social activity

A Social Cultural Approach to Discourse Analysis

Introduction to Discourse Analysis

• Discourse analysis is categorized under two major families:

  • Linguistic-based analysis (e.g., conversation)

  • Culturally or socially based discursive practices

• According to method, discourse analysis can be divided into five categories:

  • Structural analysis

  • Cognitive analysis

  • Social cultural analysis

  • Critical analysis

  • Synthetic analysis

• This paper focuses on social cultural analysis, which considers discourse as interactional activities and emphasizes the social function of language.

Understanding Social Cultural Analysis

• Social cultural analysis involves:

  • Examining not just word and sentence meanings but also the social cultural factors influencing discourse.

  • Recognizing that speakers are entities within a society who engage in social activities beyond information transmission.

• Traditional discourse analysis talks primarily about form, meaning, interaction, and cognition, while social cultural analysis highlights:

  • The significance of context in understanding discourse.

The Relationship Between Discourse and Context

• Discourse and context have a dialectical relationship:

  • Discourse is shaped by context but also has the power to influence, establish, or transform the context.

  • Language facilitates the construction of meanings tailored to specific situations, thereby contributing to the creation of those contexts.

• Language use involves:

  • Crafting communication to fit the social environment.

  • Continuously rebuilding social institutions and activities with each interaction.

The Active Process of Language Use

• Language in action consists of an ongoing process where speakers:

  • Construct meanings about the material world (e.g., the spatial arrangement of a room during a meeting).

  • Engage in various activities (e.g., formal versus informal interactions).

  • Define their identities and relationships dynamically (e.g., acting as a committee chair or peer).

  • Navigate social politics and the distribution of social goods based on how they communicate.

  • Make connections between current discussions and past experiences or events.

  • Employ semiotic systems to elevate or diminish the validity of different forms of knowledge.

Situated Meanings and Cultural Models

• Meaning in discourse can be further categorized into two types: situated meanings and cultural models.

Situated Meanings

• Refers to meanings constructed based on immediate contexts and past experiences.

  • Example: The difference in meaning between "mop" and "broom" in a conversation about a spilled drink.

• Situated meanings are formed through social interactions and may be renegotiated over time.

Cultural Models

• Defined as shared storylines or theories within a social group that explain why words have various situated meanings.

• They are distributed across individuals and not confined to one person's understanding.

• Example: The cultural model of coffee includes its processing journey from berries to beverage, reflecting social and cultural implications.

Conclusion

• In discourse analysis, the emphasis in social cultural analysis is:

  • To consider context as a critical factor along with conventional analyses of form and meaning.

• Discourse should be viewed as a means to engage in social activities shaped by cultural norms and experiences.

References

• The references list includes critical works in discourse analysis, cognitive psychology, pragmatics, and sociolinguistics, highlighting foundational texts in the field.