Penser le concept de cohérence autrement : distinctions inspirées de la linguistique intégrale

In this paper, we discuss the conceptual status of the notion of coherence, starting from the observation that existing theories do not form a homogeneous framework, since they are grounded in distinct phenomena and do not address the same object. The aim of the paper is therefore to propose a homogeneous and unitary conceptual framework, inspired by Eugenio Coseriu’s integral linguistics, capable of providing a foundation for the distinctions required to establish more precise concepts of coherence. The conceptual framework considers the distinction between the universal level (that of speaking in general) and the individual level (that of the text) to formulate the concept of coherence. Coherence is thus conceived as a general principle corresponding to a norm of unity within a given domain. If the domain is speaking in general, this is coherence of speaking in general (which may also be understood as congruence). If the domain is the text, coherence is a type of adequacy (textual coherence).