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Discourse Analysis Framework Assignment Outline

It is about multimodal discourse analysis. A full detail on MDA with examples

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10 views2 pages

Discourse Analysis Framework Assignment Outline

It is about multimodal discourse analysis. A full detail on MDA with examples

Uploaded by

muhammadnadeempk0173
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Discourse Analysis Framework Assignment

Introduction to Discourse Analysis


 • Begin by explaining what discourse analysis is and why it’s a key area in linguistics.
Discuss how discourse analysis explores language beyond grammar and vocabulary,
delving into meaning, context, and cultural implications.
 • Introduce the table as a framework for understanding discourse from multiple
perspectives—highlighting that this allows for a nuanced view of how communication
works.
 • Describe each of the four dimensions at a high level, setting up the reader for the
detailed breakdown in the following sections.

Cultural Dimension
 • Explain that cultural context is the environment that surrounds discourse, including
shared values, beliefs, and knowledge within a culture.
 • Discuss ideology as underlying beliefs that shape perspectives and assumptions in
discourse. Explain genre as a type of discourse (e.g., scientific, journalistic,
conversational) and describe how each genre follows distinct conventions.
 • Include examples, like comparing a scientific journal article to a news report on the
same topic to show genre differences.
 • Cite sources such as Van Dijk (2006) on ideology in discourse and Hall (1997) on
representation and cultural practices.

Contextual Dimension
 • Define situational context as the specific setting or scenario in which discourse occurs,
impacting how it is structured and understood.
 • Explain components like discourse range, tone, and style with examples. For instance,
compare informal vs. formal email communication for discourse range and discuss how
a warm, friendly tone differs from a neutral, formal tone in customer service.
 • Refer to Schiffrin’s (1994) discussion on discourse markers and Hymes (1972) on
language and social context for supporting content.

Meaning Dimension
 • Explain how meaning in discourse is constructed through words and relational and
situational cues.
 • Discuss concept meaning (literal word meaning), interpersonal meaning (relational
aspects like tone and politeness), and planning meaning (structuring discourse to
achieve goals).
 • Provide examples, such as analyzing a political speech for respect (interpersonal
meaning), factual content (concept meaning), and persuasive goals (planning meaning).
 • Cite Halliday’s (1994) functional grammar and Searle's (1969) speech acts framework.
Formal Level
 • Discuss how discourse is organized through form (language, picture, sound) and
relational aspects (e.g., complementary or non-complementary relationships).
 • Explain components like how text, visuals, audio, and emotional cues influence
interpretation, and complementary relationships, like spoken and body language.
 • Provide examples, such as describing a news broadcast with visuals, speech, and
background music to illustrate form and relations.
 • Refer to Kress & Van Leeuwen (2001) on multimodal discourse and Goffman (1981)
on forms of talk.

Expression Level
 • Discuss the combination of language and physical or non-verbal elements in conveying
meaning.
 • Explain how accompanying language (e.g., gestures) enhances pure language, and
distinguish between body language (gestures, expressions) and non-body cues
(environmental aspects).
 • Include an example of a teacher’s lecture where spoken words, hand gestures, and
tone contribute to the message.
 • Suggested references include McNeill (1992) on gestures and Levinson (2006) on
deixis and pragmatics.

Integrating Dimensions for Analysis


 • Summarize how these dimensions work together for a complete discourse analysis.
 • Provide a sample analysis of a discourse piece (e.g., an advertisement or film scene),
showing how cultural, contextual, meaning, and formal levels combine for
interpretation.
 • Emphasize the benefits of this multidimensional framework in understanding complex
communication.

Conclusion
 • Recap the importance of each dimension in discourse analysis.
 • Discuss the application of this framework for further linguistic research, especially in
sociolinguistics or media studies.

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