Conjunctive Relations in Egyptian Arabic Spoken Public Discourse: A Functional Approach

Abstract

This paper aims at analyzing selected extracts of Egyptian Arabic public discourse showing the overlapping contributions of the two levels (low and high) in analyzing and understanding the text. It is obvious that work of this kind is basically a work of interpretation since the analysis of the text in terms of its grammar is already a work of interpretation. The present study brings into focus the nature and dynamics of Arabic language in public discourse. This study focuses on categories of participation and intentionality in Arabic public discourse. The goal of the present research is to recover Arabic functional categories form the text and context of discourse and reintegrate them into networks that represent the way Arabic language really works. The present research concluded that any text consists minimally of discourse participants and their intentionality or goals. The text articulates a message which, form a functional standpoint, consists of information that is "given" and information that is "new". The present research attests to the continuity of functional categories and calls for their integration in a model of discourse.