Modern linguistic research pays great attention to such an interesting issue as superphrase unity, since a large number of problems are associated with it. A single term for such a syntactic unit does not yet exist in science, it is called either "coherent text" or "complex sentences" - quite a lot of different interpretations. However, the study of this phenomenon is an urgent task of the present. It was the research of super-phrasal unity that the wonderful linguist and literary critic Vinogradov devoted much time to back in the forties of the last century.
Definition
There are many variations regarding the exact definition of a given term. However, each option reflects the main essence: it is a complex syntactic whole, that is, a separate speech unit, consisting of several sentences combined in the meaning. Sometimes, researchers simplify the task by equalizing superphrase unity and an ordinary paragraph in their rights. Where did the word "super-phrase" come from in the definition? This is due to the fact that unity does not end with one phrase, one sentence. And, here the researchers are right, very often, almost always, there is a coincidence with the borders of the paragraph.
A paragraph is almost always characterized by thematic unity, since the transition to a new written language always means indentation - from a new line. However, the concept of super-phrasal unity is somewhat broader than the usual paragraph. You can find any number of cases when you can notice the continuation of what was said, just smaller topics appear on the main topic - secondary ones. They are also important in meaning, and necessarily require isolation by highlighting graphics.
Organization
A complex syntactic whole (or superphrase phrase) in the text is built on the basis of a homogeneous statement, that is, a realized sentence filled lexically and expressing an absolutely concrete purpose. In the text, usually we are not even faced with sentences in their terminological sense, but with speech units, with statements concretizing the meaning. If two or more statements are combined structurally and thematically, a superphrase unity is obtained. Examples do not have to look far. In principle, any text is suitable.
Here it is necessary to expand the knowledge of terminology a little more. What is the topic, this source, the first paragraph of the statement? This is the part of it that is closest to the reader or listener (recipient of this statement). But there is another term - rema. Translated - the core. This is all that hidden, unknown, new that awaits the recipient of the utterance in the process of familiarization with over-phrasal unity, the forms of which are very numerous. It is organized precisely through a theme-rheumatic sequence, where, as it were, a step-by-step rema is thematized.
Borders
There are two parameters for determining the boundaries of supra-phrase unity. For example, in the volume of the general theme given in the work, and in the volume of microthemes of a much finer particular. In the transition from one microtherm to another, the same border will be detected. The means of super-phrasal unity can be used in a variety of ways, but in any case it remains monothematic, only when combining one unity with another can we observe transitions - including from microthematics to macrothemes.
In 1998, a wonderful book was published by Zolotova, Onipenko and Sidorova, dedicated to these issues of defining the boundaries of a complex syntactic whole. This is the "Communicative grammar of the Russian language." Previously, these studies got their start in Essays on Functional Syntax and some other works by G. A. Zolotova. In addition, in 1996 Gasparov’s book Language. Memory. Image was published, where the concept of super-phrasal unity is also widely considered.
About text category
As a text, it is customary to consider almost any logically meaningful and correct sequence of words from the point of view of grammar - from one sentence or more. Gasparov contrasts the text with language. He tries to show the principles of internal organization as opposed, and in this he is not everywhere consistent. From a linguistic perspective, it is probably impossible to comprehend all the problems of the text.
It is all the more difficult to imagine an example of super-phrasal unity, since the theory of Russian text formation is not sufficiently developed. It is necessary to develop an idea of at least a unit of text formation and identify the composition of such units in the system of their relationships. For each unit, the most detailed characteristic should be given. In their studies, linguists constantly rely on similarities with traditional linguistic descriptions, but it is necessary to identify the distinctive features of individual units of text formation in their superphrase unity. In English, this is much easier to do, and there are quite a lot of work in this direction.
Of the three main types of syntactic connections - subordinate, composing and preactive - you can easily select any examples by opening the book of any English classic. For example, Dickens. His subordination (subordinate connection) is used especially often, and you can establish a relationship by checking (replacing the entire subordinate group). If the core as a whole is preserved, you can see a change in semantic content, or the whole structure changes with a violation of semantic invariance.
Semantic network
Semantics in the linguistic structure distinguishes between the lexical and grammatical meanings of linguistic units. Which are interconnected in everything. They unite at the upper level, forming a semantic network, the cells of which correspond to their lexical meanings, and the connections between them reflect the semantic component. Grammatical meanings determine the nature of all these relationships.
