...An Approach to Corpus-based Discourse Analysis: The Move Analysis as Example THOMAS A . UPTON AND MARY ANN COHEN Abstract This article presents a seven-step corpus-based approach to discourse analysis that starts with a detailed analysis of each individual text in a corpus that can then be generalized across all texts of a corpus, providing a description of typical patterns of discourse organization that hold for the entire corpus. This approach is applied specifically to a methodology that is used to analyze texts in terms of the functional/communicative structures that typically make up texts in a genre: move analysis. The resulting corpus-based approach for conducting a move analysis significantly enhances the value of this often used (and misused) methodology, while at the same time providing badly needed guidelines for a methodology that lacks them. A corpus of ‘birthmother letters’ is used to illustrate the approach. Biber et al. (2007) explore how discourse structure and organization can be investigated using corpus analysis; they offer a structured, seven-step corpusbased approach to discourse analysis that results in generalizable descriptions of discourse structure. This article draws on the themes in this book, but focuses in particular on analyses that use theories on communicative or functional purposes of text as the starting point for understanding why texts in a corpus are structured the way they are, before moving to a closer examination and description of...
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...Lexical cohesion and the organization of discourse First year report PhD student: Ildikó Berzlánovich Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Gisela Redeker Dr. Markus Egg Center for Language and Cognition Groningen University of Groningen 2008 Table of contents 1 Introduction.........................................................................................................1 2 Lexical cohesion...................................................................................................2 2.1 Lexical cohesion and discourse organization................................................2 2.1.1 Introduction.............................................................................................2 2.1.2 Lexical cohesion and genre.....................................................................2 2.1.3 Lexical cohesion and coherence .............................................................3 2.2 The role of lexical cohesion in the segmentation and centrality of discourse units......................................................................................................................5 2.2.1 Introduction.............................................................................................5 2.2.2 Discourse segmentation ..........................................................................6 2.2.3 Central discourse units............................................................................8 2.2.4 Conclusion .........................................
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...The media Anne O’Keeffe Historical overview of media discourse ‘The media’ is a very broad term, encompassing print and broadcast genres, that is anything from newspaper to chat show and, latterly, much more besides, as new media emerge in line with technological leaps. The study of ‘the media’ comes under the remit of media studies from perspectives such as their production and consumption, as well as their aesthetic form. The academic area of media studies cuts across a number of disciplines including communication, sociology, political science, cultural studies, philosophy and rhetoric, to name but a handful. Meanwhile, the object of study, ‘the media’, is an ever-changing and ever-growing entity. The study of ‘the media’ also comes under the radar of applied linguistics because at the core of these media is language, communication and the making of meaning, which is obviously of great interest to linguists. As Fairclough (1995a: 2) points out, the substantively linguistic and discoursal nature of the power of the media is a strong argument for analysing the mass media linguistically. Central to the connection between media studies and studies of the language used in the media (media discourse studies) is the importance placed on ideology. A major force behind the study of ideology in the media is Stuart Hall (see, for example, Hall 1973, 1977, 1980, 1982). Hall (1982), in his influential paper, notes that the study of media (or ‘mass communication’) has had...
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...Table of Contents 1.1 Introduction1 Extract Overview1 Discourse Analysis………………………………………………………………………………………………….2 Alternative Discourse…………………………………………………………………………………………….3 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..4 1.1 Introduction Discourse analysis is both an old and a new discipline. Its origins can be traced back to the study of language, public speech, and literature more than 2000 years ago. (Schiffrin, 2001) Much of the structural analysis of the term can be said to have resulted from books such as the archaeology of knowledge, discipline and punish and the history of sexuality which were written by the famous sociologist Michael Foucault. Foucault defines discourse as ways of constituting knowledge, together with social practices, forms of subjectivity and power relations, which inhere in such knowledge, and relations between them. (Quinby, 1999) Putnam and Fairhurst [2001: 79] use the term 'discourse analysis' to refer to 'the study of words and signifiers, including the form or structure of these words, the use of language in context, and the meanings or interpretation of discursive practices'. Discourses are more than ways of thinking and producing meaning (this meaning could be in form of language, speech, text etc.). They constitute the ‘nature’ of the body, unconscious and conscious and conscious mind and emotional life of the subjects they seek to govern (Weedon, 1987) 1.2 Extract Overview The extract to be assessed is...
