Hypertext Coherence 2

• Hypertexts integrate covariate and multi-variate (1,2,n-ary) semantics in new ways

• Global relations tend to be categorial

• Local relations include sequential and simultaneous: rhetorical structures, expansions (esp. elaboration, extension)

• Local relations are also categorial

= How do hypertexts create a sense of meaning coherence without predictable sequentiality?

= There are many answers, but among the most frequent and interesting are:

• there is local short-term sequential order, which grounds macro-structural relations, particular those of rhetorical structure (e.g. Problem-Solution, Question-Answer, Event-Consequences), and logico-semantic relations among macropropositions, esp. Elaboration and Extension;
• there is a larger-scale co-variate organization based on semantic relatedness, either in detailed thematics (thematic formations), or in register at varying degrees of delicacy (cf. phasal organization of sequential text);
• there is still larger scale hierarchical organization of nested sets of less to more specified thematic and registerial relatedness