DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

Lecturer: Huynh Anh Tuan, PhD.

Dean of Graduate Studies Faculty

Ulis-VNU
[email protected]
0902229101
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

WEEK 1
Course Introduction
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS
 Course overview

- An overview of the diverse field of

discourse analysis (DA)
-Topics to be covered include:
1. Layers of DA:
1)Formal features of DA:
•The role of grammar and vocabulary in
discourse (the cohesion and coherence of
discourse)
•The role of information structure (IS) in
discourse
 Course overview
2) DA in social interaction: Conversation
Analysis (CA);
3) DA in inter/cross-cultural communication
(ICC/CCC);
4) DA in relation to power and ideology:
Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA):
2. Approaches to DA:
1) Speech Act Theory = the theory of doing
something with words (language performs
action: to say something is to do something;
e.g. I am sorry = apologizing)
 Course overview
2) Pragmatics = the associations between meaning,
context, & communication (meanings in context of
use). E.g.: David is a heavy smoker. (implicature)
3) Interactional Sociolinguistics = how language
users create meaning via social interaction= the
impact of social interaction & interpersonal contexts
on the structure and meaning of a language (e.g.,
when you opt for telling a joke in a conversation, you
would ponder the sex/race/age/nationality/social
status, etc., of the hearer: My husband has only one
foot. A female might wonder why you are telling this
joke to her).
 Course overview
4) Ethnography of Communication = the way people
communicate reflects their “cultural repertoire for
making sense of the world” (Schiffrin, 1997, p.138)
(e.g., throw in the towel = give in , surrender, be
defeated/kick the bucket/carry coal to Newcastle)
5) Conversation Analysis (CA)/ Ethno-Methodology
= the study of social interaction, embracing both
verbal and non-verbal conduct, in situations of
everyday life (doctor-patient/teacher-student/boss-
employee, etc. talks)
 Course overview
6) Variation Analysis = “alternative ways of
saying the same thing” (Labov, 1972a,
p.188):
-Register: “a variety of language,
corresponding to a variety of situation”
(Halliday, 1985, p.29)/particular varieties
or styles of speaking and writing
-The language is used for different purposes,
in different contexts and for different
audiences./Stylistics
 Course overview
- a legal register, a register of advertising,
registers of banking and a register of
weather forecasting
- Registers are recognized because of their
specialised vocabulary/particular uses of
grammar/whether language is being used
formally or informally/user-related
variation of language in various aspects of
geographical, temporal, social, standard and
idiolectal (individual) dialects
 Course overview
- There is a depression moving in from the
Atlantic and we can expect high winds and
local storms over the next few days in the
north of the country./tropical depression
- Geographical dialects, e.g. Scottish English
• That's outwith my remit = It's not part of
my job to do that
• I'll come round (at) the back of eight = I'll
come round just after eight o'clock
 Course overview
• What a dreich /dri:k/ day! = What a dull,
miserable, overcast day (of weather)
• Greeting is the equivalent of the English
crying (He's greeting because his mother
has died).
• I'm feeling quite drouthy /’drʊθɪ/= I'm
feeling quite thirsty
• That's a right (or real) scunner!/ˈskʌnə/ =
That's extremely off-putting/unpleasant
• Loch Ness Lake St Petersburgh
 Course overview
• The picture still looks squint = The
picture still looks askew/awry
• You'd better just caw canny = You'd
better just go easy/Don't overdo it
• His face is tripping him = He's looking
fed up
• Just play the daft laddie meaning = Act
ingenuously/feign ignorance
 Course overview
• You're standing there like a stookie =
you stand there as if incapable of stirring
yourself (like a plaster statue, a stucco
figure)
• I didn't mean to cause a stooshie = I
didn't mean to cause a major
fuss/commotion
• I'm swithering whether to go = I'm in two
minds/uncertain as to whether to go
 Course overview
7) Cross/Inter-cultural Communication
•Intercultural communication is the study
of distinct cultural or other groups in
interaction with each other.
•The analyst’s role is to stand outside of
the interaction and to provide an analysis
of how the participants negotiate their
cultural or other differences.
 Course overview
• Intercultural communication takes place when
individuals influenced by different cultural
communities negotiate shared meanings in
interaction.
• Intercultural communication is distinct from
cross-cultural communication, which examines
the communicative behaviour of people within
their own culture and compares this with the
communicative norms of other cultures.
 Course overview
• Cross-cultural communication study is the
independent study of the communicative
characteristics of distinct cultural or other
groups.
• The members of the distinct groups do not
interact with each other within the study
but are studied as separate and separable
entities.
• The distinctiveness of the groups under
analysis is often presupposed.
 Course overview
8) Critical Discourse Analysis
•Critical discourse analysis (CDA) is a type of
discourse analytical research that primarily
studies the way social power abuse,
dominance, and inequality are enacted,
reproduced, and resisted by text and talk in
the social and political context. Critical
discourse analysts take explicit position, and
thus want to understand, expose, and
ultimately resist social inequality.
 Course overview
• Husband and wife
• Spouse
• Partner
• The handicapped
• Please give this seat to those who might
need it more than you.
• Deconstruct/reconstruct
 Course overview
3. Research topics in DA
4. Applications in language education
5. Book review
 (Expected) Learning outcomes/ELOs