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...FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES LINGUISTIC MEANS OF POTRAYING MAIN CHARACTERS IN “THE CANTERBURY TALES” BY GEOFFREY CHAUCER COURSE PAPER PRESENTED BY LILIA YAREMA a fourth year student of the English department SUPERVISED BY SPODARYK O. V. an assistant professor of the English department LVIV 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………… 3-4 CHAPTER I. THEORETICAL ISSUES IN LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS…… 5-16 1.1 Linguistic analysis……………………………………………… 5-8 1.2 Discourse and Text analyses….…………….………………….. 9-11 1.3 Stylistic analysis ………………………………………………… 12-16 CHAPTER II. LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF CHAUCER’S CHARACTERS 17-28 2.1 “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” ……………………………………… 18-22 2.2 “The Pardoner’s Tale” ………………………………………….. 23-28 CONCLUSION………………………………………………………………. 29-30 REFERENCES...… ………………………………………………………….. 31-32 INTRODUCTION The theme of the course paper is “Linguistic means of portraying main characters in “The Canterbury tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer”. This paper intends to make an analysis of the language in the collection of stories “The Canterbury Tales”, written by Geoffrey Chaucer at the end of 14th century. We will analyze the language used to describe characters. It was based on the idea that every choice made by the author of a sentence is meaningful. Therefore, once we understand the choices the author makes when describing a character, we are able to have a better understanding of what this author...
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...DEFINITIONS OF DISCOURSE 1.1. Introduction In this introductory unit we are going to look at a number of definitions of discourse and to try to define some key terms used in discourse analysis, with the aim of clarifying its scope in such a way that it can deal with a wide range of problems and phenomena, but in a more systematic and coherent way. Discourse analysis refers, in a very basic sense, to talk. What most people do most of the time is talk, because to do anything requires talk and, often, texts, both in private and public spheres. However, until recently, little attention has been given to what people actually say and do in particular everyday circumstances. People talk about the world, about their work, about others and their relations with them. And in talking, they do things. That was Austin’s (1962) revolutionary insight into an aspect of language that had not been fully recognized: the pragmatic function of language, what language does to make social life possible. This turn to language, or to discourse, has had the effect of breaking down barriers between different social sciences concerned with the analysis of everyday social life. 1.2. Definitions of discourse Discourse analysis is widely recongnised as one of the most vast and least defined areas of linguistics. One reason for this is that the understanding of discourse is based on scholarship from a number of academic disciplines that are quite different from one another, such as, the philosophy...
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...Discuss the concepts of 'ideology' and 'discourse' in relation to the ways in which representation functions in media texts. You might like to do this in the context of representations of gender, sexuality, 'race', ethnicity, war, refugees or celebrity, for example. Your essay should include your own analysis of a media text that has not been discussed in detail in the lectures, required or additional readings, or in your other assessments. Representation is both the process and the product of media texts, in terms of sexuality in media these representations are shaped by ideologies; the way people think and interpret the word. In turn, different ideologies promote discourse and the discussion of ideas in relation to sexuality. In relation to specific media texts such as True Blood, there are several ideologies in the program, social, political and cultural which show a non-heteronormative view on sexuality. Ideologies are ways of thinking and how we interpret the world around us. It’s through ideology that representation in media text functions to reinforce the view of that particular school of thought. Representation can be through stereotype, strengthening sometimes negative views or typecasting those who are represented. Looking especially True Blood, vampires are being “re-presented” as the gay community which have to struggle and fight for equal rights(Dhaenens, 2013). The concept of Ideology, a way of thinking which impacts how you view and world and interact with people...
