TEXTUAL INFORMATIVITY BETWEEN EXPECTATION AND SURPRISE IN NATIONAL POETIC DISCOURSE: A TEXT-LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF POEMS ADDRESSED TO KING ABDULLAH BIN ABDULAZIZ (MAY HE REST IN PEACE)

Abstract

This study seeks to elucidate the mechanisms of textual informativity as manifested in the binary opposition of expectation and surprise. It draws on a selection of poems addressed to King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz from the poetic corpus entitled The Poetic Corpus of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz as the field and material of analysis. The study aims to demonstrate the role of informativity in constructing poetic imagery and national meaning, as well as to examine the impact of these two contrasting patterns on enhancing the effectiveness of poetic discourse and shaping the recipient’s awareness.
The study adopts a cognitive text-linguistic approach, treating the two contrasting mechanisms of informativity—expectation and surprise—as communicative devices that guide the recipient’s awareness and activate their mental schemata toward secure and coherent interpretation. The study concludes that the artistry of poetic discourse lies in its ability to integrate these two parallel modes of discourse without compromising the content. It further demonstrates that informativity constitutes one of the most significant standards of textuality, as it provides a linguistic space through which the recipient can participate actively in the processes of textual construction and interpretation.