1. Understand the structure of a range of

text types, spoken and written;
2. Understand different theoretical
approaches to the analysis of discourse;
3. Know how to analyse the rhetorical,
grammatical and lexical structure of texts;
4. Be familiar with applications of discourse
analysis in language teaching.
 Course requirements
1. Attend all lectures (face-to-face)
2. Attend group tutorials (online;
zoom provided by lecturer)
3. Participate in discussions and
workshops
4. Give presentations on topics
assigned in 6 groups of 6-7 students
5. Self-study
6. Write an assignment
Tutorials for group presentations
• Zoom ID/PW: provided by the lecturer
• Materials (PPT/electronic books/journal
articles): provided by the lecturer
• Meeting time: 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. (Monday
to Sunday, meeting time scheduled 1 week
before each tutorial, to take place 3 days
before the presentations at the latest)
• Group division: formed by the students
(leader: doctoral students)
 Group leaders’ tasks
• Assign tasks among group members
• Lead group discussions prior to each
tutorial
• Offer advice/guidance/support/suggestions,
etc. upon request by group members or
during the tutorials
• Lead the presentations (introduction,
overview, summary)
Books to be reviewed by doctoral
students
1. Discourse Analysis as Theory and Method (Marianne
Jorgensen & Louise J. Phillips; 2002)
2. The Routledge Handbook of Discourse Analysis (Edited
by James Paul Gee and Michael Handford, 2012)
3. Perspectives on Discourse Analysis: Theory and
Practice (Laura Alba-Juez, 2009)
 Books to be reviewed by doctoral students

4. The Routledge Handbook of Language and

Culture (Edited By Farzad Sharifian, 2019)
5. CDA (Norman Fairclough, 2013)
6. Language and Power (Norman Fairclough,
2013)
7. Discourse and Social Change (Norman
Fairclough, 1992)
Books to be reviewed by doctoral
students
8. The Handbook of Intercultural Discourse
and Communication (Edited by Christina
Bratt Paulston, Scott F. Kiesling, and
Elizabeth S. Rangel, 2012)
9. The Handbook of Critical Intercultural
Communication (Edited by Thomas K.
Nakayama and Rona Tamiko Halualani, 2010
10. Reading Images: The Grammar of Visual
Design (Gunther Kress, Theo van Leeuwen,
2021)
 Activities &Time Allocation

