What is hortatory discourse?

Definition
	Hortatory discourse is a discourse that is an attempt to persuade the addressee to fulfill commands that are given in the discourse.

Discussion
	A hortatory discourse typically consists of
	one or more commands that are logically related to each other, and expressions offering motivation in support of the respective commands.

Features
	Commands are supported by reasons. Second person pronoun forms are used. Texts are oriented toward an agent. Tests are not organized chronologically.

Examples
	Guidelines for newlyweds A political speech Warnings to children A sermon

Generic
	A hortatory discourse is a kind of
	What is a discourse?

Sources
	Longacre 1990 2
	Longacre 1983 3, 5, 10, 39
	Larson 1984 366, 376

Context for this page:

Concept module: hortatory discourse
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): H
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

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