Discourse Analysis and Discourse Analysis and

Language TeachingLanguage Teaching

DushyanthiDushyanthi MendisMendis

Department of EnglishDepartment of English

University of ColomboUniversity of Colombo

14.09.200714.09.2007

ContentsContents

1.1. DefinitionsDefinitions

2.2. FunctionsFunctions

3.3. ApplicationsApplications

4.4. DataData

5.5. Implications for language teachingImplications for language teaching

6.6. Works citedWorks cited

7.7. AcknowledgmentsAcknowledgments

8.8. ConclusionConclusion

What is discourse?What is discourse?

�� Discourse: 1. a serious speech or piece of Discourse: 1. a serious speech or piece of

writing about a particular subject; 2. writing about a particular subject; 2.

serious conversation; 3. connected serious conversation; 3. connected

language in speech or writing; language in speech or writing; (Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, 2(Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, 2ndnd

edition, 1987)edition, 1987)

�� Discourse is language above the level of Discourse is language above the level of

the sentencethe sentence

�� Discourse must be understood in its widest Discourse must be understood in its widest

sense: every utterance assuming a speaker and sense: every utterance assuming a speaker and

a hearer, and in the speaker, the intention of a hearer, and in the speaker, the intention of

influencing the speaker in some way influencing the speaker in some way …… it is every it is every

variety of oral discourse of every nature from variety of oral discourse of every nature from

trivial conversation to the most elaborate oration trivial conversation to the most elaborate oration

…… but it is also the mass of writing that but it is also the mass of writing that

reproduces oral discourse or that borrows its reproduces oral discourse or that borrows its

manner of expression and its purposes: manner of expression and its purposes:

correspondence, memoirs, plays, didactic works, correspondence, memoirs, plays, didactic works,

in short, all genres in which someone addresses in short, all genres in which someone addresses

himself as the speaker, and organizes what he himself as the speaker, and organizes what he

says in the category of person says in the category of person ((BenvenisteBenveniste, 1971:110), 1971:110)

What is discourse analysis?What is discourse analysis?

�� Discourse analysis is a vast area within Discourse analysis is a vast area within

linguistics, encompassing as it does the analysis linguistics, encompassing as it does the analysis

of spoken and written language over and above of spoken and written language over and above

concerns such as the structure of the clause or concerns such as the structure of the clause or

sentence (McCarthy 1991)sentence (McCarthy 1991)

�� Discourse Analysis is concerned with the study Discourse Analysis is concerned with the study

of the relationship between language and the of the relationship between language and the

contexts in which it is used (McCarthy 1991) contexts in which it is used (McCarthy 1991)

Why Why analyseanalyse discourse?discourse?

�� To inform ourselves about the language To inform ourselves about the language

we usewe use

�� To dispel myths about the language we To dispel myths about the language we

useuse

�� To find out how language changes and To find out how language changes and

evolves over timeevolves over time

�� To find out the most effective uses of To find out the most effective uses of

language for communicationlanguage for communication

Discourse analysis and language Discourse analysis and language

teachingteaching

�� Articles (a, the)Articles (a, the)

�� Referential pronouns (it, they, this, that, one)Referential pronouns (it, they, this, that, one)

�� Speech acts (requesting, Speech acts (requesting, apologisingapologising, ordering), ordering)

�� Idioms (a slap in the face)Idioms (a slap in the face)

�� Discourse markers (first, next, then)Discourse markers (first, next, then)

�� Logical connectors (moreover, nevertheless)Logical connectors (moreover, nevertheless)

�� Modals (would, could, may, might)Modals (would, could, may, might)

�� Introductions and conclusions etc.Introductions and conclusions etc.

Language useLanguage use

Written British EnglishWritten British English

1.1. thethe

2.2. toto

3.3. andand

4.4. ofof

5.5. aa

6.6. inin

7.7. waswas

8.8. itit

9.9. II

10.10. hehe

11.11. thatthat

12.12. sheshe

13.13. forfor

14.14. onon

15.15. herher

Spoken British EnglishSpoken British English1.1. thethe

2.2. II

3.3. andand

4.4. youyou

5.5. itit

6.6. toto

7.7. aa

8.8. yeahyeah

9.9. thatthat

10.10. ofof

11.11. inin

12.12. waswas

13.13. itit’’ss

14.14. nownow

15.15. MmMm

(Carter, 2007)(Carter, 2007)

Dispelling mythsDispelling myths

basically I like watching films err basically I like watching films err (.2)(.2) yeah mostly yeah mostly

watch English films watch English films (.2)(.2) and and (.2)(.2) yeah err I like all yeah err I like all

sorts of films sorts of films (.2)(.2) some of the films I really like some of the films I really like

are are (.1)(.1) mm mm actiacti-- I like action films I also like err I like action films I also like err

drama drama (.2)(.2) type of films also type of films also (.2)(.2) I like horror I like horror

films not too much but yeah relatively okayfilms not too much but yeah relatively okay I I

also like comedies err also like comedies err (.2)(.2) one of the sone of the s-- some of some of

the main films have err the main films have err (.2)(.2) inspired me is patch inspired me is patch

adamsadams and also v for vendetta I like this and also v for vendetta I like this

because itbecause it’’s a err very inspiring films which talk s a err very inspiring films which talk

about how people about how people (.4)(.4) deviate from deviate from ermerm (xx) sort (xx) sort

of social structures of social structures

Changing and evolving languageChanging and evolving language

EgEg 1: I1: I’’ll give you a ll give you a ringcutringcut

EgEg 2: Ring 2: Ring kkәәrrәәllāā cut cut kkәәrr٨٨nnnnәә

EgEg 3: Yeah 3: Yeah DushyDushy

EgEg 4: I4: I’’m at a meeting now Im at a meeting now I’’ll call youll call you

EgEg 5: Sorry I 5: Sorry I cudncudn wish you. wish you. nyny way hp way hp datdat us us havhava Happy n safe a Happy n safe jrnyjrny. God bless u. GN.. God bless u. GN.

EgEg 6: Hey man already done 4 d 6: Hey man already done 4 d dada um. um. GoinGoin arndarnd3.30 3.30 whrwhr r u? r u? nwnw u, @ d u, @ d rescorcrescorc cntrcntr. C . C yayadn.dn.

Language for effective Language for effective

communicationcommunication

�� The language of speech and writingThe language of speech and writing

�� The language of disciplinary discoursesThe language of disciplinary discourses

�� The language of genresThe language of genres

�� Rhetorical expressionRhetorical expression

�� Discourse markers and signposting devicesDiscourse markers and signposting devices

ReferencesReferences

�� Carter, Ronald. (2007). Carter, Ronald. (2007). ““Spoken grammar/written Spoken grammar/written grammar: from corpus to classroomgrammar: from corpus to classroom””. Plenary delivered at . Plenary delivered at 55thth International International AsiaTEFLAsiaTEFL Conference, Malaysia. Conference, Malaysia.

�� McCarthy, Michael. (1991) McCarthy, Michael. (1991) Discourse analysis for Discourse analysis for language teacherslanguage teachers. Cambridge University Press.. Cambridge University Press.

�� Mills, Sara (1997) Mills, Sara (1997) DiscourseDiscourse. London: . London: RoutledgeRoutledge..

AcknowledgmentsAcknowledgmentsMy students:My students:

�� HeshanHeshan DharmawardanaDharmawardana for speech data on moviesfor speech data on movies

�� RizanaRizana HassanHassan for mobile phone datafor mobile phone data

�� GayaniGayani RanasingheRanasinghe for SMS datafor SMS data

Thank youThank you