Activities Sessions

Lectures 4
Workshops 1
Presentations 6
Total 11
 Course outline
- Session 1: (Lecture) Course introduction
- Session 2: (Lecture) Defining DA: Text,
Context, and Co-text; Layers of DA
- Suggested Reading:
• Cook (1989) Chapter 1;
• Halliday & Hasan (1985) Chapter 1;
• Jaworski & Coupland (1999) Introduction
pp 1–45;
• McCarthy (1991) Chapter 1;
• Schiffrin (1994) Chapter 2
 Outline Programme
- Session 3: (Presentation, Group 1)
Discourse Analysis and Grammar
- Suggested Reading:
• Halliday (1985) Chapter 9;
• Bloor & Bloor (1995) Chapter 5
• McCarthy (1991) Chapter 2;
• Cook (1989) Chapter 2;
• Halliday (1985) Chapter 3;
• Hatch (1992) Chapter 6]
 Outline Programme
- Session 4: (Lecture) Discourse and
information structure
-Suggested Reading:
•Cook (1989) Chapter 5;
•Ward &Birner (2001) Chapter 6 in
Schiffrin et al.
•Bloor & Bloor (1995) Chapter 4;
•Halliday (1985) Chapter 8
 Outline Programme
- Session 5: (Presentation; Group 2)
Discourse, vocabulary and background
knowledge
•Suggested Reading:
•McCarthy (1991) Chapter 3;
•Hoey (1991);
•Lakoff & Johnson (1980)
 Outline Programme
- Session 6: (Presentation; Group 3):
Discourse and Intercultural
Communication
-Suggested Reading:
•Scollon & Scollon (2001) Chapter 27 in
Schiffrin et al.
Scollon & Scollon (1995);
•Boxer (2002)
 Outline Programme
- Session 7: (Presentation; Group 4) Discourse in
Social Interaction
-Suggested Reading:
•Johnstone (2008) Chapter 7;
•Cameron(2001)Chapter 7;
•Cook (1989) Chapters 4 and 10;
•Coulthard (1985) Chapters 2, 3 and 4;
•Drew & Heritage (1992);
•Eggins& Slade (1997);
•McCarthy (1991) Chapter 5;
•Schiffrin (1994);
•Johnstone (2001) Chapter 32 (in Schiffrin et al.)
 Outline Programme
- Session 8: Presentation; Group 5) Discourse and
power: CDA (Critical Discourse Analysis)
-Suggested Reading:
•Fairclough (2001);
•Fairclough (1992);
•Tannen (1994);
•Kendall &Tannen (2001) Chapter 28 (in Schiffrin
et al.);
•Kress (1990) pp 84–99;
•Van Dijk (2001) Chapter 18 (in Schiffrin et al);
Widdowson (2000);
•Wodak & Reisigl (2001) Chapter 19 (in Schiffrin et
al.)
 Outline Programme
- Session 9: (Presentation; Group 6)
Approaches to DA
- Session 10: (Workshop led by doctoral
students): Research topics in DA; Book
review
- Session 11: (Lecture) Revision &
Assignment topics
 Bibliography/references
• Bhatia, V. K. (1993). Analysing Genre:
Language use in professional settings.
Longman.
• Biber, D. & Conrad, S. (2001). ‘Register
variation: a corpus approach’. Chapter 9
in Schiffrin, D., Tannen, D. & Hamilton,
H.E. (Eds.) Handbook of Discourse
Analysis, Blackwell Publishing, 175-96.
• Biber, D.; Conrad, S., & Reppen, R. (1998).
Corpus linguistics: investigating language
structure and use. Cambridge University
Press.
 Bibliography
• Bloor, T. & Bloor, M. (1995). The Functional
Analysis of English. Arnold.
• Boxer, D. (2002). Discourse issues in cross-
cultural pragmatics. Annual Review of Applied
Linguistics. Volume 22: Discourse and Dialogue.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp
150–167.
• Brown, G. (1996). Speakers, Listeners and
Communication: Explorations in Discourse
Analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
• Brown, G. & Yule, G. (1983). Discourse Analysis.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
 Bibliography

• Cameron, D. (2001). Working with Spoken

Discourse. London: Sage Publications.
• Carter, R. & McCarthy, M. (1997). Exploring
Spoken English. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
• Clark, H.H. & Carlson, T.B. (1982). “Hearers
and Speech Acts.” Language, 58: 332–373.
• Cook, G. (1989). Discourse. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
 Bibliography
• Coulthard, M. (1985). An Introduction to
Discourse Analysis (New Edition). London:
Longman.
• Couper-Kuhlen, E. (2001). Intonation and
discourse: Current views from within.
Chapter 1 in Schiffrin, D., Tannen., D &
Hamilton, H.E. (Eds.) Handbook of
Discourse Analysis, Blackwell Publishing,
pp 13–34.
• Cummings, L. (2005). Pragmatics: A
multidisciplinary perspective. Edinburgh:
Edinburgh University Press.
 Bibliography

• De Beaugrande, R. & Dressler, W.

