DISCOURSE ANALYSIS
What is Discourse?
• “A series of connected utterances, such as
conversation, story, lecture, or any other
communication event.” (Levine, Rowe)
• “Discourse: a continuous stretch of language
larger than a sentence, often constituting a
coherent unit such as a sermon, argument, joke,
or narrative.” (Crystal)
• “Novels, as well as short conversations or groans
miight be equally rightfully named discourses”
(Cook).
What is discourse analysis?
• The process of discovering the rules of a series of
connected utterances, such as conversation, lecture or any
other communication event.
• Discourse analysts study the way sentences and utterances
go together to make texts and interactions and how these
texts and interactions fit into our social world.
• A way of looking at language that focuses on how people
use it in real life to do certain things and to show that they
are certain kinds of people and belong to certain types of
groups.
Importance of Discourse Analysis
• To communicate more effectively
• Discourse analysis is not just a study of
language.
What makes a text a text?
Beaugreande's seven criteria:
[Link]
2. coherence
3. intertextuality
4. intentionality
5. acceptability
6. situationality
7. informativeness
Cohesion
• How sentences are linked together
through grammar and vocabulary.
Example:
Maria bought a dress. She wore it to a party.
Cohesion
• How sentences are linked together
through grammar and vocabulary.
Example:
“The students were tired, so the teacher gave
them a break.”
Cohesion
• How sentences are linked together
through grammar and vocabulary.
Example:
“The city was crowded. The metropolis was
full of tourists.”
Coherence
The meaning and logic of a text.
Example:
“The lights went out. We used a candle.”
“The lights went out. We baked a cake,”
Intertextuality
❑How a text relates to other
texts—quotes, references,
allusions, shared knowledge.
Example:
“They loved each other, but their
parents hated it—sounds familiar?”
Intentionality
❑ The purpose of the writer or
speaker.
Example:
A teacher intends to inform.
A commercial intends to persuade.
Acceptability
❑The reader/listener accepts the text as
understandable, correct, and
meaningful.
Example:
A text message full of abbreviations is
acceptable among friends but not in a
formal report.
Situationality
❑The text fits the situation in
which it is used.
Example:
A prayer in church is situationally
appropriate.
Informativeness
❑The text gives new information, ideas,
or insights.
Example:
“A dog is an animal” → low
informativeness
“Dogs can smell 40 times better than
humans” → higher informativeness
Two Main Types of Discourse
• Textual Analysis - This approach studies the internal
structure of language within the text itself. It treats
language as a system and examines how its parts work
together to create meaning.
• To understand how linguistic choices shape meaning
inside the text—without necessarily analyzing social or
cultural background.
Two Main Types of Discourse
• Social/Contextual Analysis- This approach studies
language in relation to social context, meaning, power,
culture, and relationships. It sees language not only as
words on paper but as a social action.
• To understand how language reflects and shapes
society—how it can influence beliefs, maintain power, or
challenge social norms.
References
Discourse Analysis A resource Book for Students by
Rodney H. Jones
(from [Link]