Linguistic Elements of Explanatory Text: Characteristics, Structure, Types, Examples

Linguistic Elements of Explanatory Text: Definition, Characteristics, Structure, Types and Examples – Is that an explanatory text with its linguistic elements? On this occasion About the knowledge.co.id will discuss what is explanatory text and other elements that surround it. Let's look at the discussion together in the article below to better understand it.

Linguistic Elements of Explanatory Text: Definition, Characteristics, Structure, Types and Examples

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Explanation comes from English, namely from the word "Explanation" which means the act of explaining or explaining and explaining information, statements or facts.

Language rules or linguistic elements used in explanatory texts, including:

• Has a large focus on general or generic matters, not human participation, such as floods, landslides, rain, earthquakes and others.
• Allows the inclusion of scientific terms or terms in a particular field of knowledge.
• Using sequence markers, such as first, next, last or first, second, third and so on.
• Many use verbs that are material and relational (also called active verbs).
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• Using causal conjunctions and time conjunctions, for example if, so, if, or then, and so on.
• Use passive sentences.
• Explanatory texts are deliberately written to make a justification about something which explains that the causal event is true.

Definition of Explanatory Text 

Explanatory text comes from a combination of two words, namely text and explanation. Text means long writing, and explanation comes from the English word "explain" which means to explain. So, explanatory text is a text that serves to clarify something that can be anything.

The definition of explanatory text is a text that contains the process of "how" and "why" about a topic relating to natural, social, scientific, cultural phenomena that occur in everyday life.

The definition of an explanatory text is a text that contains the process of how and why something happens and the discussion is always related to a topic. These topics relate to natural phenomena, culture, science and various other things. Usually this text aims to provide information to the reader so that a topic is easier to understand. In short, explanatory text is a text that provides an explanation regarding the formation of a social or social phenomenon.

According to Restuti, explanatory text is a text that explains or explains natural or social processes or phenomena.

According to The Contemporary English-Indonesian Dictionary, Explanation text is a text that contains about the processes associated with natural phenomena, social, scientific, cultural, and other.

According to Mashun, explanatory text is composed with a structure consisting of sections showing general statements (opening), rows of explanations (contents), and interpretations/closing.

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Characteristics of Explanatory Text

The characteristics or characteristics of explanatory text include:

• It consists of a general statement (opening), explanatory sentences or explanatory lines (contents), and closing or interpretation. General statements are in the form of an initial description of what will be conveyed with various general statements. The content section or series of explanations is the core of the explanatory text and explains what the author wants to convey. While the closing or interpretation section contains a view and conclusion from the author which is optional because it may or may not be included.
• Contains information based on factual events.
• The factual event contains scientific information

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Purpose and Function of Explanatory Text

Purpose of explanatory text is to provide clear information to readers so they can understand a phenomenon that is happening.

Meanwhile, the function of explanatory text is to explain and describe an event or what happened by accompanying examples around it. In short, explanatory text serves to explain a cause and effect of an event.

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Explanatory Text Structure

The composition of the explanatory text consists of general statements, causal sequences and interpretations.

General Statement (Open)

This general statement section contains a topic that will explain the process of its existence and the process of its occurrence or process of formation.

Order of Cause and Effect (Explanation or Content)

This section contains a detailed explanation of the process of the occurrence of an event which is presented sequentially or in stages from the earliest to the most recent.

Interpretation (Concluding)

This section contains conclusions or statements about the topics that have been described.

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Explanation Schematic

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General Statement

Contains a general statement about a topic, which will explain the process of its existence, the process of its occurrence, the process of its formation, etc. It must be concise, interesting, and clear, which is able to arouse the reader's interest to read the details.

Sequence of Explanations

Filled with detailed explanation of the process of existence, the process of occurrence. Very relative to answer the question how, the answer is in the form of a statement or a declarative sentence. The use of sequence markers is very possible considering the process needs to be explained in stages, first, second, third, etc. or first, next, last.

closing

Contains a conclusion or statement about the topic/process described.

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Types of Explanatory Text

According to the NWS Department of School and Education (2012), there are 4 (four) types of explanatory texts, including sequential explanations, causal explanations, theoretical explanations, and factorial explanations.

