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In the simplest way, discourse refers to the verbal or written communication between individuals that goes further than a simple sentence. It should be noticed that discourse is more than just language as it goes beyond to look at how language reflects reality accordingly on how it is conveyed through context. Context here is based on the social, cultural, political and historical background of the discourse (Crosley, 2021). Understanding these contexts is an important agenda for discourse analysis. Thus, discourse analysis aims to understand how language is used in real life situations and to understand how language shapes individual’s identity and interaction.
Furthermore, what makes discourse analysis unique is the fact that our experience of the world is understood from a subjective point of view (Crosley, 2021). Hereby, different encounters of interactions may pursue and understand contexts differently and the language here is used as a tool to control people. For instance, a film critique in Disney movies portrays the constructed idealization of feminine and masculine identity in which children are bound to aspire towards. There are studies whereby women are portrayed as active protagonists and continue to embody female identities while men are active and seek hero roles as depicted in the movie of Tarzan (Dew, 2022). From this example, we understand the normalization and expectation of the gender roles and the dominant discourse of this situation is due to norm of the positions between men and women.
Next, understanding the usage of discourse analysis has its various essential benefits. Such as, we are able to investigate the different functions of language in terms of understanding the meaning of a sentence based on different constructed contexts or situations. Namely, in the field of medicine, this can be shown though how a doctor’s speech in making a diagnosis or informing patients regarding medical terms or procedures (Nordquist, 2020). The context of speech here is used to make their patients understand what is being conveyed and ensuring their patients receive the relevant information regardless of their limited language skills. Besides that, discourse analysis can also tell us a lot about understanding the hierarchy of power and power imbalances. This hierarchy is formed based on inequalities of power and this can be illustrated utterly in the field of working, whereby there are the significant positions of employers and the employees. By way of illustration, it can be seen how an employer (CEO) speaks to someone of less power, such as a lower-level employee. The discourse that can be considered in this situation is based on how an upper-class employer converses with those of lower levels than them, how they interact in meetings and in casual situations and also how communication is used to achieve social goals, such as to navigate conflict or create friendship bonds (Crosley, 2021). Hence, discourse analysis can be a compelling aid in assessing social issues and power imbalances, in which both play an important role in the current society.
Moving on, why is discourse analysis relevant to classroom practice? In my opinion, discourse analysis benefits us as learners to find interest in looking at language deeper than surface level. For example, as a language learner, the spark to know that ‘language’ is not just used for communication purposes and not just for understanding grammar or sentence structures. Language describes more varieties in terms of understand why these particular words or sentences are used the way it is and how is it used among different individuals. Not just that, it is relevant for second language learners to participate in creating a language learning environment that can reflect more accurately on how the language is used and to encourage the learners to apply the language and reach their goal of proficiency. Learners are also able to interpret written or audio texts in discourse that varies among one another, this creates the vast creativity of opinion and ideas among one another.
In conclusion, discourse analysis should not only be learnt as academic requirement but to also practice the tool of discourse to understand and study the interactions among language learners. The benefits of learning are used to achieve the communicative competence in different contexts.
These characteristics are incorporated and learned as a subject to provide in depth insights and understanding of discourse analysis in the program of Diploma in Teaching English as a Second Language offered by the Centre for Education & Language, MAHSA University. Therefore, if you find reading this article interesting, you will find that there are more to discovery by enrolling for this program.
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Jasmine Ratchanee Lazarus Centre for Education & Language
MAHSA University
Jasmine Ratchanee Lazarus Centre for Education & Language
MAHSA University