Discourse Analysis

Discourse Analysis

1. Discourse: a continuous stretch of spoken language which constitutes a coherent unit

2. Discourse Analysis: the study of the organisation of a language in text and communication

3. The act of conversation requires knowing who should speak next and when they should speak

4. Forces of utterances

   • Locutionary Force: the sounds and words used in an utterance - their actual meaning
   • Illoctionary Force: what an utterance is trying to accomplish; its intended significance
   • Perlocutionary Force: the effect of what is said/what actually happens as the result of an utterance

5. The Cooperative Priniciple: it assumes that people want to cooperate to exchange meaning, which they do by adhering to maxims of conversation

   • Maxim of Quality: don't say something you believe to be false/lack sufficient evidence for
   • Maxim of Quantity: be as informative as required, not more or less so
   • Maxim of Manner: be brief, orderly and avoid ambiguity
   • Maxim of Relation: be relevant
   • The flouting of maxims is different to violating them, because it is deliberate and acceptable. Flouting maxims might be ironic, or may occur when someone is appearing irrelevant but there is implied meaning

6. Interpretation relies on more than literal meaning. Implicatures are deductions made not strictly on the basis of content expressed

   • "Can you pass the salt?" implies "please pass me the salt" rather than "are you physically able to pass me the salt?"
   • Speech requires us to adhere to maxims but also to have background knowledge

7. The Politeness Principle

   • Maxim of Tact: minimise cost to others
   • Maxim of Generosity: minimise benefit to self
   • Maxim of Approbation: maximise praise of others
   • Maxim of Modesty: minimise praise to self
   • Maxim of Agreement: minimise disagreement between self and others
   • Maxim of Sympathy: minimise antipathy between self and others

8. Phatic Communiion is polite conversation. It carries no real meaning and isn't meant to inform/express thought. e.g. discussing the weather, asking about health, stating obvious facts