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............................5 IV. Analytical Toolbox............................................................................................6 V. Analysis..............................................................................................................8 Whole text and communicative purpose......................................................9 Visual aids..................................................................................................13 Sentences and covert messages..................................................................14 Words and connotations.............................................................................17 VI. Conclusion.......................................................................................................19 I. Introduction The same-sex marriage movement deals with what is arguably a leading social issue in the United States today. In 1996, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) legally fixed the definition of marriage to be that which includes one man and one woman, including the provision that “states need not recognize a marriage from another state if it is between persons of the same sex” (www.domawatch.org). Grassroots organizations began to form on both sides of the debate concerning same-sex marriage reform. Most discourse research on the issue focuses on the ways in which the media and reform oppositionists (DOMA defenders) use language to display and perpetuate their social...
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...As a trainee therapist, I feel relatively untethered to the rigours, set of practices and organisational jargons that represents my placement organisation. Taking advantage of this vantage of being an intern, I propose to conduct discourse analysis on an artefact that denotes my placement organisation, its website http://womensandgirls.org.au. (Blacktown Women’s and Girls’ Health Centre, 2018). Hall (2001) states that Foucault’s definition of discourse moves its focus from linguistics and postulates discourse “as system of representations”. Foucault defines discourse are social systems that produce knowledge and meaning. They are practices produced by the effects of power within a social order (Adams, 2017; Hall, 2001). Foucault argued that...
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...A Comparative Study of Metaphor in British and United States of America (US) Political Discourse Student’s Name University Affiliation Comparative Study of Metaphor in British and United States of America (US) Political Discourse Abstract This study offers a research on the application of metaphor in the discourse of cultural and political aspects between these two countries; The United States of America and Great Britain. As a result, this is an analysis of the various factors related to the perspective in terms of the cultural and socio-political phenomenon, in which a lot of attention is placed on the elements ascertaining the pragmatic, variable, and cognitive details of the British and US's political discourses: The inaugural speeches of four US presidents and party political manifestos of two British political parties during the period between 1974 and 1997 are analysed. The main purpose of undertaking this kind of comparative study of the British and the American political discourses is quite evident, these discourses symbolize intriguing and complex methods of cultural values and political differences as depicted in the respective linguistic contexts. The key findings are that metaphors from the domains of conflict, journey and buildings are general across the divide. However, the British corpus contain metaphors that draw on the source domain of plants whereas the American corpus hugely draws on source domains like fire and light and the physical environments that are...
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...to how language interacts with media. It investigates the forms of language found in media discourse; how patterns in such language use contribute to recognizable media genres and styles; and, broader social themes and consequences that arise from media language. It uses a wide variety of real texts from the media specifically from Magazines. Boles (2012) believes that each magazine uses linguistic techniques these language features are creatively used in magazines by the writers to attract and entertain the target audience as they only have a small space and time to get the attention of the potential buyer of the product. Bell (2010) emphasizes the importance of the processes which produce media language, as stories are molded and modified by various hands. He stresses it is indeed stories that journalists and editors produce, not articles. These stories have viewpoint, values and structure that can be analyzed. He is concerned, too, with the role of the audience in influencing media language styles, and in understanding, forgetting or misconceiving the news presented to it. A feature story is a special human interest story article that is not closely tied to a recent news event. It focuses on particular people, places, and events, and it goes into great detail regarding concepts and ideas of specific market interest. The study primarily aims to provide a contrastive analysis between the use of the variety of english in love songs. The study specifically aims to (1)...
