The Functions of Teaching Analytical Reading of Authentic

Fictional/Literary Texts

Nune Bekaryan

Yerevan State University

Nune Grigorian

RUDN University, Moscow

Abstract

In the professional English course (in the English language course as a major), analytical

reading of authentic fiction texts carries out the functions of developing aesthetic taste, critical

thinking, self-esteem of students. According to the models of studying a literary text, the

informational, interpretative-analytical, self-developing functions of analytical reading are

distinguished. The main function of analytical reading is the formation of students' analytical

competence. An analytically competent student is able to study behavior, the mentality of native

speakers, their identity and characteristic features. At the meta-cognitive level, the functions of

studying and assimilating theories and concepts of analytical reading are brought to the forefront.

Key words: fictional text, analytical competence, stylistic, discursive, pragmatic, cognitive,

communicative

Introduction
Analytical reading of literary works is a multifarious and multifunctional activity, and the

number of its functions, along with the development of reading strategies and technologies, has

greatly increased. Apparently, this fact is conditioned with the rapid development of linguistic

didactics, applied linguistics, the translation theory and other academic disciplines. Yet, it’s worth
mentioning that analytical reading of any litenrary/fictional authentic text, within the frames of the

English Language Professional Course, carries out two important functions, i.e. the formation of

professional and communicative competences.

Like in any other English courses, taught in Humanitarian Departments, analytical reading of

literary authentic texts is aimed at enriching students' vocabulary, grammar and cultural knowledge.

At the professional level it performs diverse functions, such as philological, linguistic and stylistic in

particular. And in this connection we should like to emphasize the function of developing discourse

and pragmatic analytical skills. Analytical reading in the English language course is aimed at the

formation and development of various competences; such as reading, motivating, communicative,

intercultural, communicative and others. Only just comprehension of a foreign language source or

finding the necessary information can not be the objective of any content reading. As for linguistic

or translation analysis, it is a more analytical reading tool than an objective.

Developing Analytical Competence

In the process of teaching analytical reading of original fictional texts, the priority is given to

linguistic analysis, which develops students’ general linguistic knowledge. Moreover, when

applying different teaching-learning strategies, the functions implemented during the teaching

process of analytical reading, acquire new content/contextual characteristics and profiles.

(Кубрякова 2006: 29): For example, if the meta-cognitive strategy is used, it shapes not only the

linguistic phenomena but also the "skills and abilities to evaluate them" (Кубрякова 2006: 29).

Culturological analysis is aimed at collecting linguistic information, as well as information on

global culture, and, consequently, it is to deepen and enrich student’s basic and background

knowledge.   Moreover, it reveals the student’s capacity to capture and digest not only implicit but

explicit information as well. On the one hand, in the process of the analytical work, the student has

the unique chance to use both his/her theoretical and background knowledge, takes into account the

information obtained from the original text. On the other hand, he enriches and deepens and enlarges

his knowledge and horizons during the analytical reading and respectively in the result of it.
 Thus, here we deal with analytical competence, which includes linguistic, literary peculiarities

of the literary text, as well as various, diverse information that are provided by appropriate linguistic

and lexical expessive means. Analytical competence includes certain capabilities and skills that

represent analytical activities. These activities are performed in different ways of analysis -

linguistic, literary, cultural,etc. S. A. Miroshnichenko and his co-authors introduce the list the

activities which are considered the part and parcel of analytical competence:

a. the identification of the main and secondary heroes, their evolution;

b. the distribution of lexical units according to semantic fields;

c. the formation of concepts based on the key words.

Needless to say, that the above-mentioned factors are aimed at uncovering conceptual information.

According to the same authors, the analytical reading of fiction has a peculiar genealogical function.

Through the appropriate analysis, the student gets a unique opportunity to reveal when and how the

key word or phrases of the original text have arisen and how often and when they have been used in

the text.

The student solves other problems at the phraseological/idiomatic level of the analysis. He

defines the type of phraseological units/idioms, the purpose of its application and so on. Here we

can note another significant function of analytical reading: i.e. to master and reinforc the new

vocabulary. The student distinguishes the neologisms, occasional/touch words, reveals the

deviations from the accepted rules of the particular word usage.

Conducting an analysis on the stylistic or registry level has proved to be quite a difficult task.

With the help of stylistic and genre analysis the student can disclose the author's attitude towards

the events described in the original text, to formulate a clear attitude towards the main and

secondary heroes, to model their lifestyle, mentality, life position, to distinguish global cultural,

historical-cultural realities and truths. "Presenting the value system of the author of the fiction piece"

is an intriguing and at the same time motivating activity in terms of methodology. (Мирошниченко,

Лесохина, Лабазина 2015: 127-151)

It can be stated that analytical competence becomes complete in case it is combined and

incorporated with interpreting competence. The latter includes interdisciplinary and fundamental
knowledge, as well as cultural realities and stylistic and lingo-poetic expressive means, depicting

those realities. According to the same authors, "interpreting competence includes the following

abilities: to interpret the conceptual (semantic, contextual) information, cultural realities (and their

role in the work), to evaluate the the content and meaning of the original, to formulate their own

unique attitude towards the personages and actions taking place in the fiction piece; to assesss the

aesthetic and moral value of the work under discussion independently, to define the place and the

role of the proposed authentic text in the context of world literature » (Мирошниченко, Лесохина,

Лабазина 2015: 127-151). Nevertheless, the function of developing the student’s aesthetic taste

acquires far more importance. Moreover, in reality due to this function, the student's critical thinking

is cultivated at the cognitive level. (Meloni 1994: 10)

Approaches and Models Contributing the Functions of Analytical Reading

S. A. Berardo specifies the interest stimulating function of reading. Hereby we would like to

state that especially analytical reading arises the desire and afterwards the capacity to study and

explore various phenomena of art and life in general through reading (Berardo 2006: 60-67).

