Scarica Discourse Analysis: A Comprehensive Guide to Verbal and Nonverbal Communication - Prof. Re e più Appunti in PDF di Lingua Inglese solo su Docsity!
Appunti lingua inglese
Language
- Clear, structural, connected : talk in a simple way, to expose difficult themes.
- Use of synonimes: no need to use metaphors (Boris Johnson-Native of New York), instead use repetitions, it’s a sign of clarity.
- Paragraph : similar lenghts, one main topic per paragraph, 3 to 5 sentences long. Introduction, development, conclusion. New line means new paragraph. Keyword for each paragraph.
- Connectors : List (firstly, secondly, moreover, besides, furthermore, in fact- in realtà, in addition, added to that, what’s more…); sequence… Es. Elle_How A Chilean Chant Became The Worlds....pdf https://virtuale.unibo.it/pluginfile.php/2441755/mod_folder/content/0/ Jama_Gender%20disparity%20in%20citations.pdf?forcedownload= Communication It’s an exchange of information , between individuals , with a common system of symbols, signs and behaviour.
Communication is relational (formal or informal) and dialogic. The message is encoded or decoded in context and on the grounds of the values and beliefs of the speaker or receiver. It’s never neutral. Communication can be more or less balanced, more or less persuasive and more or less informative. We cannot not communicate. Every behaviour is a kind of communication. Any perceivable behaviour, including the absence of action, can potentially be interpreted as meaningful. 17/02/25 LEZIONE 3 Layout, fonts, diagrams/ flow charts Layouts, fonts, diagrams can lead to a message, to contribute communication. Also clothes can be a really interesting way to communicate: the symbolic power of words printed on clothes could be powerful to send messages of rebellion, etc… The way someone dresses can be revealing on their intentions, like Chiara Ferragni did when the pandoro’s scandal was one of the most chattered topic. Some symbols may become also symbol of a protest or something bigger: for example, Protest in China Roils Censors used blank white papers to protest against the Nation’s chiefs. Human language may be verbal or non-verbal. In the second case, vocalics, blushing, eye movements, gestures, postures can be included. The main functions of non- verbal language are defining relationships, replacing verbal messages, repeating, emphasizing, regulating interactions, displaying emotions. There are two types of gestures: one more spontaneous and natural, not arbitrary and shared between
Power, ideology, discourse and representations create modes, in a cyclic way. The use of modes changes. So, how ideology influences discourse? Firstly, the arrangement of information (hierarchies in lists, graphs…). Secondly, the choice of modes (visuals prevails over textual). Thirdly, the choice of media and channels (some ways of communicating are privileged, like online talking). There are also some cons, like fake news, isolation, echo chambers, misinformation, filter bubbles… Framing means the creation of frames: they are structures of anticipation, strategic moves that are consciously initiated in order to present a narrative in a certain light. It is an active process of signification by means of which we consciously participate in the construction of reality. FRAMING Correlation IS NOT causation, but our brain needs classifications, so it generates implied casual emplotment and logical links. 18/02/25 LEZIONE 4 A lot of conspiracy theories were born because of framing. Grice, in 1975 states that participants expect that each will make a “conversational contribution such as is required, at the stage at which it occurs, by the accepted purpose or direction of the talk exchange.” MAXIM OF QUANTITY give the most helpful amount of information. MAXIM OF QUALITY do not say what you believe to be false MAXIM OF RELATION be relevant. MAXIM OF MANNER put what you say in the clearest, briefest and most orderly manner. How we break these rules:
- we may violate them (lying, withholding…)
- we may flout them openly (additional meaning, framing ) Verbal framing
- Word connotations: Youth attacks local buildings , Migrants keep reaching our shores…
- Overlexicalization: Male nurse, Female doctor
- Code switching: mixing formal and informal lexicon, it’s catchy and sound of the populist voice
- Euphemisms: Job flexibility instead of insecurity
- Metaphors: Waves of migrants cross the Mediterranean
- Subordinates: the structure of the sentence focus on something important.
- Transitivity/ passivization: the affected participant is central, the agent is marginal (migrants are shot dead by the police in Calais)
- Deletion of agent: the agent is hidden in passive clauses, or the passive clause is turned into an intransitive ( Migrants die in Calais)
- Evaluation/ modality : Illegal migrants die in Calais
- Parallelisms: chant or prayers, repetition, aura of religiousness…
- Pronouns: We are together in this
- Actual presented in abstraction: Our primary role is to deliver our mission (what mission?)
