Notes on Discourse and Discourse Analysis

Discourse as Central Object of Study

Discourse is essential to understand social identity and dynamic systems in society. It is viewed as both a means of communication and a social practice, highlighting the constitutive nature of discourse affecting societal structures.

Definition of Discourse

1. Linguistic Unit: Discourse is considered language above the sentence, forming coherent units of thought.
2. Language Use: It represents language in practice, influenced by social contexts.
3. Intentionality: Discourse expresses units of meaning, reflecting intentionality in communication.

Historical Context

Key figures influencing discourse concepts include:

• Ferdinand de Saussure
• Bronislaw Malinowski
• John Rupert Firth

Components of Discourse

• Language Structure: Involves signifiers and signified meanings within a culture's values and beliefs.
• Pragmatic Function: Language serves various purposes based on context (activity, time, social roles).

Foucault's Perspective

Discourse is viewed as a construct of reality and shared knowledge, organizing statements that define permissible expressions within institutions, shaping actions and interactions.

Control of Discourse Production

Discourse creation is governed by procedures that manage expressions to navigate unpredictability, reflecting a broader understanding of language and social actions.

Theoretical Frameworks

1. Ordinary Language Philosophy: Examines language use through scholars like Wittgenstein and Searle.
2. Ethnomethodology: Studies meaning in social practices, opposing objective analysis.
3. Conversational Analysis: Investigates social life patterns through dialogue structures without pre-existing theories.

Discursive Analysis Approaches

• Francophone: Focus on automatic discourse analysis and socio-discursive interaction.
• Anglophone: Encompasses systemic functional linguistics and critical discourse analysis, with various methodological approaches for analyzing discourse.