(1981). Introduction to text linguistics.
London: Longman.
• Drew, P. & Heritage, J. (Eds.) (1992).
Talk at Work. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
• Eggins, S. & Slade, D. (1997). Analysing
Casual Conversation. Cassell.
 Bibliography
• Fairclough, N. (1992). Discourse and
Social Change. Polity Press.
• Fairclough, N. (1995). Critical
Discourse Analysis. London: Longman.
• Fairclough, N. (2001). Language and
power 2nd Ed. London: Longman.
• Gee, J.P. (1999). An Introduction to
Discourse Analysis: Theory and
Method. London: Routledge.
 Bibliography
• Georgakopoulou, A. & Goutsos, D.
(1997). Discourse Analysis: An
Introduction. Edinburgh: Edinburgh
University Press.
 Bibliography
• Halliday, M. (1985). Introduction to
Functional Grammar. Arnold.
• Halliday, M.A.K. & Hasan, R. (1976).
Cohesion in English. London: Longman.
• Halliday, M.A.K. & Hasan, R. (1985).
Language, Context and Text: Aspects of
Language in a Social-semiotic
Perspective. Deakin University Press,
Victoria. Oxford University Press
edition (1989).
 Bibliography
• Hatch, E. (1992). Discourse and
Language Education. Cambridge
University Press.
• Herring, S. C. (2001). Computer-
mediated discourse. Chapter 31 in
Schiffrin, D, Tannen, D & Hamilton,
H E (Eds.) Handbook of Discourse
Analysis, Blackwell Publishing, pp
612-34.
 Bibliography
• Hoey, M. (1991). Patterns of Lexis in
Text. Oxford University Press.
• Hoey, M. (1983). On the Surface of
Discourse. London: Allen & Unwin.
• Holmes, J. (1995). Women, men and
politeness: Agreeable and
disagreeable responses. In A.
Jaworski, & N. Coupland (Eds.) (1999)
The Discourse Reader. London:
Routledge, pp 336–45.
 Bibliography
• Johnstone, B. (2008). Discourse
Analysis 2nd Ed. Oxford: Blackwell.
• Johnstone, B. (2008). Discourse
Analysis 2nd Ed. Oxford: Blackwell.
 Bibliography
• Kendall, S. & Tannen, D. (2001).
Discourse and gender. Chapter 28 in
Schiffrin, D., Tannen, D.& Hamilton,
H.E. (Eds.) Handbook of Discourse
Analysis, Blackwell Publishing, pp 548-
67.
• Kress, G. (1990). Critical discourse
analysis. Annual Review of Applied
Linguistics, 10:pp 84-99.
 Bibliography
• Lakoff, G. & Johnson, M. (1980).
Metaphors We Live By. Chicago:
University of Chicago Press.
• Leech, G. (1983). Principles of
Pragmatics. London: Longman.
• Levinson, S.C. (1987). Pragmatics.
Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
• McCarthy, M. (1991). Discourse
Analysis for Language Teachers.
Cambridge University Press.
 Bibliography
• Nunan, D. (1993). Introducing Discourse
Analysis. Penguin Books.
• Pennycook, A. (1996). Borrowing others’
words: Text, ownership, memory, and
plagiarism. TESOL Quarterly, 30(2), 201–
230
• Salkie, R. (1995). Text and Discourse
Analysis. London: Routledge.
• Schiffrin, D. (1994). Approaches to
Discourse. Oxford: Blackwell.
• Schiffrin, D., Tannen, D. & Hamilton, H.E.
(Eds.) (2001). The Handbook of Discourse
Analysis. Oxford: Blackwell.
 Bibliography
• Scollon, R. & Scollon, S.W. (1995).
Intercultural communication. Oxford:
Blackwell.
• Scollon, R. & Scollon, S. W. (2001).
Discourse and intercultural
communication. Chapter 27 in
Schiffrin, D., Tannen, D. & Hamilton, H.
E. (Eds.) Handbook of Discourse
Analysis, Blackwell Publishing, pp 538-
47.
• Searle, J.R. (1969). Speech Acts.
Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
 Bibliography
• Stubbs, M. (2001). ‘Computer-assisted
text and corpus analysis: lexical
cohesion and communicative
competence.’ Chapter 16 in Schiffrin,
D., Tannen, D. & Hamilton, H. E. (Eds.)
Handbook of Discourse Analysis,
Blackwell Publishing, 304-20.
• Swales, J. (1990). Genre Analysis:
English in academic and research
settings. Cambridge University Press.
 Bibliography
• Tannen, D. (1994). Gender and
Discourse. Oxford: Oxford University
Press.
• Teo, P. (2000). Racism in the news: A
critical discourse analysis of news
reporting in two Australian
newspapers. Discourse & Society, vol.
11 (1): 7–49.
 Bibliography
• Van Dijk, T.A. (2001). ‘Critical
discourse analysis’. Chapter 18 in
Schiffrin, D., Tannen, D. & Hamilton,
H. E. (Eds.) Handbook of Discourse
Analysis, Blackwell Publishing, pp
352-71.
 Bibliography

