ch 4.4 discourse

English Language Unit 1

Did you know?

The first English dictionary

was published in 1604.

Learning intention:

Develop the skills to analyse a

discourse.

Success criteria:

Able to:

- identify discourse devices

- analyse a discourse

GKR

Discourse analysis – try this (booklet p 29)

Discourse

Ambiguous

Context

Discourse devices

Key Vocabulary:

Discourse – What is it?

What is discourse?

Discourse Analysis

Is an attempt to interpret what the writer or speaker intended to say.

It focuses on naturally spoken language as found in conversations, interviews, commentaries and speeches

Its aim is to make explicit what normally gets taken for granted; it is also to show what talking accomplishes in people’s lives and in society at large

Discourse Analysis Example

Mother: Are they your shoes in the family room?

Daughter: Yes (continues to text her friend)

Is the mother really just asking a question?

Is the mother’s question ambiguous?

Has the daughter chosen to take advantage of the ambiguity of her mother’s question?

Discourse Analysis

Read page 29 and 30 – highlight or

take notes

Stop before Meaning and the Mock

Turtle

Discourse types

Four types of discourse:

◦ argument – the writer / speaker is

attempting to convince an audience that

his or her opinion is correct, typically by

using logic and appealing to the

audience’s sense of reason

◦ narration - to tell a story, often in order to

make the audience feel differently about a

certain topic

Discourse types

◦ description - usually used to help the

audience visualise people and places, but

it can also put the audience in a particular

mood or create a certain type of

atmosphere

◦ exposition - inform the audience about a

particular topic

Discourse styles

What is discourse style?

What are Discourse Devices?

Discourse devices – examples:

◦ ambiguity – word possibly has more than

one meaning

◦ malapropisms – using an incorrect word

in place of one that is similar in

pronunciation

◦ discourse particles – filler words used to

give the speaker time to think without

losing their turn in the conversation

◦ italics – can provide emphasis

Discourse Analysis

Examine Meaning and the Mock Turtle

Mock Turtle Analysis

What type of discourse is Mock

Turtle?

What tells us it is a conversation?

Who are the characters?

Who is the intended audience?

What is the context (background)?

What is the overall meaning?

What is the style of the language?

Mock Turtle Analysis

What is the structure? (full sentences,

paragraphs, dot points)

Word choice - do the words make

sense?

What would be the author’s intended

purpose to use nonsense words?

What impact does it have on Alice?

1) List 3 discourse

devices

2) Identify 2

questions to

ask when

analysing a

discourse

3) Name 1

learning

strategy you

used today