When analyzing a linguistic message representing coherent text, it is implemented in the display dynamics, and at the same time, both components of the values of each language unit clarify and highlight the corresponding elements of this message. Thus, one or another connection becomes apparent that forms super-phrasal unity.
A holistic structure consists of numerous external signals that serve as the connecting links between sentences. The writer finds these signals using a variety of means that ensure ultra-phrasal unity. These are pronouns and adverbs, this is the form of the article (in English), this is the use of different tenses (many writers know that you can “mix” tenses, this adds vividness to the text), these are anaphoric and cataphoric connections between sentences that provide the function of text formation.
Analogue of thought
Since the unity of the structure is difficult to build, stretching from one sentence to another, it acquires semantic integrity only in the context formed by coherent speech, and acts as part of a completely completed communication. They study superphrase unity in four forms: as a semantic construction, in terms of pragmatics, then syntactics and, finally, the functioning of this message. In this sense, the structure of such unity is quite logical to consider an analogue of thought.
The syntax considers the division of the text in its structural aspect according to the concept of a complex syntactic whole (SSC). In theory, this concept is quite different from the concept of a paragraph, which Rosenthal wrote about at one time, defining SSC as a combination of closely interconnected sentences with a more complete development of thought.
Paragraph and SSC
There is a difference between these concepts, which many researchers do not note in their works. For example, prominent scientists Losev, Halperin and many others assert that when analyzing the sentence structure and paragraph functions, these concepts are mixed. And indeed, in neutral from the point of view of stylistics texts, the boundaries of the SSC and the paragraph may well coincide.
But in literary texts this order is most often violated. Here, absolutely any development is possible: it may not fit in one paragraph of the SSC completely, and several SSCs can coexist in the same paragraph. The writer usually pursues his stylistic goals: the first case is the expression of emphasis, the second is the combination of events into a single picture. That is why multilevel units - a paragraph and a complex syntactic whole - must be studied separately, it is impossible to fit them into one definition.
How recognition occurs
The recognized word - the first agent - is stored in memory by the moment of recognition of the next word - the second agent. And as soon as the two agents are integrated, a leap occurs in the quality of understanding the text, since it is already possible to include analyzers - syntactic, morphological, and prosodic. Analyzers decide the most important thing - which element is more important, since both cannot be equivalent. One of them is a figure, and the other will serve as a backdrop.
The semantic analyzer will select the upper category - generalizing, and will do it correctly if the whole image is opposed to something. A less important element is the theme, that is, the background. The thing in question. But the most important element - rema (that is, the figure) - what it says. It is rhema that indicates categorical relations. Together they center the focus of attention with the integration of all the details. Two words, of course, is not enough to choose a generalizing category, it is difficult to form a holistic image. The process continues with the addition of other recognized words until a generalization is made.
Enlargement
The smallest unit that forms a holistic image, that is - meaning, is called syntagma. Then you can consider the text in an enlarged manner: if a series of syntagmas is integrated into a separate sentence, and a series of sentences into a superphrase unity, a number of such unities into a subtext, then a series of subtexts will make up the whole text.
From this we can conclude that a complex syntactic whole is the syntax itself. While a paragraph is a completely different category, it is a unit of textual linguistics. And super-phrasal unity is a linguistic phenomenon that science, for all the duration (about a hundred years) of its study, has not yet been sorted into all theoretical shelves.
What is the paragraph for?
First of all, a paragraph helps with reading, since there is certainly a special long dividing pause between paragraphs. It seems to summarize the entire content of the paragraph and smoothly transfers the reader or listener to the next.
These stylistic text functions are very important: this is how the emphasis is placed, how the composition is manifested, the principle of selecting test units and layout of the material becomes more clear, the degree of generalization or, conversely, the fragmentation of the image, the degree of completeness is shown.
Why superphrase unity is needed
SFU is a concept of a higher order. These are several sentences that are connected by adverbs or conjunctions, lexical or pronoun repetitions, which are united in time, the article changes from definite to indefinite or not. The main thing is not the means that are used, but the result obtained - the commonality of the topic. This concept is in the competence of literary criticism, and in the competence of syntax.
All elements work on a connecting unity, they repeat something or replace, point to something or generalize. All factors are taken into account in the same way as if we sequentially "dissected" the proposal. A connection always exists, whether the writer uses grammatical or syntactic special means, or applies the usual adjacency in meaning.