ATLAS OF LANGUAGE

Contextual explanation · NAV-G04-045

Recurrence

This explanation addresses the term in its originating context. It is not an additional canonical Atlas profile.

Explanation

Recurrence is the reappearance of a unit or pattern. In tail-head linkage, material near the end of one discourse unit is taken up at the beginning of the next. This organised connection is only one particular form of recurrence. Not every recurrence links units in that manner, and repetition has no single necessary function. It may create continuity, emphasise, buy time or address trouble in understanding. Analysis therefore specifies the unit, distance and position, together with evidence of how participants or readers process its return.

Movement of thought

1. Identify the recurring unit. 2. Locate its occurrences. 3. Compare distance and position. 4. Examine contextual function. 5. Separate specific linking patterns from the broader notion.

Example

“They reached the bridge. At the bridge, Nils was waiting” takes up a previously introduced element to connect the narrative's next step.

Counter-test

The same word at two distant points does not establish tail-head linkage.

Scientific use case

Discourse analysis can annotate resumption, repair and lexical frequency separately.

Effect

Recurrence exposes continuity without determining its particular function in advance.

Resonance

What returns is familiar yet occupies a new place.

Distinction

Distinguish recurrence from recursion, tail-head linkage specifically and a meaningless duplicate.

Sources