(Berardo 2006: 60-67)

In addition to the above-mentioned aspects, the student’s self-assessment evolving function is

of fundamental importance in the reading process. (Цвирко 2016: 223-225):

Here we would like to refer to L. Clanfield’s three models of literary text study, according to

which the following functions of analytical reading of literary authentic texts can be distinguished:

a. informational,

b. interpretive-analytical,

c. self-developing.

The informational function is considered within the frames of the cultural model. The

interpretive-analytical function is justified in the context of the linguistic model,   due to which a

great emphasis is placed on the lexical-grammatical and/or stylistic analysis of the text. Whereas,

the self-developing function is realized within the frames of the personal growth model. According
to this model the students get a chance to express their thoughts, their attitude towards texts they

have read and dealt with. (Clanfield 2015)

The cognitive approach introduces the functions of analytical reading of literary authentic text

in a new light. The core unit of analysis becomes the mentality or the way of thinking. So, as we can

see, different analytical strategies have been established. And the basis of those strategies is the

mentality in general and the mentality of the native speakers in particular. Among those strategies

are worth-mentioning the modeling of the individual-authoritative, conceptual system (Бутакова

2001) and the realization of the original concept of individual-authoritative concepts and notions

(Podolskaya 2004). Thus, the native speakers’ verbal/speech behavior, as well as studying their

mentality via the verbal behavior through analytical reading becomes a fundamental function.

  In the initial phase the student should digest the concepts developed within the cognitive

approach. He should be able to appoint the lexical level of the text and analyze the proposed

fictional concepts and notions due to the exicting nuclear word (Болотнова 1992): The transition

from the study of notions to the study of concepts possesses paradigmatic significance as notions are

a linguistic units whereas concepts are mental i.e. cognitive ones.

Such work gives the student an opportunity to have a correct understanding of linguistic-

cultural approach, to reveal the native speakers’ communicative behavior, their bias,   characteristic

features of their mentality.

The conceptual-synergetic approach provides a new level of analytical reading of the literary

authentic text, where the key words are distinguished through the position analysis of the original

text. (Князева 2009: 367-369): The conceptual-cognitive approach to analytical reading makes it

possible to identify   national and cultural peculiarities of the literary authentic text being analyzed

or read. When organizing professional English courses, it is necessary to take into consideration the

analytical procedures which comprise those concepts of the cognitive approach, i.e. cognitive

linguistics, literary and cognitive poetics in particular. Needless to say that the student is likely to

have a clear understanding of the cognitive grammar of the literary authentic text, the conceptual

theory of metaphor, the theory of possible worlds, the theory of mental realms. (Stockwell 2002,

Маслова 2012 ):
 Thus, it can be stated that the study and adoption of various reading, analytical theories and

concepts  carry an important educational-cognitive function, which is considered and viewed at the

meta-cognitive level.

Conclusion

On the educational cognitive level while conducting English language course as a major, the

analytical reading of the fiction pieces performs various functions, such as developing students'

aesthetic taste, their critical and creative thinking, motivating reading, lining up and developing the

student’s self-esteem, and more.

Thus, due to proposed study of the fiction text models, we specify the following clue functions

of analytical reading of literary/authentic text: informational, interpretive-analytical, self-developing

functions.

At the methodological level, the function of presenting the system of values of the author of the

fiction piece under discussion is greatly highlighted.  Moreover, it is important to stress that the

main function of teaching literary authentic text itself and teaching language through those texts is to

develop analytical competence, without which   the student can not identify the weaknesses and

strengths of the original, predict the content of the original by the title, define main and secondary

heroes, etc.

The Cognitive Approach presents the functions of analytical reading of literary authentic texts

in a new light. Studying verbal/speech behavior of native speakers, their mentality, their culture and

traditions and alike through analytical reading gains more significance and becomes a fundamental

function of this activity.

Yet, as we can observe, the functions of studying and mastering various theories and concepts of

analytical reading are at the foreground while viewing them at the meta-cognitive level.

Գեղարվեստական բնագրի վերլուծական ընթերցանության

ուսուցման գործառույթները
 Համառոտագիր. Սույն հոդվածում փորձ է արվում ընդհանուր

բնութագրերով ներկայացնել գեղարվեստական բնագրի վերլուծական

ընթերցանության ուսուցման հիմնական գործառույթներն անգլերենի

մասնագիտական դասընթացում: Գեղարվեստական բնագրի վերլուծական

ընթերցանության ուսուցման հիմնական գործառույթները ներկայացվում են

ըստ մասնագիտական և հաղորդակցական կոմպետենցիաների,

քերականության, բառապաշարի ուսուցման, ոճական հնարների յուրացման,

գեղարվեստական բնագրի վերլուծության ժամանակակից

մեթոդաբանական մոտեցումների, գրական տեքստի ուսումնասիրության

մոդելների առանձնահատկությունների: Բնութագրվում են նաև ընդհանուր

գծերով մասնագիտական գեղարվեստական բնագրի վերլուծական

ընթերցանության ուսուցման ոճաբանական, խոսութային,

գործաբանական, ինչպես նաև ճանաչողական-հաղորդակցական

վերլուծական կարողությունները և հմտությունները զարգացնելու

գործառույթները:

Բանալի բառեր. գեղարվեստական բնագիր, վերլուծական կոմպետենցիա,

վերլուծական ընթերցանություն, գործառույթ, ոճաբանական, խոսութային,

գործաբանական, ճանաչողական, հաղորդակցական:

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