Topics include

• differences between instruction and persuasion
• connectives
• variations in the order of constituents and propositions
• prominence-giving, backgrounding and highlighting devices
• relative potency of different forms of exhortation
• boundary features

The course is designed particularly for those who expect to be involved in the translation of non-narrative texts from one language to another, whether as a mother tongue speaker, other tongue speaker or expatriate translator, consultant or advisor. It will also help anyone engaged in the study of non-narrative texts in any language in the world.

Recommended prerequisites are the completion of a Narrative Discourse Analysis* course, with associated field experience or its equivalent. Students will need a selection of non-narrative texts in the language they are studying.

*Self-Instruction Materials on Narrative Discourse Analysis is a companion volume to Self-Instruction Materials on Non-Narrative Discourse Analysis, published by SIL International(R) 2023.