Compositional Architecture and Syntactic Features in Anglican Sermon Discourse: A Corpus-Based Analysis.
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Дата
2025-12-02
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Alfred Nobel University
Анотація
The study aims to identify the compositional structure and syntactic-stylistic features of Anglican sermons based on authentic texts within the framework of theolinguistic research, as well as to determine the functional role of linguistic means in fulfilling the communicative tasks of each structural component of the sermon. The methodology combines structural-compositional, syntactic, and quantitative-statistical analysis, which makes it possible to reveal consistent patterns in the use of syntactic constructions and rhetorical devices. The theoretical basis is theolinguistics—an interdisciplinary field of linguistics that studies the interaction between language and religion and the mechanisms of verbalising theological meanings in religious discourse.
The results reveal that Anglican sermons follow a four-part compositional structure: introduction, narration, interpretation, and conclusion. Each part exhibits distinct syntactic patterns: introductions typically use quotations, rhetorical questions, and anaphoric repetition to engage the audience; narration employs simple sentences and polysyndeton to create dynamic storytelling; interpretation develops complex logical reasoning through parallel constructions and logical connectors; and conclusions utilise parallelism, exclamatory and imperative constructions to summarise ideas and inspire action. Statistical analysis shows significant differences between sermon types, particularly in introductions and conclusions. Festive sermons demonstrate a higher frequency of emotional and figurative language, direct address, and exclamatory constructions, while sacramental sermons show increased use of non-biblical quotations and personalised addresses.
Interpretation sections remain the most stable across all sermon types, indicating the universality of argumentative structures in religious preaching. The study also highlights how Anglican sermons balance traditional rhetorical models inherited from classical rhetoric with contemporary linguistic strategies to enhance engagement and persuasion. Overall, the findings contribute to the understanding of religious discourse as a distinct, cohesive, and pragmatically oriented communicative phenomenon, emphasising how linguistic choices shape spiritual meaning within faith communities. Future research is suggested to compare Anglican sermon discourse with that of other Christian denominations and explore historical changes in religious language use.
The conclusion generalises the main content, using parallelism, repetition, imperatives, and exclamations to motivate spiritual reflection. The stability of the interpretation and the variability of the introduction confirm the consistency of the logical-discursive core of the genre, while the syntax and stylistics of Anglican sermons are determined by rhetorical aims directed toward the informative, persuasive, emot ional-expressive, and ethical functions of religious discourse.
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Ключові слова
religious discourse, theolinguistics, Anglican sermons, syntactic features, homiletics, rhetorical structure, релігійний дискурс, теолінгвістика, англіканські проповіді, синтаксичні особливості, гомілетика, риторична структура