ABSTRACT
A term from text linguistics (van Dijk) for the global semantic and pragmatic structure of a text. The macrostructure of a text, which includes phonological, graphological, and lexicogrammatical patterning, refers to the largest-scale patterns, which are the means whereby texts can be classified into different text types, such as narrative, exposition, lyric poem, and so on. While the patterning of sentences and propositions constitutes the semantic macro-structure, the individual speech acts ( speech act classification, speech act theory) and sequences of speech acts constitute the pragmatic macrostructure, the ‘macro-speech act’ which is to be understood as the illocution of the text (text function).
