Discourse and Conversation Analysis

Start with discourse and context

For an introduction to the page, start with the Discourse Analysis mind map. It defines discourse as a continuous stretch of spoken language and describes discourse analysis in relation to language in text and communication. The Pragmatics mind map is a useful next step: it looks at similarities and differences between pragmatics and discourse analysis, including their interest in context, text and function.

As you study, note how each map uses its key terms. Returning to the definitions can help you follow the connections made in the other resources on the page.

Move from maps to flashcards

The flashcards on pragmatics and discourse definitions cover terms including deixis, presupposition, implicatures and speech act theory. Use them alongside the maps to practice recognizing terms and recalling their meanings. Another flashcard deck asks learners to identify and label cohesive devices, with examples such as repetition and phorics.

There are no quizzes on this page, so the flashcards offer another way to practice after exploring a mind map. You can return to a map when a card raises a term you want to look at in context.

Explore interaction and connections

The Adjacency pairs mind map looks at exchanges between speakers, including an offer followed by acceptance or rejection. The Pragmatics and Syntax mind map looks at alternative ways of saying the same thing and how language can be used to arrange information.

Together, these resources show how this Discourse and Conversation Analysis section connects with the wider Pragmatics unit in Linguistics and philology. The maps and flashcards give you different ways to study context, language choices and interaction within that unit. Choose a mind map and a flashcard deck to study together.