Week 9: Coherence in the Interpretation of Discourse

Coherence as a grammatical term contrasts with cohesion, both being necessary components of effectively organised and meaningful discourse. Coherence is the term used to describe the way a text establishes links in meaning within and between sentences. Essentially coherence is concerned with the content of a text, the meaning it is attempting to convey. When texts are not coherent, they do not make sense or they make it difficult for the reader to follow and understand. Coherence often relies heavily on reader knowledge and sometimes the coherence is weak because too much knowledge is assumed.

 In a wide sense, coherence is the semantic structure which helps to unite several sentences into a holistic text. In a narrow sense, coherence is the connection brought about by reader’s/listener’s knowledge that helps him/her to understand any given discourse (e.g. through the knowledge of the context in which the discourse is unfolding). Coherence has to do with mental processes and cultural knowledge rather than any explicit discourse markers such as deictic words or linking words.

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