Discourse
Analysis
2.4.1 Discourse and text
Crystal
(1992:25) in Nunan (1993:5) discourse is a continuous stretch of (especially
spoken) larger than a sentence, often constituting a coherent unit, such as a
sermon, argument, joke, or narrative. Discourse refers to the interpretation of
the communicative event in context. Context refers to the situation giving rise
to the discourse and within which discourse embedded (Nunan (1992:6).
Meanwhile, Cook (1989:156) discourse is stretches of language perceived to be
meaningful, unified, and purposive.
The
term text according to Crystal (1992:72) is a piece of naturally occurring
spoken, written, or signed discourse identified for purpose of analysis, and
often a language unit with a definable communicative function such as a conversation,
a poster. Brown and Yule (1983:6), text is as a technical term, to refer to
verbal record of a communicative act. Nunan (1992:5) text refers to any written
records of a communicative event. The event maybe involve spoken (e.g. a casual
conversation) and written language (e.g. newspaper, novel, advertisement).
Carter,
et al (1997), the term of discourse analysis refers to language in action and
the patterns which characterize particular types of language in action as he
puts it:
Discourse is a term used in linguistics
to describe the rules and conventions underlying the use of language in
extended stretches of text, spoken and written. (Such an academic study is
referred to as discourse analysis). The term is also used as a convenient
general term to refer to language in action and the patterns which characterize
particular types of language in action.
