TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS i TABLE OF CONTENTS ii ABBREVIATIONS vi Chapter I: Introduction 1.1 General introduction 1 1.2 Aims and Objectives of the study 1 1.3 Scope of the study 2 1.4 Method of the study 2 1.5 Organization of the study 3 Chapter II: literature review 2.1 Discourse and discourse structure 4 2.1.1 Discourse 4 2.1.2 Discourse Analysis 4 2.1.3 Discourse structure 5 2.1.3.1 What is discourse structure? 5 2.1.3.2 Two views of discourse structure: as product and as process 5 2.1.4 Thematization 6 2.2 Some major linguistic features 6 2.2.1 Modality 6 2.2.2 Active and Passive voices 7 2.2.3 Kinds of Sentence 7 2.2.4 Special Words/ Phrases 8 2.2.5 Speech acts 9 CHAPTER III THE DISCOURSE STRUCTURE AND SOME MAJOR LINGUISTIC FEATURES OF THE INTERNATIONAL DECLARATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS 3.1 Definition of an International Declaration 10 3.2 Purposes and typical legal characteristics of the International 10 Declaration on Human Rights 3.2.1 Purposes 10 3.2.2 Typical legal characteristics 10 3.3 A study of the discourse structure and some major linguistic features of the International Declaration on Human Rights 11 3.3.1 The Beginning 11 3.3.1.1 The Title and Preamble of the Declaration and their realization 11 3.3.1.2 Remarks 12 3.3.2 The Body 13 3.3.2.1 The Body of the Declaration and its realization 13 3.3.2.2 Remarks 14 a, Use of Grammar 14 a1. Modality 14 a2. Use of Active / Passive voices 14 a3. Sentence order 15 a4. Length of sentences 15 a5. Kinds of sentences 16 b. Use of vocabulary 17 b1. Archaic words and phrases 17 b2. Technical words 17 b3. Borrowed words 17 c. Thematization 17 d. Speech acts 17 3.3.3 The Ending 18 3.3.3.1 The Ending of the Declaration and its realization 18 3.3.3.2 Remarks 19 CHAPTER IV THE DISCOURSE STRUCTURE AND SOME MAJOR LINGUISTIC FEATURES OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN COMPARISON WITH THOSE OF THE INTERNATIONAL DECLARATION 4.1 Definition of an International Convention 20 4.2 Purposes and typical legal characteristics of the International Convention on Human Rights 20 4.2.1 Purposes 20 4.2.2 Typical legal characteristics 20 4.3 A study of discourse structure and some major linguistic features of the International Convention on Human Rights in comparison with those of the International Declaration on Human Rights 21 4.3.1 The Beginning 21 4.3.1.1 The Title and Preamble of the Convention and their realization 21 4.3.1.2 Remarks 23 4.3.2 The Body 23 4.3.2.1 The Body of the Convention and its realization 23 4.3.2.2 Remarks 26 a, Use of Grammar 26 a1. Modality 26 a2. Use of Active/ Passive voices 27 a3. Sentence order 27 a4. Length of sentences 27 a5. Kinds of sentences 28 b. Use of vocabulary 28 b1. Archaic words and phrases 29 b2. Technical words 29 b3. Borrowed words 29 c. Thematisation 29 d. Speech acts 30 4.3.3 The Ending 30 4.3.3.1 The Ending of the Convention and its realization 30 4.3.3.2 Remarks 30 Chapter V Conclusion Some notes oN THE similarities and differences between international Declarations and Conventions in terms of discourse structures and major linguistic features 5.1 Similarities 32 a, Type of discourse 32 b, Register (or Functional style) 32 c, Writing style 32 d, Linguistic features 33 e, Structure 33 5.2 Differences 34 a, Expression 34 b, Structure 34 * Typical structure of an International Declaration on Human Rights 37 * Typical structure of an International Convention on Human Rights 38 * Sources of data 39 * References 40 * ANNEX I - Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 I - International Convention on the Rights of the Child,1989 VII