Sequential Explanatory Text

The definition of sequential explanatory text is an explanatory text that focuses on the details of a phenomenon. An example of metamorphosis.

Causal Explanatory Text

The definition of a causal explanatory text is an explanatory text which contains the origins or causes of something happening with the stages it goes through. For example, the cause of the wind accompanied by strong storms at the end of July, or the cause of the desert wind, the occurrence of a lunar eclipse and so on.

Theoretical Explanatory Text

The definition of a theoretical explanatory text is an explanatory text that contains speculation about things that can happen behind a natural phenomenon.

Factorial Explanatory Text

Factorial explanatory text is an explanatory text which contains the effects and results of a process. For example, the process of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly, the process of a rainbow after rain, and so on.

Language Rules of Explanatory Text

Explanatory text usually contains the following linguistic features:
Focus on general matters (generic), not human participants (nonhuman participants). Example: tsunami, flood, earthquake, rain, and air.
It is possible to use scientific terms.
More use of material verbs and relational verbs (active verbs).
Using time and causal conjunctions. Usage examples: so, before, first, if, when, and then.
Use passive sentences.
Explanations are written to justify that something causally explained is true.

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Short Example of Explanatory Text

The following example of explanatory text brief about the complete lunar eclipse with its structure.

Lunar eclipse

General Statement (Open)

Lunar eclipse is one of the natural phenomena that we often encounter. This natural event occurs when the moon is in opposition to the sun. However, the opposition of the moon to the sun will not always result in a lunar eclipse.
Why? Because the tilt of the moon's orbit to the plane of the ecliptic is There will be times when the moon's orbital plane intersects with the ecliptic plane, which will then cause two points to appear, which are also known as nodes.

So, a lunar eclipse will occur if the moon is in opposition to the nude point. It takes about 29.53 days for the moon to move from one point of opposition to another.

Explanatory Rows (Contents)

In fact, when a lunar eclipse occurs, sometimes the appearance of the moon can still be seen. This is because the remaining sunlight is turned towards the moon by the earth's atmosphere.

That deflected sunlight naturally has a reddish spectrum of light, which is the reason why In the event of a lunar eclipse, the appearance of the moon will appear darker, usually dark red, orange or even chocolate.

To observe a lunar eclipse, you can do it with the naked eye without the slightest danger. When a lunar eclipse occurs, it is sunnah for Muslims who see and observe the eclipse to perform the eclipse prayer (khusuf prayer).

Closing (Interpretation)

When the earth's shadow covers part or all of the moon's cross section, then that's when a lunar eclipse will occur. Especially when the earth occupies a position between the sun and the moon, and is in a straight line the same, which then makes sunlight unable to reach the moon because it is blocked by the earth's current position That.

Tsunamis

General Statement (Open)

Tsunami comes from Japanese and consists of 2 syllables, namely "tsu" (harbor) and "nami" (wave). Scientists usually interpret this as tidal waves or seismic sea waves (sea waves caused by earthquakes).

Tsunamis are sea waves that come suddenly at high speed towards coastal areas, caused by volcanic activity or undersea earthquakes.

Explanatory Rows (Contents)

When an earthquake occurs and the seafloor rises and falls along the fault, that's when a tsunami is formed. The fault causes the balance of seawater to be disrupted. Big faults will produce big waves too.

Shortly after the earthquake occurred, sea water will recede. And will return to the mainland in the form of big waves (tsunami).

Tsunamis also occur due to volcanic eruptions on the seabed which cause high movements of seawater or nearby waters.

Tsunamis have a greater wave speed than ordinary waves. Even up to 700km/jam and almost the same as the speed of the plane.

Usually the tsunami wave height is 50-100 meters and spreads in all directions. The height of the tsunami is also affected by the shape and depth of the coast. Therefore an earthquake on the seabed is very possible for the occurrence of a tsunami.

Closing (Interpretation)

In fact, a tsunami is one of the most dangerous natural events for humans because it can causing great damage can even claim thousands of lives at once if it happens accidentally sudden.

Therefore, we must be vigilant at all times and prepare ourselves to face a tsunami natural disaster. Although not all earthquakes and volcanic eruptions on the ocean floor cause tsunamis.

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