Textual macrorules are cognitive operations that allow access to the general meaning of a text.
The term macrorule is not part of the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ). Its meaning, however, can be known if the parts that make up the concept are analyzed.
The macro- compositional element refers to the large. A rule , meanwhile, is a norm, a precept or a method . A macrorule can therefore be considered to be a broad-ranging convention or to include other subordinate guidelines.
The textual , likewise, refers to that related to a text : a set of written or oral statements that is endowed with coherence.
From these ideas , we can move forward with the definition of textual macrorules . This is what the processes that the recipient of a text carries out to achieve the assimilation of its content are called.
What are textual macrorules
The Dutch linguist Teun van Dijk was the one who, in the 1970s , proposed the notion of textual macrorule. This expert focused on the principles that an individual applies to access the macrostructure of the text; that is, to the content that abbreviates its meaning .
The different textual macro-rules, in this framework, are intellectual procedures that are carried out to promote various approaches to the message . In this way, the apprehension and understanding of information in a general sense becomes possible.
These macrorules can be understood to be cognitive operations . Thanks to them, people are able to obtain the most important data from the text and acquire a global understanding.
Textual macrorules are intellectual procedures that enable different approaches to content.
Your categories
Van Dijk listed four types of textual macrorules. Regardless of the distinction, they are generally applied together and recursively.
The textual selection macrorule is used to choose the most important information. Its use occurs in conjunction with the macrorule of omission or deletion , which leaves aside data that is not relevant for the interpretation of the content .
The macrorule of construction or integration , on the other hand, allows concepts to be combined, while the macrorule of generalization extracts what is common and excludes particular features.
Examples of application of textual macrorules
Take the case of the following text: “Pedro entered the room stealthily. He was wearing a dark suit and hat. Suddenly, he started screaming." Applying the macro rules of selection and omission, it is possible to stay with the following propositions: “Peter entered the room stealthily. Suddenly, he started screaming."
As can be seen, two propositions are selected from the text ( “Pedro entered the room stealthily” and “Suddenly, he began to scream” ) and one is deleted ( “He was wearing a dark suit and hat” ).
Let's look at another text: “I entered the bathroom. I took off my clothes. I turned on the shower. "I stood under the stream of water." By appealing to the textual integration macrorule, the macroproposition “I took a shower” could be generated.
As for the textual macrorule of generalization, its operation is as follows: from the text “On the table there were pears and apples. Pieces of meat and various cheeses could also be seen” , the macroproposition “There was food on the table” can be produced.
In all these examples, the result of the application of these rules is associated with the general or broad meaning of the text . Capturing this meaning, the message is interpreted.