OVERVIEW OF DISCOURSE

ANALYSIS
The

study of the relationship

between language and the contexts
in which it is used.

To

study language in natural contexts

DISCIPLINES

LINGUISTICS - Linguistics is the scientific study of language, which can be

theoretical or applied. It includes study of language structure ( grammar) and
meaning (semantics). The study of grammar encompasses morphology
(formation and alteration) of words and syntax (the rules that determine the
way words combine into phrases and sentences). Also a part of this field are
phonology, the study of sound systems and abstract sound units, and
phonetics, which is concerned with the actual properties of speech sounds (
phones), non-speech sounds, and how they are produced and perceived.
Applied linguistics puts linguistic theories into practice in areas such as
foreign language teaching, speech therapy, translation and speech
pathology.

SEMIOTICS-Study of sign processes (semiosis). It includes the study of how

meaning is constructed and understood. This includes:
Semantics: Relation between signs and the things they refer to, their
denotata.
Syntactics: Relation of signs to each other in formal structures.
Pragmatics: Relation of signs to their impacts on those who use them

PSYCHOLOGY
ANTHROPOLOGY
SOCIOLOGY

STUDY LANGUAGE IN USE

Variety

of written texts
Spoken data
- classroom talks
- Social activity
- Institutionalised talks

BRITISH DA

Influenced by M.A.K. Halliday & Sinclair and

Coulthard
Language emphasizes social functions or themes
Focus on teacher-pupil talk
-patient interaction
-service encounters
-interviews
-debates
-business negotiations
-monologues

American DA
Initiated

by Gumperz & Hymes

Conversation analysis
Close observation of the behaviour of
participants in talks and the
emerging patterns
Terms like turn taking, politeness,
face-preserving phenomena,

DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

Has grown into a wide range and

heterogeneous disciplines which find
its unity in the description of language
above the sentence and an interest in
contexts and cultural influences which
affect language in use

Relevant in applied linguistics, SLL,

SLT & Teaching in general.

PURPOSE OF DA
To

converse meaningfully in various

contexts
To function in a society
To participate in a conversation
To organize/structure speech texts

COMPONENTS OF DISCOURSE

Grammar-connections & links

Lexis-connections & links
Intonation-affect interpretations
Contexts-natural (ungrammatical+pauses+fillers)
-artificial (constructed-scripts of drama)
Forms & functions (how we interpret grammatical
forms depends on linguistics & situationseg: Students: Madam, tell us about the exam.
Teacher: Have I got an exam for you!
(Ex-page 9 (McCarthy, 1990)

Speech Acts( Austin & Searle)

Discourse Analysis is fundamentally concerned
with the relationship between L & the contexts of
its use
Seen as performing a certain act
eg: a request, an instruction,
an exemplifications.
Turn taking
Framing moves (verbal signals to show opening &
closing-eg. Right then, ok, etc)
Transaction (a sequence of exchange)
Initiation response follow-up
(question)
(answer)
(comment)

WRITTEN DISCOURSE

Cohesion- links between clauses &

sentences in a text
Coherence-something created by the
reader in the act of reading the text
(eg. Nik enjoys watching dikir barat. He
was born in Kelantan)
Interpretation-depends on readers
schemata to make inferences
Larger patterns in texts

Some Approaches
System

and ritual constraints

Scripts
Speech

Acts and speech events analysis

Rhetorical analysis
Rhetorical structure analysis
Cohesion analysis
Mode and syntax
Contextual analysis

In-class Discussion

In your understanding, what is

communicative competence?

How does discourse analysis be

applicable to promote communicative
competence?

In what ways might discourse analysis

be beneficial to language teaching ?