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...textual Analysis The theories behind media and communication are significant when understanding what influences an individual or audience in interpreting and deriving meaning from a text. The cover of the novel, ‘Up the Duff’ by Kaz Cooke is a text that informs, entices and draws the attention of the targeted audience in a clear and concise manner while also providing meaning to the content within the book, and serving as a marketing tool for the novel which is essentially a product. Upon analysis of the way signs are used to shape this text’s meaning, it becomes apparent that the text serves various functions and may be interpreted differently by each individual according to their culture and knowledge. This essay will examine the functions of the text, the use of various signs and discourses underpinning the text, the effective communication methods employed by the text as well as the cultural connotations and prior knowledge that is being drawn upon. The text is attempting to serve the function of providing an audience or potential audience with a clear and concise collaboration of signs and intertextuality to bring light to the genre and content of the novel. A primary function bring served by this text is that of a marketing tool for the book that it covers which is a product created by the author: Kaz Cooke. Similarly to McKee’s (2003, 22) philosophy towards genre, the text as a whole has been designed to indicate the genre as well as signify the discourses underpinning...
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...is one of the generic skills in the NSS curriculum in Hong Kong. The training of media literacy is rooted in critical thinking ability, hence this kit will provide assessment scheme specifying students’ critical thinking into testable abilities and skills, with the purpose to: i. include reflections on media strategies placed within reasoning; ii. problematize the frozen ideologies and power relations embedded in media gendered messages Teaching & Learning Activities To accommodate these rationale and aims, Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) will be employed in this package to facilitate discourse and differentiate student learning, in relation to the intended and unintended messages sent by print media. Both micro (language use, discourse, verbal interaction, imagery communication) and macro level (social power, male dominance, and gender inequality) would be included in the analysis. Three key strategies will be utilized to analyze media discourse at classroom...
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...Birmingham University (Chandler 2001). Encoding/Decoding is a theoretical framework devised to critically examine how society or the hegemonic institutions in society, disseminate messages implanted or ‘encoded’ (Hall 2001, p.167) with meaning ‘through the operation of codes within the syntagmatic chain of a discourse’ (Hall 2001, p.166). Hall’s model examines the processes in which television texts are constructed with dominant codes or ‘preferred readings’ (Hall 2011, p.172), whilst signifying theoretical strategies from which audiences can deconstruct and consume such readings existing within texts in correspondence to cultural and social conditions. Hall’s model laid the foundations for much ethnographic research; it is upon this premise and its comprehensive influence, that in this essay the advantages and limitations of his model will be evaluated with focus on how effectively it functions within the indicated parameters of specific texts and discourses. Hall’s model which is fundamentally a mode of communication and audience reception theory, stems from early models of which proposed to analyse how audiences interpreted texts through the visual and aural discourse of television. Hall utilised and developed upon preceding and often problematic models such as the Effects and the Uses and Gratification models. Conversely from a structuralist standpoint, ‘it took, from the effect theorists, the notion that mass communication is a structured activity, in which the institutions...
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...Exchange 37 (2008) 124-155 www.brill.nl/exch Ethiopian Traditional Values versus the Social Teaching of the Church Solomon Dejene Research Student, Nijmegen Institute for Mission Studies, Nijmegen, The Netherlands Email: S.Dejene@nim.ru.nl Abstract Even if the Roman Catholic Church does not have a very long history in Ethiopia and constitutes a small minority of the society, her social significance is great in part due to the structural development programs she runs through out the country. The main aim of this paper is to identify how much the Church1 has made use of traditional systems and values in reflecting and communicating pastorally particularly in regard the Social of the Church (henceforth CST). By analyzing four selected pastoral letters, this article tries to spell out the strengths and shortcomings of the Church in employing traditional systems and values in giving form to the CST. Keywords Catholic social teaching, human dignity, common good, solidarity, reconciliation and peace, contextualization, Ethiopian traditional values Introduction Most of the current national boundaries of Africa were drawn during the colonial period and do not reflect the socio-cultural, ethno-linguistic and religious compositions of the colonies. Although Ethiopia has successfully overcome European colonial power and survived as an independent state with the exception of a five year Italian occupation (1936-41), its contemporary national boarder is a result of the scramble for Africa....
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