PRAGMA-DIALECTICS ON THE BASIS OF STATE EXAMINATION COMPOSITIONS

Abstract

The present research is based on a study analysing the argumentative skills of Estonian gymnasium students in state examination compositions. The aim of the study is to establish the choices made by students while writing their state exam composition as an argumentative text type. The research considers the implementation of the stages of critical discussion of the pragma-dialectical theory by F. van Eemeren and R. Grootendorst on the basis of one state examination composition (2006, code 356047). In establishing the structure of argumentation in compositions, the macrostructures by T.A. van Dijk were employed as these allow highlighting the macro speech acts expressing more complex speech acts. The stages of critical discussion of the pragma-dialectical argumentation theory could be associated with the argumentation practice used in Estonia. The implementation of the pragma-dialectical theory enhances the comprehension process of argumentative texts from the pragmatical and dialectical point of view. Key words: argumentation, dialogue, Estonian language, pragmatics, stages of critical discussion.