Olness Gloria Streit
University of Texas at Dallas, TX, USA.
Aphasiology. 2006;20(2-4):175-187. doi: 10.1080/02687030500472710. Epub 2007 Feb 24.
Discourse coherence is derived, in part, from the relationship between and among words and sentences. In studies of aphasia, the relationship between discourse-level and sentence-level phenomena may be examined through the verb. In clinical picture elicitations of discourse, the nature of the pictures or the accompanying elicitation instructions may influence the discourse genre of the response (descriptive vs narrative), which in turn may place different linguistic demands (e.g., verb production demands) on the speaker with aphasia.
This study explores aphasic speakers' partial construction of discourse coherence through relationships between and among action, background, and setting information carried largely by the verb, in picture-elicited discourse productions of two different genres: descriptive and narrative.
METHODS & PROCEDURES: Twelve individuals with aphasia of mild to moderate severity were presented with five pictures: two composite and three complex. Verbal discourse responses were elicited with common clinical instructions. For the three complex pictures, discourse was also elicited with instructions that explicitly requested temporal sequencing. Discourse genre (descriptive vs narrative) of each response was determined. Verbs within each response were categorised on dimensions of form (tense) and function (degree of association with storyline).
OUTCOMES & RESULTS: For common clinical elicitations, discourse genre was descriptive, verb tense was present and/or non-finite, and verbs filled background and setting functions, regardless of picture type. For elicitations that requested temporal sequencing, participants produced more narrative discourse genre, and more past tense and storyline function on verbs. Exceptions to the group patterns are discussed and exemplified.
The patterns of group results and the exceptions to these patterns provide insights into the relationship between the discourse and sentence levels, and the ability of individuals with aphasia to negotiate this relationship in their discourse productions. Findings also hold methodological implications for sampling discourse production among individuals with aphasia.
语篇连贯部分源于单词与句子之间的关系。在失语症研究中，语篇层面与句子层面现象之间的关系可通过动词来考察。在语篇的临床图片诱发任务中，图片的性质或附带的诱发指令可能会影响反应的语篇体裁（描述性与叙述性），这反过来可能会对失语症患者提出不同的语言要求（例如动词产出要求）。
本研究通过在两种不同体裁（描述性和叙述性）的图片诱发语篇产出中，由动词承载的动作、背景和场景信息之间的关系，探索失语症患者语篇连贯的部分构建情况。
向12名轻度至中度失语症患者展示五张图片：两张合成图片和三张复杂图片。用常见的临床指令诱发言语语篇反应。对于三张复杂图片，还通过明确要求时间顺序的指令诱发语篇。确定每个反应的语篇体裁（描述性与叙述性）。对每个反应中的动词按照形式（时态）和功能（与故事情节的关联程度）维度进行分类。
对于常见的临床诱发任务，无论图片类型如何，语篇体裁都是描述性的，动词时态为现在时和/或非限定性，动词发挥背景和场景功能。对于要求时间顺序的诱发任务，参与者产生了更多的叙述性语篇体裁，并且动词的过去时态和故事情节功能更多。讨论并举例说明了群体模式的例外情况。
群体结果模式及其例外情况为语篇和句子层面之间的关系，以及失语症患者在语篇产出中协调这种关系的能力提供了见解。研究结果对失语症患者语篇产出抽样的方法也具有启示意义。
