Anaphoric Encapsulation

Abstract

Abstract. Anaphoric encapsulation is a cohesive device by which a noun phrase functions as a resumptive paraphrase for a preceding portion of a text. The anaphoric noun phrase is constructed with a general noun as the lexical head and a clear preference for a demonstrative determiner. By anaphoric encapsulation, a new discourse referent is created on the basis of old information; it becomes the argument of further predications. As a semantic integration device, encapsulating noun phrases label preceding text-portions; they appear at nodal points in the text. When the head of the anaphoric noun phrase is an axionym, anaphoric encapsulation may be a strong means of manipulating the reader. Finally, anaphoric encapsulation may also result in the categorization and hypostasis of speech acts and argumentative functions in discourse.