- Emotions: they can be deliberately or not inserted in the text, with images and words.
- Classification of social actors: Personalisation, impersonalisation (more authority); nomination, functionalisation (legitimacy); Individualisation, collectivisation (closeness and intimacy); Anonymisation (disparity to access to information); Aggregation (credibility and distance from participants).
- Reported speech : insist, claim, maintain, argue have specific subtext; say is the only one typically accepted in agencies and media corporations. Syn: show, report, repeat, find, suggest, warn. Visual framing Visual framing offers and networks associations which can be utilized in verbal statements. They promote indirectness and delay decoding. Visual framings:
- Are used to highlight certain contents and hide others.
- Can reduce complexity by modelling reality.
- They can provoke and shock the audience.
- Can easily create illusions.
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*Appraisal Theory Engagement: Monogloss just one point of view, static sentences and taking something for granted, not allowing a response. Heterogloss more than one point of view, according to one common choice. Appendix: appraisal in images
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How images can express evaluation and graduation Example: Trump and Zelensky’s meeting. “we had little negotiation” → it doesn’t mean “abbiamo fatto una piccola negoziazione” but “abbiamo negoziato troppo poco” How to write a discourse analysis essay
- introduction: background and “why-bother” question.
- material and methods (details) (emotions, images,...).
- description of the analysis and findings
- discussion
- conclusion (the revelation of what you did): reflect with a goal, an aim. Images: Images are particularly important because they highlights the content, but also they create illusions. How is the image structured?
- you may have a centre that is more important.
- zones out of focus that guide the attention.
- vertical or horizontal division. Example: if you want to give the idea of pointing to the future concentrate on the right side of the picture.
Video Marine Le Pen 2017 —> trying to find out the way how she chooses to promote herself
- She is looking toward a sort of future, always smiling and looking up.
- The viewing angle is always lower than her —> she has the power.
- She is represented like the heroine (that’s why she is on the shift) —> idea of being able to manage the boat. The focus is always on her, even if she is the shadow
- framing: associations with “The Wanderer above a sea of fog” by Caspar Friedrich and Napoleon. Communication as a continuum: image-text relationships Sequences of images may form stories:
- Extension/elaboration: one of them adds significance to the other
- Evaluation: It can add a positive or negative judgement.
- Emotion: it can exaggerates or emphasize emotions.
- Overlap: when they have the same amount of information (es. immagini solo esplicative)
- Displacement: when they show different components of the same action.
- Dichotomy: when they show different actions. Example: Tesla It’s divided in two + title “Investors no longer think Tesla will take over the world”
- on the left hand, we can see the situation now: Tesla showroom + the guy is going somewhere.
- on the right side: the reflection of the same image, in reverse and not complete transparent, the name of the brand “Tesla” is reversed —> a symbolic visual representation of what is in the title. Example: “Who’s against the jab - Our statistical model throws light on America’s vaccine hesitancy”
- what is the connection of the photography with the title? On the right, a gentleman holds a large yellow sign with the word "Vaccine" indicating the direction to follow + on the left a man is quietly walking around and is going in the direction indicated by the sign. Example: post Instagram di “Guardian” Our world is in chaos, Here are six ways to take care of yourself (and others) + image of a big fire
- The image does not add particular meanings to the title, it’s just to emphasize the concept.
- Likes and visuals (the image is very unexpected, so it can attract attention)Typical clickbait image. 10/03/25 LEZIONE 9 How to produce the text
- Discourse is the semiotic element of social practices.
- How the text is designed, why is it designed this way, how else could it have been designed?
- How are texts of this sort produced, and in what ways are they likely to be interpreted and used?
- What wider sociocultural processes is this text part of, what are its wider social conditions, and what are its likely effects? Analyse the text
- Emotions
- Intensifications
- Importance of visuals
- Power relations
- Manipulations
- Framing
- Monoglossia/ heteroglossia Steps:
- Introduction: background and why bother question why did I choose this information? What am I going to do and why?
- Material and methods, with details choice of materials (appraisal, plutchick)
- Description of the analysis and findings balance the parts of the text, it cannot be too long (there’s a maximum of words)
- Discussion what’s the point?
- Conclusionsum up the essay, what and why was it important? Tips :
- Start with a research question what and why am I discussing this topic?
- Plan your analysis what do I want to focus on, where am I going to start.
- I can mix the methods, but ALWAYS justify my choices.
- Identify the results that are worth discussing in my essay I am expected to comment on the results , not the topic, but some of them may not be so significant. So, it is incorrect to speak about the topic explicating it and
