Presenting manuscript tables and diagrams to the Middle English reader
In this paper, we examine information-organising graphic devices such as tables and diagrams in Middle English
manuscripts. Our focus is on text producers’ metadiscourse describing these devices and instructing the reader in their use. We
also pay attention to the visual and spatial relationship between the graphic device and the surrounding text. Our findings
indicate that the metadiscourse associated with graphic devices serves similar functions to image captions (verbal cueing) in
modern textbooks: identifying and describing the devices and instructing the reader in using them.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Graphic devices and reader instruction
- 3.Metadiscourse
- 4.Primary sources
- 5.Presenting graphic devices in late medieval English texts
- 5.1The relationship between device and verbal cues
- 5.2Identifying the device
- 5.3Describing the device
- 5.4Instructing the reader
- 6.Conclusion
- Acknowledgments
- Notes
-
References