Discourse analysis is a crucial aspect of studying a language and its applications in everyday life. It aims to gain in-depth knowledge about the language and identify its association with society, culture, and people’s perception.
It is used in various social science and humanities disciplines, such as linguistics, sociolinguistics, and psycholinguistics.
It focuses on
- The clear, in-depth meaning of language
- The uses of language and its effects
- The association of language with cultures, relationships, and communication
- Components like vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, tone of voice, fonts, and written form
Uses of Discourse Analysis
Discourse analysis is:
- Used to study language and its applications in texts and contexts
- Focused on honest conversations and texts (not artificial ones)
- Helpful for linguists in understanding the role of language in communication
- Useful for teachers to learn strategies to improve students’ speaking and writing skills
Elements of the Discourse
The following are the main elements of discourse analysis. Together, all of these elements help analyse how messages are formed and understood.
| Elements of the Discourse | What Does it Include? |
|---|---|
| Vocabulary | It includes analysing the meaning of words and phrases, as well as the association between the words and the speaker’s context, text organisation, modality, etc. |
| Grammar | It focuses on grammatical terms such as clauses, parts of speech, active and passive voice, and the use of questions, among others. |
| Genre | It’s a way of using the language for various purposes and its relationship with social context (a news item, interview, fiction, non-fiction, educational and literary genres). |
| Non-verbal communication | It includes variation in the communication speed, pitch of the voice, intonation, stress, rhythm, pausing, and phrasing of the speech. |
| Structure | It includes analysing the text’s structure and organisation, including sentences, paragraphs, and their context. |
| Culture | It includes an in-depth study of communication, utilising theories of cultural interaction and its associated codes. |
| Discursive statements | It includes arguments, perspectives, and thoughts of the writer/speaker. |
| Literary figures | It includes (idioms, similes, metaphors, allegories, proverbs). |
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How to Conduct Discourse Analysis?
When conducting discourse analysis, focus on the following points.
- Purpose of the writer
- The context of the speech/passage
- Type of language used.
- The organisation of the text
You need to interpret the meaning and context of the discourse based on the available material and resources. There are various methods for conducting discourse analysis, but we will discuss the most basic method below.
Step 1: Develop a Research Question
Like any other research in discourse analysis, it’s essential to have a research question to proceed with your study. After selecting your research question, you need to find out the relevant resources to find the answer to it.
Discourse analysis can be applied to smaller or larger samples depending on your research’s aims and requirements.
Example:
If you want to find out the impact of plagiarism on the credibility of the authors. You can examine the relevant materials available on the topic from the internet, newspapers, and books published during the past 5-10 years.
Step 2: Collect Information and Establish the Context
After formulating a research question, you can review the literature and find out the details about the source material, such as:
- Who is the author?
- What is the publication year/date?
- What is the name of the publication?
- Where is it from (country/place)?
- What language is used?
- How and where was it found?
- What impact did it have on the audience?
- How does it relate to real life?
These questions enable you to construct a strong evidence-based theory about your study.
Example:
While investigating the history and origin of a particular religion. You also have to research the political events, culture, language of the people, and their association with society.
Tip:
Generally, details about the publication and production of the material are available in the About section on their online websites. If you don’t find the relevant information online, don’t hesitate to contact the editor or publication via email, phone calls, etc.
Step 3: Analyse the Content
After data collection, it is now time to analyse the data. For this purpose, you need to study different parts of the material. Look at the words, how they are used, and how the sentences are constructed. Don’t forget to focus on how the text is organised.
Also, pay attention to how different parts of the text connect. If you are using books or papers, check the layout of the page and the quality of the paper.
When using online material, pay attention to links, public comments, images, and, last but not least, the videos.
Also consider:
- Source type (news, speech, report, biography, etc.)
- Argument structure
- Role of introduction and conclusion
- Context and themes
- Discursive statements
- Grammar features (pronouns, adjectives, phrases, active/passive voice)
- Literary figures
The analysis of these elements provides a clear understanding, allowing you to present your findings more accurately.
Step 4: Interpret the Data and Create a Report
Once you have collected from different sources, ask yourself: What does it mean? Try to connect the dots by synthesising all your findings to explain the message and context of the material.
To answer this question, compile all your findings to explain the meaning and context of the discourse.
To present your results, use the notes you made as a reference to build a strong and reliable report or presentation.
You can also add examples to enhance your understanding of the readings and to support your point of view. Always focus on making your report or presentation clear and engaging so the reader will stay engaged and trust your findings.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Discourse Analysis
Advantages
- It provides a way of thinking and analysing the problem.
- It enables us to understand the context and perception of the speaker.
- It can be applied at any time, place, and to any person.
- It helps to learn about any language, its origin, and its association with society and culture.
Disadvantages
- There are many options available, as each tradition has its own concepts, procedures, and a specific understanding of discourse and its analysis.
- Discourse analysis doesn’t help to find the answer to scientific problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
The following are the types of discourse analysis
- text-based
- conversation-based
- critical discourse analysis
- sociolinguistic approaches
Content analysis focuses more on categorised words or themes, while discourse analysis deals with the deeper meanings, relationships, ideas and social context behind the sentences.
It includes the following steps:
- selecting data
- examining language
- identifying patterns
- analysing context
- concluding meaning and impact
