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What is the definition of discourse

Discourse refers to the verbal or written exchange of ideas that is longer than a sentence and has coherent meaning and purpose. There are four main types of discourse: description (visualization), narration (storytelling), exposition (background information), and argumentation (persuasion). Each type serves a specific purpose and employs different techniques to engage the audience.

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20 views

What is the definition of discourse

Discourse refers to the verbal or written exchange of ideas that is longer than a sentence and has coherent meaning and purpose. There are four main types of discourse: description (visualization), narration (storytelling), exposition (background information), and argumentation (persuasion). Each type serves a specific purpose and employs different techniques to engage the audience.

Uploaded by

Rogen Laude
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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What is the definition of discourse?

Discourse is the verbal or written exchange of ideas. Any unit of connected speech or writing that is longer
than a sentence and that has a coherent meaning and a clear purpose is referred to as discourse.
An example of discourse is when you discuss something with your friends in person or over a chat
platform. Discourse can also be when someone expresses their ideas on a particular subject in a formal
and orderly way, either verbally or in writing.

Types of discourse Purpose for the type of discourse

Description Helps the audience visualise the item or subject by relying on the five senses.

Narration Aims to tell a story through a narrator, who usually gives an account of an event.

Exposition Conveys background information to the audience in a relatively neutral way.

Argumentation Aims to persuade and convince the audience of an idea or a statement.

Description is the first type of discourse.


 Description helps the audience visualise the item or subject by relying on the five senses.
 Its purpose is to depict and explain the topic by the way things look, sound, taste, feel, and smell.
 Description helps readers visualise characters, settings, and actions with nouns and adjectives.
 Description also establishes mood and atmosphere (think pathetic fallacy in William
Shakespeare's Macbeth (1606).
 Examples of the descriptive mode of discourse include the descriptive parts
of essays and novels.
 Description is also frequently used in advertisements.

Narration is the second type of discourse.


 The aim of narration is to tell a story.
 A narrator usually gives an account of an event, which usually has a plot.
 Examples of the narrative mode of discourse are novels, short stories, and plays.
 Consider this example from Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet (1597)

Exposition is the third type of discourse.

 Exposition is used to convey background information to the audience in a relatively neutral way.
 In most cases, it doesn't use emotion and it doesn't aim to persuade.
 Examples of discourse exposure are definitions and comparative analysis.
 What is more, exposure serves as an umbrella term for modes such as:
 Exemplification (illustration): The speaker or writer uses examples to illustrate their point.

Argumentation is the fourth type of discourse.


 The aim of argumentation is to persuade and convince the audience of an idea or a statement.
 To achieve this, argumentation relies heavily on evidence and logic.
 Lectures, essays and public speeches are all examples of the argumentative mode of discourse.
 Take a look at this example - an excerpt from Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous speech 'I Have a
Dream' (1963)

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