• Ward, G. &Birner, B.J. (2001).

‘Discourse and information
structure’. Chapter 6 in Schiffrin, D.,
Tannen, D. & Hamilton, H. E. (Eds.)
Handbook of Discourse Analysis,
Blackwell Publishing, pp 119-37.
 Bibliography
• Wodak, R. & Reisigl, M. (2001).
‘Discourse and racism’. Chapter 19 in
Schiffrin, D., Tannen, D. & Hamilton,
H.E. (Eds.) Handbook of Discourse
Analysis, Blackwell Publishing, pp
372-97.
 Online book download sites
• library genesis
1) http://libgen.rs/
2) https://libgen.is/
 Learning and teaching
methods
• Teaching methods include
Lectures
Tutorials
Workshops
Group work
 Learning activities

• Individual and/or team research,

• Preparing and delivering
presentations and student led
workshops,
• Using on-line resources
• Individual study
 Formal assessment

• One assignment will be set. Guidance

will be given during the lectures.
• Discussion and presentation during
teaching sessions
• Tutorial planning
• Practical activities related to
assignment writing and the research
project (if any).
 Formal assessment
Formal assessment will be through:
1)an oral presentation based on a
group small scale research project
which contributes 30% to the final
mark, and
2)one written assignment (essay) of
approximately 4,000 words which
contributes 60% to the final mark.
 Formal assessment
• The subject for the essay will be
negotiated with the lecturer.
• It can consist of a report of the
research project, relating it to the
themes developed over the course.
 Assignments
• To be submitted within 8 weeks after the
end of the course (soft copy to
[email protected] and hard
copy to the Faculty of Graduate Studies/Ms
Tran Thi Phuong Nhung)
 Suggested topics
- Analyze a discourse in terms of one of the
following aspects:
1. Coherence and cohesion
2. Information structure
3. Social interaction
4. Intercultural communication
5. Power and ideology
 Essay structure
Front pages (in accordance with FGS
conventions/regulations)
1. Introduction
2. Theoretical background
3. The discourse
4. Analysis of the discourse
5. Conclusion
6. References
 Group Presentation Assessment
- Use of relevant literature: 1
- Quality of referencing: 1
- Coherence of structure: 1
- Grasp of key concepts and issues: 1
- Quality of description and analysis: 2
- Clarity and development of argument: 1
- Evidence of independent and critical thought: 1
- Use of language (grammar, register etc.): 1
- Presentation skill: (verbal and non-verbal):1
 Assignment Assessment
- Use of relevant literature: 1
- Quality of referencing: 1
- Coherence of structure: 1
- Grasp of key concepts and issues: 1
- Quality of description and analysis: 2
- Clarity and development of argument: 1
- Evidence of independent and critical thought: 1
- Use of language (grammar, register etc.): 1
- Presentation (spelling, punctuation, word-processing,
etc.): 1
 Formal assessment
Assessment criteria Percentage

Participation/attendance 10%

Presentation 30%

End-of-unit assignment 60%

Total 100%
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

Lecturer: Huynh Anh Tuan, PhD.

Dean of Graduate Studies Faculty

Ulis-VNU
[email protected]
0902229101
•Thank you for your listening!