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Discourse and Pragmatics. Week 1. What ’ s it all about?. Leaning to use the analysis of language to solve real-life problems at work, at school and at home. Theory and Practical Application. Course Information. Course Website http://personal.cityu.edu.hk/~enrodney/Discourse/index.htm
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Discourse and Pragmatics Week 1
What’s it all about? • Leaning to use the analysis of language to solve real-life problems at work, at school and at home. • Theory and Practical Application
Course Information • Course Website • http://personal.cityu.edu.hk/~enrodney/Discourse/index.htm • Blackboard Site • Lectures • Readings • Required Readings (Textbook) • Supplementary Readings
Assessment • Field Journal (50%) • Article Critique (10%) • Test (20%) • Reading Quizzes (10%)
Field Journal • Choose a site of investigation • E.g. workplace, school, organization, church, family • 8 investigations • Data collection and analysis • Word limit • http://personal.cityu.edu.hk/~enrodney/Discourse/FieldInvestigations.htm
Article Critique • Choose an article describing a discourse analytical study relevant to your site of investigation • Write a 500 wd. Critique • Guidelines on website
Test • Week 13 • Covering materials from lectures and required readings • Multiple choice and short answer
Reading Quizes • Short ‘one question quiz’ at the beginning of each class • Attendance Policy • More than 2 unexcused absences will be grounds for failure of the course.
Three approaches to discourse • Language above the sentence • Language in use • Language as it constructs social reality and social identity
Discourse as language above the sentence • Discourse is: ‘language above the sentence level or above the clause.’ • Stubbs 1998
Discourse as language above the sentence • How sentences connect (in the text) • Patterns of texts (in your mind)
Discourse as language in use • The study of discourse is the study of any aspect of language use. • Fasold 1990 • The analysis of discourse is the analysis of language in use…it cannot be restricted to the description of linguistic forms independent of the purposes or functions that they serve in human affairs. • Brown and Yule 1983
Meaning depends on… • How • Where • When • To whom • Why
Discourse as a social practice • ‘Discourse’ is for me more than just language in use: It is language use, whether speech or writing, seen as a type of social practice. • Fairclough 1992 • Discourse constitutes the social…Discourse is shaped by relations of power, and invested with ideologies. • Fairclough 1992
Big D and Little d • Discourse (non-count) vs. ‘Discourses’ • Saying, Doing, Thinking, Behaving, Believing, Valuing, Interacting combinations that show who we are (Gee) • The ‘Discourse of medicine’ • The ‘Discourse of romance’
Looking at Lockers • How do people use their lockers to communicate ‘who they are’ • What languages (tools) do they use? • How do they mix these tools?