Introduction to Discourse

Analysis
Prof H. Chekeiri
Spring 2025
Introduction to Linguistics and Its
Domains
What is Linguistics?
The Study of Language and Its Structure
Definition: Linguistics is the scientific study
of language, including its structure, sounds,
meaning, and use.
Focus Areas: Linguistics studies how
languages are formed, how they evolve, how
they are used in communication, and the
relationships between different languages.
Domains of Linguistics 1/3
Phonetics:
 The study of the physical sounds of human speech.
 Focuses on how sounds are produced, transmitted, and
received.
Phonology:
 The study of the sound system of a language.
 Examines how sounds function and pattern in a
particular language.
Morphology:
 The study of the structure of words.
 Analyzes how words are formed from smaller units
called morphemes (the smallest meaningful units).
Domains of Linguistics 2/3

Syntax:
 The study of sentence structure.
 Looks at how words are arranged in sentences and how these
structures convey meaning.
Semantics:
 The study of meaning in language.
 Focuses on how words, phrases, and sentences convey meaning.
Pragmatics:
 The study of how context influences the interpretation of
meaning.
Focuses on how language is used in communication,
considering factors such as speaker intentions, social
roles, and the context of an interaction
Domains of Linguistics 3/3

Sociolinguistics:
The study of how language varies and changes
in social contexts.
Explores how factors like class, gender,
ethnicity, and age influence language use.
Discourse Analysis:
The study of language use in larger chunks of
text or conversation.
Focuses on how meaning is constructed
through language in context (this will be the
main topic of our course!).
Connecting Linguistics and Discourse
Analysis
Linguistics & DA:
Discourse Analysis draws on several linguistic
domains such as phonetics, syntax, semantics,
and pragmatics to analyze how meaning is
created through language in social contexts.
While linguistics traditionally focuses on
language structures (e.g., syntax, phonology),
Discourse Analysis focuses on how these
structures function in real-life interactions.
Example Scenario

Imagine you are at a coffee shop and hear the

following exchange between two people:

Person A: "Can you pass the salt?"

Person B: "I don’t have the salt."
Person A: "Oh, okay."
Linguistics Approach
 Linguists would break down this conversation in terms of
syntax, phonology, and semantics.
 Syntax: The structure of the sentences.
 "Can you pass the salt?" follows the syntactic structure of a question:
[Auxiliary verb + Subject + Main verb + Object].
 "I don’t have the salt." follows the structure of a negative declarative
sentence.
 Phonology: The sounds and pronunciation of the words.
 They would analyze how the sounds of each word are produced,
transcribed, and heard (e.g., stress patterns, pronunciation of vowels
or consonants).
 Semantics: The literal meaning of the words.
 "Can you pass the salt?" semantically means a request for
someone to give the salt.
 "I don’t have the salt." means the person is stating that they are
not in possession of the salt.
 In this linguistic view, we focus on understanding the
structure and meaning of the individual sentences in isolation.
Discourse Analysis Approach
Discourse Analysis would go beyond the
sentences themselves and examine how
these structures function in real-life
interactions.

Context and Social Roles:

Turn-taking and Conversational Structure:
Pragmatics (How meaning is shaped by
context):
Context and Social Roles:
Discourse Analysis looks at the social
dynamics between the speakers. Person A's
question ("Can you pass the salt?") might not be
just a simple question, but also an implicit
request embedded within a social interaction.
Discourse analysts would focus on how the
speakers are negotiating politeness,
expectations, and power.
For example, Person A's request could be seen
as indirect or polite. Instead of bluntly saying,
"Pass me the salt," they use the form "Can you"
to soften the request. Discourse Analysis would
explore how this indirectness influences the
interaction.
Turn-taking and Conversational Structure:Linguistics
Approach
Discourse Analysis would analyze how the speakers
take turns in the conversation. The way Person B
responds ("I don’t have the salt") shifts the
interaction. Discourse analysts would study why
Person B chooses to give this specific response
and how it affects the flow of conversation.
The "Oh, okay" from Person A might be seen as
an acknowledgment of Person B’s response. Even
though it's a simple phrase, it signifies an
understanding or closure of the conversation.
Discourse analysts would investigate how these
small turns (seemingly trivial) serve larger social
functions, like signaling politeness, agreement, or
ending a topic.
Pragmatics (How meaning is shaped by context):
Discourse analysts would be interested in the
pragmatic aspects of the exchange. For instance,
Person A’s question isn’t just about getting salt; it’s
part of a social routine of asking for help in casual
settings. The meaning of the question is shaped not
only by the syntax ("Can you pass the salt?") but also
by context: the coffee shop setting, the relationship
between the two speakers, and the assumption that
both understand the implicit request.
Person B’s answer, “I don’t have the salt,” could be
an honest response or it could imply that they don’t
want to participate in the exchange (perhaps they’re
making a subtle refusal, avoiding responsibility).
Discourse Analysis would explore these social cues.
In Summary
Linguistic Analysis focuses on the structure
and meaning of the individual sentences
(syntax, phonology, semantics).
Discourse Analysis looks at the bigger
picture—how language works in context, how
the structures function in interaction, and how
social norms, politeness strategies, and
conversational dynamics influence meaning.
This distinction shows that Discourse Analysis is
not just concerned with what is said, but also
with how it is said, why it is said, and what is
left unsaid within the flow of conversation.
Why Study Discourse
Understanding Social Interaction:
DA helps us understand how people interact in
different social contexts.
It explores how language shapes relationships
and influences actions.
Key Social Issues:
Investigating the role of language in social
inequality, politics, and power structures.
Language in media, politics, and everyday life
often conveys ideologies or reinforces
stereotypes.
Key Concepts in Discourse Analysis
Discourse: Language in use, beyond just
sentences or words.
Power: How language reflects and reinforces
power relations.
Identity: How language constructs personal
and social identities.
Ideology: How language reflects and
perpetuates belief systems or worldviews.
Context: The social, cultural, and historical
context in which discourse occurs.
Types of Discourse
Spoken Discourse:
Conversations, interviews, speeches, debates.
Focus on turn-taking, repair mechanisms, and
speech acts.
Written Discourse:
Texts, articles, advertisements, social media.
Analysis of written structures, narrative styles,
and framing.
Multimodal Discourse:
Integration of language with visual elements
(e.g., advertisements, videos, websites).
Approaches to Discourse Analysis
Conversation Analysis (CA):
 Focus on how conversation is structured and organized.
 Analyzes turn-taking, pauses, and sequencing.
Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA):
 Focus on how power, dominance, and inequality are
reflected in language.
 Examines the role of language in reinforcing social
hierarchies and ideologies.
Pragmatics:
 Focus on how meaning is conveyed through context and
speaker intentions.
Includes speech acts, implicature, and politeness
strategies
Key Questions in Discourse Analysis

