Introduction to Discourse
What is Discourse?
Discourse is more than just a collection of sentences; it’s the way language is
used in real-world contexts. It involves the exchange of ideas, information,
and perspectives. Discourse is influenced by various factors, including:
Context: The social, cultural, and historical setting in which language is
used.
Participants: The people involved in the discourse, their roles, and their
relationships.
Purpose: The reason for the discourse, whether it’s to inform, persuade,
entertain, or something else.
Genre: The type of discourse, such as a conversation, a lecture, or a news
article.
Features of Discourse
Discourse has several key features:
Coherence: It’s organized and logical, with a clear flow of ideas.
Cohesion: It uses linguistic devices to connect sentences and paragraphs,
such as pronouns, conjunctions, and reference words.
Contextualization: It refers to the surrounding context to make meaning
clear.
Intertextuality: It draws on other texts or discourses to create meaning.
Pragmatics: It considers the social and cultural context of language use,
such as politeness and implicature.
Text and Discourse
While the terms “text” and “discourse” are often used interchangeably, there
are some distinctions:
Text: A written or spoken piece of language, such as a book, a conversation,
or a news article.
Discourse: The social and cultural practices involved in the production and
interpretation of texts.
In other words, a text is the physical manifestation of discourse, while
discourse is the broader context and meaning behind the text.
Types of Discourse
There are various types of discourse, each with its own characteristics:
Written Discourse
Academic discourse: Used in academic settings, such as research papers,
textbooks, and lectures.
Journalistic discourse: Used in news articles, editorials, and opinion pieces.
Literary discourse: Used in novels, poetry, and plays.
Business discourse: Used in emails, reports, and presentations.
Spoken Discourse
Conversation: Informal, everyday talk between individuals.
Public speaking: Formal speeches or presentations delivered to a large
audience.
Meetings: Discussions among groups of people, such as business meetings
or class discussions.
Media Discourse
News discourse: The language used in news reports and broadcasts.
Advertising discourse: The language used in advertisements and
commercials.
Social media discourse: The language used in online communication
platforms.
Political Discourse
Political speeches: Speeches delivered by politicians to persuade or inform.
Political debates: Discussions between political opponents.
Political rhetoric: The use of language to persuade or influence public
opinion.
Explore the concept of discourse:
1. Discourse Analysis of Media Texts
Task: Divide students into groups and assign them different media texts (e.g.,
news articles, advertisements, social media posts).
Activity: Ask students to analyze the discourse in their assigned texts,
considering elements like:
Purpose: What is the intended message or goal of the discourse?
Audience: Who is the target audience for this discourse?
Context: What is the social, cultural, or historical context of the discourse?
Language features: How does the language used contribute to the overall
message or effect?
Discussion: Facilitate a class discussion where students share their findings
and discuss similarities and differences between the various texts.
2. Analyzing Political Speeches
Task: Provide students with transcripts or recordings of political speeches.
Activity: Ask students to analyze the discourse in the speeches, focusing on:
Persuasive techniques: How does the speaker use language to persuade the
audience?
Emotional appeals: Are there any emotional appeals used to connect with
the audience?
Rhetorical devices: What rhetorical devices (e.g., metaphors, similes,
repetition) are used?
Discussion: Discuss the effectiveness of the persuasive techniques used in
the speeches and how they contribute to the overall message.
3. Creating a Discourse Community
Task: Divide students into groups and ask them to create a discourse
community based on a shared interest or identity.
Activity: Have students develop:
A shared vocabulary: Identify specific terms or jargon used within the
community.
A set of rules or norms: Establish guidelines for communication and behavior
within the community.
A shared history or mythology: Create a narrative or backstory for the
community.
Presentation: Have each group present their discourse community to the
class, explaining their shared vocabulary, rules, and history.
4. Analyzing Cultural Differences in Discourse
Task: Provide students with examples of discourse from different cultures
(e.g., greetings, apologies, compliments).
Activity: Ask students to compare and contrast the ways in which discourse is
used in different cultures, considering factors such as:
Politeness conventions: How are politeness and respect expressed differently
in different cultures?
Directness vs. indirectness: Are people more direct or indirect in their
communication?
Power dynamics: How do power relationships influence discourse?
Discussion: Discuss the implications of cultural differences in discourse for
intercultural communication.
