, and exposition aims to explain, clarify or inform. Persuasion focuses on influencing readers through evidence, while poetic discourse uses heightened language and metaphor. Discourses are often combined in writing.

Uploaded by

Ikshan Idrus Jauhar Usman
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
125 views9 pages

Types of Discourse: Narration, Description, Exposition, Persuasion (Including Argument), Poetic Discourse

This document defines and provides examples of five types of discourse: narration, description, exposition, persuasion, and poetic discourse. It notes that narration involves depicting events over time through stories, description uses sensory details to represent the physical world, and exposition aims to explain, clarify or inform. Persuasion focuses on influencing readers through evidence, while poetic discourse uses heightened language and metaphor. Discourses are often combined in writing.

Uploaded by

Ikshan Idrus Jauhar Usman
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 9

Types of Discourse

Narration, Description,
Exposition, Persuasion
(including Argument),
Poetic Discourse
Narration

 Verbal depiction of events taking place in


time.
 “Storytelling”
 E.g., history, police report, traditional
novel.
 Narration can be fictional or nonfictional
Description

 Writing that uses sensory inputs to help


represent the physical world.
 As in narration, description can be
fictional or nonfictional.
Exposition

 Writing to explain, clarify or inform.


 This group constitutes the majority of
writing people encounter.
 Exposition depends on clear presentation
and the verifiability of data.
 E.g., laboratory report, book summary,
stock report, encyclopedia, instructions
Persuasion
 Writing that aims to convince the audience of
something.
 It focuses on influencing the reader through
evidence (and thus usually incorporates
expository writing).
 Persuasion may use reason or emotion as tools.
 E.g., debate, election pamphlet, movie review,
grant proposal, advertisement
Persuasion: Argumentation
 Argumentation is a subset of persuasion.
 Argumentation uses reason (rationality) to convince
its audience. Argumentation does not use emotion.
 Acting on Words uses the phrase “distinterested
consideration” (p. 367)
 E.g., Logical and mathematical proofs, philosophical
debate, scholarly research, analytical decision-
making
Poetic Discourse

 Writing that uses heightened, compressed


language dependent on metaphor to
communicate ideas and emotions.
 Poetic discourse is most noteworthy for its
use of language (language that “pushes the
envelope” or goes beyond everyday usage)
 Both prose and verse can use poetic
discourse.
Combining Discourses

 Writing often combines discourses.


 E.g., An analysis of a historical event will
use both narration and exposition.
 E.g., A review of a painting will have to
use description (what the painting looks
like) as well as exposition (informing)
Combining Discourses

 One could argue that as soon as a writer


addresses an audience, the writer is trying
to persuade the audience of something….
 We will be talking about these discourses
again.

You might also like