Understanding Argumentative Texts: Structure & Features
Understanding Argumentative Texts
An argument is a text that intends to convince the recipient of a particular idea through reasoning. Unlike expository texts, argumentative texts aim to present the author’s own ideas to persuade the interlocutor.
Types of Argumentative Texts
We can distinguish different types of argumentative texts based on various criteria:
- According to the transmission channel: We differentiate between oral and written argumentative texts. Oral texts are found in presentations, speeches, talks, debates, round tables, etc. Written texts appear in mass media (opinion pieces in newspapers and magazines, editorials, letters to the director, blogs, reviews of cultural or artistic products) and essays on literature.
- According to the subject matter: We distinguish commercial, sociological, ideological, cultural, political, philosophical, religious texts, etc.
- Based on intent: We differentiate between texts that aim to persuade through reasoning and persuasive texts that appeal primarily to the emotions of the recipients.
Argumentative Structure
The three most common structures in argumentative texts are:
- Induction: Arguments are presented in an orderly fashion, i.e., the facts, reasons, and supporting evidence lead to a conclusion. It can also include counterarguments (arguments and ideas contrary to the author’s own) to refute them and reinforce the idea the author wishes to defend.
- Deduction: This type of organization starts with a general thesis (the idea to be demonstrated) and supports it with successive and systematic arguments. Counterarguments and their refutations can also be incorporated.
- Balanced: This type of argument presents the advantages and disadvantages of various options. Generally, the intention is to reach a conclusion favorable to one of the possibilities, but always in a balanced way. In some cases, the conclusion may be balanced and not favor any of the options presented.
Argumentative texts can combine these structures, for example, integrating the balanced approach into either of the other two. Other ways of organizing the text exist, such as combining an initial expository part with a subsequent argumentative section.
Linguistic Features of Argumentative Texts
To convince the audience, argumentative texts must present arguments and counterarguments (or pros and cons), and especially the conclusion, with the maximum possible clarity and authority. Grammatical features that favor these conditions include:
- Prevalence of declarative sentences, affirmative or negative, that serve to present thoughts and ideas. Interrogative sentences may also appear, useful for attracting the receiver’s interest, involving them in the reasoning, presenting alternatives, etc.
- Use of connectors that express logical relationships between sentences. These may indicate cause (as, because, due to), result (therefore, thus, so, in conclusion), opposition (but, however, nevertheless, though), etc.
- Presentation of examples and comparisons that, beyond objective data, illustrate the ideas being defended in a more vivid and credible way for the recipients.
- Use of quotations, i.e., fragments of texts from other authors, to support the ideas. In general, citations lend authority to what is expressed because a more important figure has previously advocated the same idea.
Additional Linguistic Notes (Not Directly Related to Argumentation)
The following are brief explanations of some linguistic terms:
- Relative Pronouns (who/what/that): These introduce subordinate clauses.
- Conjunctions: These connect words, phrases, or clauses.
- Exclamatory Value: Words or phrases expressing strong emotion.
- Interrogative Sentences: Questions.
- Borrowings: Words taken from another language and integrated into our own (e.g., “IQ”).
- Castilianisms: Words borrowed from Spanish (e.g., *burro, estrega, alabanza, portero, pandereta, batacazo*).
- Gallicisms: Words borrowed from French (e.g., *villa, hotel, nicotina, colchón, mascota, garaje, pack, menú, beige*).
- Italianisms: Words borrowed from Italian (e.g., *casino, piloto, fragata, arsenal, rifle*).
- Anglicisms: Words borrowed from English (e.g., *champú, tráiler, club, flash, ticket, film*).
- Neologisms: New words, often from another language, recently adapted to our linguistic system (e.g., *grafito, piercing*).
- Interjections: Exclamatory words expressing feelings or emphasizing communication (e.g., *¡Ah!, ¡Oh!, ¡Vaya!*).
- Onomatopoeia: Words that attempt to imitate a sound (e.g., *miau, guau, tic-tac*).