Pragmatics and discourse analysis

Objectives of the course

• What discourse are and how to define them;
• Understanding and using pragmatics in text analysis;
• Setting the contexts for various texts;
• individual analysis of any given text.

Prerequisites

In order to successfully participate in in-class discussions and to follow the lectures, the student should take the introductory linguistic courses. This course is related to other courses in the Communications curriculum.

Assessment methods

Attending lectures, a term paper, active participation in in-class discussions.

Course contents

Discourse analysis approaches language through the social and historical context of its use. In discourse, language, speaker and hearer are analyzed at the same time together with the universum, where the discourse is being formed. During this class, the students will be presented with the basic terminology and methods needed to analyze the various types of discourses and their ideological contexts.

Material discussed in lectures also forms the main part of recitations, where more time and care is devoted to the main issues. Emphasis is given to practical knowledge and actual analysis of language data.

Recommended reading

• Beaugrande, R, de & Dressler, W.U., Introduction to Text Linguistics, Longman, London, 1981.
• Fairclough, N.L., Critical Discourse Analysis, Longman, London, 1995.
• Praprotnik, T., Ideološki mehanizmi produkcije identitet, ISH – ŠOU, Ljubljana, 1999.
• Skubic, A., Obrazi jezika, Študentska založba, 2005.
• van Dijk, T. (ed.), Discourse Studies, 1-2, Sage, London – Thousand Oaks – New Dehli, 1997.
• van Dijk, T. (ed.), Handbook of Discourse Analysis, 1-4, Academic Press, London, 1985.