Discourse Markers
We are dealing with icons that pertain to a series of structural essays on the site.
Icons can help us orient ourselves in texts and so on. Below are the key icons of our Gain-Tao-discourses. Here they are, with very brief explanations of features they suggest, and links to further information.
Quite near the top of a "Build Tao" essay of stringed points, this icon shows the essay tries to hold up one or many quite general ways (means) of gaining or building for some form(s) of Tao that supposedly follow the building-up. It is a program. [More] [More] [More]
The build-up design is shown below:
One
This heading is for the first of a series that works up a Tao (Dao, way, ways, etc.) It is found where a "Gain Tao" discourse starts. [More]
Two
The second postulated level of a "Gain Tao" discourse starts like this. [Read more].
Three
The third level of the "Gain Tao" design.
We are talking of "a string of coloured beads". The first two form a group, the next two another, and the third group still another. What is more, the second bead in the third group is a "Get Tao" bead . . . which is marked by a ◇ or a diamond, ◊.
See the next section for more about figurative beads and groups, or spans and stretches, as parts of a structural design.
The Bent Pearl String: The "string" is a sort of red thread through the essay, and a "bead" is one or more thoughts that are grouped together somehow, loosely or more stringently. There is room for two beads in the first stretches, and up to several beads (two brown beans and several green ones) in the third stretch. The two first stages are each composed of two spans, or "beads", if you like.
Behind the first of any new subspan paragraph or any new sets of paragraphs is a marker: it is either a ◇ or a diamond, ◊. These basic markers serve to make the overall structure of a table-essay (such an article) easier to get to; that is the idea, These markers reflect the overall structural design, and so does the star ✪ (or a 
) put behind a paragraph or line. The star typically signifies a proposed welcoming of one or several sorts. As such a star (marker of bead No.6) underscores some variant of Tao (Dao) to be had, perhaps. At times a plain (6) is used.
There is room for some variation as to "decor", but the basic design and grid remains the same throughout. [More] [More]
By other words: A table essays is divided into sections that reflect the design behind it. There is room for two subsections within each of the two first sections, and for many more subsections in the third section of the essay. A basic grid is shown here: [Structural grid]
Summary and Gist
A magpie with something of use in its beak marks a three-steps summary, consisting of:
- One thought or line or period or handsome extract from the first section,
- Another from the second section (above),
- One from the third section.
Depending on taste and other things, the steps may be seamlessly interwoven, or separated in some way or other. If well shaped and well interacting, the magpie gist may suggest a route to gain by - or one that leads to one's loss, unless one is careful and guarded.
"In a nutshell" signals that "a summary is summarised", to form gist for thought and a contribution to gain control enough to form a likable or good life. That is a lot.
The alternative layout
Here and there on the site this structurally based design is used without all the particular text icons, as when the texts are tiny. This end marker tells about it: ⚴. In a few places there are further signals behind it. Never mind. They are for internal uses so far.
Another good indication that the structural grid is applied: capital letters in boldface and a separate colour where each sections (step, span) start.
By these means too it should be easy to spot the table-essays when we come by them.
Anecdote or Similar
This icon serves to mark anecdotes when they appear on site pages. Anecdotes round off some table essays, even divergently, as the case may be.
[More]
