What is…. Discourse Analysis?What is…. Discourse Analysis?

Charles AntakiCharles AntakiLoughborough UniversityLoughborough University

19 slides1 table

Some data

WhyWhy analyse discourse? analyse discourse?

Many (all?) things happen primarily (only?) in language

From (say) promising to come to dinnerTo (say) defining marriage

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Two definitions of ‘discourse’Two definitions of ‘discourse’

(a) A set of terms, metaphors, allusions, ways of talking, references and so on, which constitute an object

(b) Exchange in talk (or text) that performs social actions

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How do you How do you analyseanalyse discourse? discourse?

Various ways. Depends on whether you’re interested in...

Discourse that constitutes an object .. orDiscourse that realises a social action

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First: Discourse that Discourse that constitutes an objectconstitutes an object

Usually some cultural object (marriage, crime, obesity etc)

Data:Media texts (e.g. news reports, magazine articles, newspaper features)Personal accounts (e.g. in interviews, diaries)

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From The Sun online 21 June 2006

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ENGLAND’S next clash will be against a nation of GUINEA PIG eaters.We avoided a showdown with old enemy Germany — for now — and will play Ecuador on Sunday.

Here’s your Sun guide to the South American team’s dangermen — plus a few facts about the country where their national dish is a roasted pet.

It would be easy to underestimate them. But Ecuador beat mighty Brazil and Argentina in the South American qualifying rounds.

[continues]

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ENGLAND’S next clash will be against a nation of GUINEA PIG eaters.We avoided a showdown with old enemy Germany — for now — and will play Ecuador on Sunday.

Here’s your Sun guide to the South American team’s dangermen — plus a few facts about the country where their national dish is a roasted pet.

The whole nation?

Nothing else?

Why “old enemy”?

Facts?

Whose pet?

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Ecuador’s capital Quito is 9,300ft above sea level, giving their footballers a home advantage when they play in the thin air.

They were a Spanish colony until they seized their independence in 1822. Out of a population of 14 million, 3,000 Ecuador fans are in Germany. Football is the No1 sport but they also love basketball and bullfights.

The main exports are coffee and bananas.

The language is Spanish. But let’s hope their fans get no chance to shout Olé against England in Stuttgart on Sunday.

Other facts not chosen?

Inevitable Spanish-speaker behaviour?

Who’s ‘us’?

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The Times online 22 June 2006

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PRESIDENT BUSH sought to repair his tattered reputation in Europe yesterday, talking of his “deep desire” to close the Guantanamo Bay prison camp and conceding that his response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks had not been understood by much of the continent.

Assumes it is tattered

Compare expressing his deep desire

Assumes (someone) has made an accusation

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2. Discourse 2. Discourse accomplishing actions in accomplishing actions in interactioninteraction

Data:Video or audiotape recordings

People speak in a sequence, in turns.

Each turn has an implication for the next.

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An example of analysing language-in-interaction:

How do care-staff offer choices to people with intellectual impairments?

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Offering choices

avi

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Repeat questions can imply a ‘wrong’ choice

Alec:

avi

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Discourse Analysis - Some general worries Discourse Analysis - Some general worries & objections& objections

Is it useful?

- reveals how objects get constituted & unmasks the interests that it serves (and perhaps could be resisted)

- shows how mundane interaction achieves its business (and perhaps could be improved)

It’s not quantitative, so is it ‘subjective’?- not particularly; argument still has to convince readers, editors etc., by appeal to established findings & theory

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Two reasons why you Two reasons why you shouldn’tshouldn’t do do Discourse AnalysisDiscourse Analysis

You’ll be in danger of over-interpreting the data or merely describing it

You won’t be able to say that X caused Y

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Two reasons why you Two reasons why you mightmight do Discourse do Discourse AnalysisAnalysis

End

The data (e.g. video recordings) are of life as it’s lived

You’re where people do things - “where the action is”