Understanding Discourse Analysis

• Discourse analysis is a method for studying written, spoken, or non-verbal communication systematically.
• It examines the content of communication, its structure, language use, and the context in which it occurs.
• When applied to non-literary texts, it investigates how these texts create meaning, convey messages, and influence audiences.
• Discourse analysis of non-literary texts helps understand register, style, tone, and visual elements.
• It offers insights into how power, ideology, and social factors shape communication in the text.
• Discourse analysis looks at how various elements combined produce meaning in communication including written and spoken language, non-verbal cues, and multimedia.
• Researchers in the field often aim to understand underlying power dynamics, ideologies, and social relationships influencing language use.

Key Concepts in Discourse Analysis

• Discourse is always embedded in a specific context.
• Context includes historical, social, and cultural factors influencing how communication is understood.
• Context includes the speaker's identity, the audience, and the purpose of the communication.
• Discourse analysis focuses on how language is used to construct meaning.
• It examines what is being said, how it is being said, who is saying it, to whom, and with what intentions.
• Language reflects and shapes power relations in society, which is a central tenet of discourse analysis.
• The ways in which certain voices, opinions, and ideas are privileged or marginalized are a key area of study.
• Texts (written, spoken, or visual) refer to or are shaped by other texts, this is known as Intertextuality.
• Discourse analysis examines how meanings are influenced by the broader network of texts.
• Discourse analysis studies how previous communication influences new communications.

Types of Non-Literary Texts in Discourse Analysis

• News articles, advertisements, social media posts, and TV shows can be analyzed to observe how narratives are constructed, ideologies are conveyed, and societal values are reflected.
• Political speeches and debates are prime examples of discourse analysis in action.
• Analyzing political language can reveal the rhetoric, framing, and persuasion used to influence public opinion or to justify policies.
• Textbooks, manuals, and educational materials can be analyzed to see how knowledge is structured and how authority is established within educational settings.
• Court rulings, legal documents, and official records are analyzed to determine how legal language works to shape power structures and societal norms.
• Everyday conversations can be analyzed to observe conversational patterns, politeness strategies, and how social roles emerge through language use.

Application of Discourse Analysis to Non-Literary Texts

• Identity Construction: Discourse analysis can examine how people are represented in media and political discourse.
• Identity Construction: Discourse analysis can examine how texts construct identities of groups, nations, or social classes.
• Power Relations: Discourse analysis studies how language reinforces or challenges power dynamics.
• Analyzing the discourse in political speeches can reveal how authority is established or contested.
• Framing: Discourse analysis explores how media outlets might frame stories to influence public opinion or shape societal attitudes.
• Many non-literary texts are designed to persuade or inform, in this case discourse analysis can uncover the rhetorical strategies used in advertising, political speeches or public service announcements.
• By examining how issues like race, class and gender are discussed in non-literary texts, discourse analysis helps uncover hidden ideologies that influence societal norms and beliefs.

Sample Discourse Analysis of Non-Literary Texts: Political Speech

• A political speech given by a politician during an election campaign can be analyzed.
• The analysis focuses on how the speech constructs identity, frames issues, uses rhetoric, and reflects power dynamics.
• Analysis is targeted at the language and social context.

Step 1: Contextualizing the Discourse

• Political Context: The speech positions the politician as a challenger to the incumbent administration.
• The speech aims to persuade the electorate to support the speaker in the upcoming election.
• Audience: The intended audience is the general voting public feeling dissatisfied with the current government looking for a change.
• Purpose: The goal is to persuade listeners to vote for the speaker by appealing to emotions like frustration and hope.

Step 2: Identifying Key Discourse Features

• The speaker uses inclusive language (“together,” “we”), which helps in constructing a sense of unity and collective identity.
• It suggests that the audience is part of a community that can solve the country's problems if they act together.
• The speaker appeals to nationalistic values by invoking “American values”, positioning themselves as a patriot.
• This can resonate with voters who feel that these values are under threat.

Framing of Issues

• “Tough challenges” are framed as difficult but surmountable.
• Contrasting this with “leadership,” the speaker positions themselves as the solution.
• This narrative characterizes the incumbent administration as incapable.
• "Failed to create jobs" and "secure our borders" are framed as key issues of national importance.
• Failure to address these issues is used to critique the current government, suggesting a change in leadership is needed.

Use of Rhetorical Devices

• The contrast between the current administration's "failure" and the speaker's vision of "restoring economic growth" is a form of antithesis.
• Antithesis emphasizes the stark difference between the two positions.
• The phrase "it's time for change" is a form of repetition.
• Repetition reinforces the speaker's core message and creates urgency.
• The speaker appeals to frustration with the status quo ("failed to create jobs," "secure our borders") and promises hope ("I am the leader who will bring that change").
• Tapping emotional desires appeals to the audience for improvement.

Power Relations

• By claiming "I am the leader who will bring that change," the speaker asserts authority and positions themselves as capable of solving the country's problems.
• The critique of the current administration presents them as ineffectual.
• The speaker contrasts their leadership with the incumbent's, highlighting their competence.

Ideology and Values

• Invoking "American values" is an appeal to national pride and patriotism, suggesting alignment with core beliefs.
• It appeals to voters who prioritize national identity and security.
• “Puts the people first” indicates populist rhetoric suggesting the speaker is on the side of ordinary citizens, rather than political elites.
• Their goal is to cultivate a sense of the speaker as a voice of the people.

Step 3: Analyzing the Power Dynamics and Ideology

• The speaker positioning themselves as a leader who will restore order reflects a power dynamic, where the speaker is an agent of transformation and the current government is ineffective.
• Dividing between "us" (the people, the speaker) and "them" (the current administration) creates a binary opposition reinforcing, which enforces a need for change.
• The speech's implicit ideology suggests that the current administration's policies are harmful or inadequate.
• By doing so, the current discourse shapes the public's perception and reinforces the idea of a change in leadership.

Step 4: Conclusion

• This discourse analysis shows the speech uses rhetoric, framing, and language to construct a powerful narrative about leadership, national values, and change.
• Appealing to emotions, using inclusive language, and critiquing the opposition positions the speaker as a viable alternative.
• The language reflects and reinforces power dynamics, with the ideology promoting nationalism, security, and economic growth.