How does language construct reality?

How do speakers use language to assert or
challenge power?
How do social, cultural, and historical
contexts shape discourse?
How does language reflect or reinforce social
inequalities?
What role does identity play in discourse?
Applications of Discourse Analysis
Media Studies:
 Analyzing news, advertisements, and TV programs for
how they construct meaning and influence public
opinion.
Political Discourse:
 Examining speeches, debates, and policy documents to
understand political power and persuasion.
Social Identity:
 Studying how language reflects and constructs
identities based on gender, race, class, etc.
Legal and Institutional Discourse:
 Analyzing courtroom language or institutional
communication to understand power structures.
Methods in Discourse Analysis
Data Collection:
Texts, conversations, social media posts,
interviews.

Analysis Techniques:
Transcription (e.g., detailed or simplified
transcripts).
Coding and categorizing discourse patterns.
Identifying recurring themes, power
relations, and ideological stances
Conclusion
Recap:
Discourse Analysis is the study of how
language functions in communication and
social contexts.
It examines how discourse shapes identities,
power, and ideologies.
DA includes a variety of approaches, each
focusing on different aspects of language use.
Next Steps:
In the following classes, we will delve into
specific methods of discourse analysis and
apply them to various texts and data.
How Do We Analyze Discourse?
Discourse analysis involves looking at texts or
conversations in depth to understand how
language works in a given situation. Here are
a few methods used in discourse analysis:

Looking at the Structure of

Communication
Analyzing Word Choice (Lexical Choices):
Examining the Role of Social Power
Interpreting Non-verbal Communication
How Do We Analyze Discourse?
1. Looking at the Structure of
Communication
This involves analyzing the form of
communication—how sentences are
put together, how speakers take
turns in a conversation, and how
written texts are organized. For
example, in a conversation, you
might look at how one speaker
responds to the other, whether they
agree or disagree, and how they
How Do We Analyze Discourse?
2. Analyzing Word Choice (Lexical Choices):
The words we choose reveal a lot about
our attitudes and assumptions. For
example, if a news report talks about a
"violent protest" versus a "peaceful
demonstration," the choice of words
can suggest different attitudes toward
the event. By analyzing word choice,
we can uncover the underlying
meanings and biases in
communication.
How Do We Analyze Discourse?
3. Examining the Role of Social Power

Discourse analysis can reveal how power is

exercised through language. For example,
a manager might use formal, authoritative
language when giving instructions to
employees, while employees may use more
informal language when speaking to each
other. Analyzing these differences helps us
understand how social roles and
relationships are constructed through
discourse.
How Do We Analyze Discourse?
4. Interpreting Non-verbal Communication

Discourse analysis doesn’t only focus

on what people say with words. Non-
verbal elements like tone of voice,
facial expressions, and body
language also play a role in
communication. For example, if
someone says, "I’m fine" with a sad
tone and downcast eyes, the non-
verbal cues suggest they may not be
Practice: Analyzing a Conversation
Person A: "Could you please close the
window? It's getting cold."
Person B: "Sure, I’ll close it right
now.“

Context:
Speech Act:
Cohesion:
Power:
Practice: Analyzing a Conversation
Person A: "Could you please close the window? It's getting
cold."
Person B: "Sure, I’ll close it right now.“

Context: The context here is a casual interaction

between two people in a room. The request is polite
and appropriate for the situation.
Speech Act: Person A is making a request (a type of
speech act) by asking Person B to close the window.
Cohesion: The use of "it" in Person B's response refers
to the window, creating cohesion between the two parts
of the conversation.
Power: In this case, there is no clear power difference,
but the polite phrasing ("Could you please") shows
Person A’s respect for Person B's autonomy.
Practice: Analyzing a News Report
"The government has announced new
measures to reduce traffic congestion in the
city. These measures are aimed at improving
public transport and reducing car usage.“

Context:
Speech Acts:
Lexical Choices:
Power:
Practice: Analyzing a News Report
"The government has announced new measures to
reduce traffic congestion in the city. These measures
are aimed at improving public transport and reducing
car usage.“

Context: This is a formal statement from the government,

meant to inform the public about new policies.
Speech Acts: The government is making an
announcement (a speech act) to inform the public.
Lexical Choices: The choice of words like "new measures,"
"reduce," and "improving" suggests that the government is
focusing on positive action and progress.
Power: The government holds the power here, using
formal, authoritative language to present its policies. The
language is persuasive, aiming to shape public opinion
about the policies.