Table 1.
Seven discursive properties derived from literature and analysed in the key documents
| Discursive property | Analyzed segments | Sub-categories |
|---|---|---|
| Context | International – EU | |
| Structure | Length of document | |
| Number of references | ||
| Positioning of references | ||
| Style | Author of document | |
| Recipient of the document | ||
| Channel of publication | Personal/Impersonal | |
| Situation for which a document was published | ||
| Topic of the document | ||
| Reference to Actor | Personal/Impersonal | |
| Form of document | Formal/Semi-formal/Informal | |
| Format/Mode | Argumentation/Description/Exposition//Narration | |
| Modalities | Nouns/Adverbs/Adjectives/Verbs | |
| Meanings: Ability/Certainty/Conditionality/Desirability/Frequency/Future/Necessity/Obligation/Permission/Possibility/Quantity/Willingness | Degree: High/Medium/Low | |
| Descriptions | In reference to the actor, referent object, threat | |
| Presence/Absence | ||
| Positivity/Neutrality/Negativity | ||
| Agency: Active/Passive | ||
| Specificity/Generality | ||
| Gravity: Seriousness/Neutrality/Triviality | ||
| Complexity/Danger/Norm-response/Neutrality | ||
| Implications | Amplification/Antrophomorphism/Connotation/Emphasis/Euphemism/Hyperbole/Idiom/Juxtaposition/Metaphor/Metonymy/Oxymoron/Modifier/Parenthesis | Sentiment: Positivity/Neutrality/Negativity |