Developing cohesion
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Using this to point backwards | page 4 of 6 |
Using this for involvement
This differs from that in that this is used to convey the idea of nearness, whereas that conveys distance. By using this, writers choose to link themselves with the thing they are referring to. This explains why the speaker switches to this in the following extract after two instances of it:
As for the premiere of Wuorinen's new work, conductor Herbert Bloomstedt says members of the audience are not likely to leave the hall humming any of the melodies in "Genesis". "It will only reveal itself to the listeners by repeated hearings. Most of our listeners will hear it only once. But I'm sure that this is a work that will go into the repertoire and will be played and sung repeatedly over the coming years." (Bank of English)
The switch from it to this can be explained not just as stylistic variation, ie after two instances of it, this makes a good change, nor as a random occurrence (which would mean that the switch has no real reason to it at all), but as marking the increased involvement of the speaker in his subject matter. Here is another example of the same sort of thing:
"Casper" is ready for release and will be in the video stores just before Christmas. This is a charming movie with great special effects and it is guaranteed to delight almost everyone in the family. (Bank of English)
In this extract It is a charming movie is possible, but the use of this signals
the author's strength of feeling about the film 
. Since intensity is the key issue here, the feeling need not
always be positive :
Nothing in the film, however, captures the revelry, glamour and personal tragedies so well as in the drag documentary "Paris is Burning". This is a heavily pasteurised movie, all flavour gone, barely worth drinking.
(Bank of English)
Introduction
Using this for involvement
