HOW THE MESSAGE IN THE BOOK OF RUTH (OF THE BIBLE) IS CONVEYED THROUGH LINGUISTIC MEANS

Abstract

This study analyses the Book of Ruth from the Bible to determine firstly, how the writer conveys the message to the reader through linguistic means and secondly, if the message received by various readers of the Book of Ruth is the same. The analysis is based on the framework provided by Rhetorical Structure Theory or RST, a theory of relational structure pioneered by Mann, Matthiessen and Thompson, among others, in the second half of the 1980's. RST describes rhetorical relations that knit parts of a text together in order to relay a coherent message. CHAPTER SUMMARIES Chapter One introduces this study explaining the aim and rationale behind this study. Chapter Two reviews literature on RST, establishing the methodology used. Chapter Three gives a brief overview of the Book of Ruth and then proceeds with an RST analysis of it. It also compares the different messages received by readers who understand the Christian perspective as opposed to those who are ignorant of it. It seeks to point out that previous knowledge or schema (of the reader) is very important in deciding on whether the writer's message was effectively conveyed. Chapter Four explores the possibility of a "Topical RST". The parts of the text which either refer directly or indirectly to a character as well as the character's spoken words can be used to determine the perspectives the writer wishes to convey regarding various topics. This is somewhat similar to Pickering's (1980) method of grouping main clauses and sub or comment clauses, an analysis of the former giving the topic or message of the text. Chapter Five presents the results of a survey conducted among 50 Christians and 50 Non-christians. Initially, this survey was also extended to 50 Jews as it would have been interesting to compare the Christian and Jewish perspectives. Presumably, the Christian perspective would hold for a Jewish reader. However, it had to be abandoned because only one Jew submitted a completed questionnaire despite repeated efforts at securing the rest of the questionnaires from the small Jewish community in Singapore. The purpose of the survey is for consensus; that is, to confirm if the message received by these readers bear out the findings through RST analysis. The findings will determine if the message derived through RST analysis is, in reality, the message conveyed to the reader. The two groups will also provide information on the importance of background knowledge (or schema) of a reader. A Christian reader, in the context of this study, is defined as one who has accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as His Saviour and embraces the teachings of the Bible while the Non-christian reader includes members of all other religions and agnostics. Chapter Six concludes this study.