DISCOURSE

ANALYSIS:
AN INTRODUCTION
INDRA TJAHYADI, S.S., M.HUM.
DEFINITION

• Discourse Analysis is a branch of linguistics that

examines language in the context of its use. The main
focus of discourse analysis is to understand how
meaning is formed, understood, and interpreted
in social interactions through language, both
spoken and written. This involves not only the words
and sentences used, but also how context, situation,
and social structure influence that meaning.
THE MAIN PURPOSE

• According to George Yule and Gillian Brown, the

main purpose of discourse analysis studies is to
understand how language is used in social and
pragmatic contexts. By focusing on the transactional
and interactional functions of language, discourse
analysis studies not only how information is
conveyed, but also how language forms and
manages social relationships. This study also pays
attention to the importance of context, coherence,
and cohesion in shaping the meaning of a discourse.
THE MAIN PURPOSE

• In other words, discourse analysis studies can be

applied in various contexts, including linguistics,
sociology, anthropology, and communication.
The goal is to understand how language reflects
and shapes social structures, power, ideology,
and interpersonal relationships.
THE SPESIFIC PURPOSE

1. Understanding the Transactional Function of Language

• The transactional function of language refers to the use of language to convey
information effectively and clearly. In this function, the primary focus is on the
transmission of meaning and content from one speaker to another. The goal of
discourse studies that focus on the transactional function is to understand how
information can be structured, presented, and understood in various
communication contexts.
• According to Yule and Brown, "the transactional view of discourse is primarily
concerned with the communication of information" (Brown & Yule, 1983, p. 1).
This means that in this study, language is understood as a tool for sending
messages that can be clearly understood by listeners or readers. Thus, the goal of
discourse analysis in this context is to examine the ways in which speakers or
writers structure their utterances so that the messages conveyed are in
accordance with their intentions.
THE SPESIFIC PURPOSE

2. Understanding the Interactional Function of Language

• In addition to the transactional function, Yule and Brown also emphasize
the importance of the interactional function of language. This function
refers to the use of language to build, manage, and maintain social
relationships between communication participants. Language in the
interactional function is not only used to convey information, but also to
manage the social aspects of communication, such as showing
familiarity, solidarity, or maintaining politeness in conversation.
• Brown and Yule state that "the interactional use of language is concerned
with the establishment and maintenance of social relationships" (Brown &
Yule, 1983, p. 2). The purpose of discourse analysis studies that focus on
this function is to understand how language is used as a tool to regulate
social interactions and build relationships between individuals or groups..
THE SPESIFIC PURPOSE

3. Understanding the Context of Language Use

• In addition to the two main functions above, another goal of
discourse analysis studies according to Yule and Brown is to
understand the context of language use. Context includes the social,
cultural, and environmental situations in which communication takes
place. Discourse analysis seeks to examine how these factors
influence the interpretation and understanding of a discourse.
• Brown and Yule assert that "discourse interpretation is heavily
dependent on the context in which it occurs" (Brown & Yule, 1983, p.
3). Thus, discourse analysis aims to see the relationship between
language and its context, and how certain situations can change the
meaning or interpretation of a discourse.
THE SPESIFIC PURPOSE

4. Understanding Coherence and Cohesion in Discourse

• Another purpose of discourse analysis studies is to understand
coherence and cohesion in a discourse. Coherence refers to how ideas
in the discourse are arranged logically and easily understood, while
cohesion relates to the use of linguistic elements that formally
connect parts of the text, such as pronouns, conjunctions, and
references.
• Yule and Brown state that "cohesion is the linguistic means by which
texts are linked together, but coherence is the sense that the
language makes to the reader or listener" (Brown & Yule, 1983, p. 66).
Thus, discourse analysis studies aim to understand how these
elements function to create coherent meaning in a text or
conversation.
THE MAIN DIFFERENCES

DISCOURSE ANALYSIS PRAGMATICS LINGUISTICS

studying how language is more focused on how focuses on describing the
used in social, political, meaning is influenced by structure and rules of
and cultural contexts. Its the context of language as used by
main focus is on the use conversation. Pragmatics native speakers. This
of language in real studies are more micro, approach is more
interactions and the examining language use technical, oriented
meanings constructed in individual towards the systematic
from the wider context, communication description of the sounds,
including ideological and situations, such as the words, and sentences in a
power elements. relationship between language without
utterances and listener examining the social
responses, as well as context or practical
aspects that are not purposes of the
always visible in sentence utterances.
structure, such as
THE DIFFERENCES BASED ON APPROACH AND
PURPOSE
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS PRAGMATICS LINGUISTICS
aims to understand the aims to explain how aims to document and
meaning of language in a utterances can be explain language patterns
wider social context, understood in certain as they exist. Its primary
often using a contexts, and how goal is to produce an
multidisciplinary speakers and listeners accurate description of
approach involving process the intentions the grammatical structure
sociology, anthropology, and meanings behind of language, not to
and critical theory. those utterances. analyze how language is
Discourse analysis is Pragmatics focuses on used in social or
often used to study how the dynamics of functional contexts.
language reflects or communication between
shapes power structures individuals and how the
in society. speaker's intentions can
differ from the literal
meaning of words.
THE DIFFERENCES BASED ON LEVEL OF
ANALYSIS
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS PRAGMATICS LINGUISTICS
Analysis in discourse Analysis in pragmatic In descriptive linguistics
analysis is at the macro linguistic studies focuses the analysis focuses on
level, viewing language on the micro level, the internal structure of
as a means of looking at individual language, such as
communication in social utterances and how grammatical rules,
interactions involving certain contexts influence phonological patterns,
social, cultural and power the meaning of those and morphology, without
factors. utterances. regard to the social or
pragmatic context in
which the language is
used.