Introduction: Critical linguistics
Critical Discourse Analysis has origins in “critical linguistics” which appeared in 1970s in the work of
Roger Fowler, Robert Hodge, Gunter Kress and Tony Threw at the University of East Anglia in the UK.
(Language and Control publication)
Critical linguistics show how language and grammar can be used as ideological instruments; can be studies
for the ways that they categorize people, events, places and actions are foregrounded and backgrounder or
excluded altogether. Different kinds of choices can affect the meaning and ideology of text.
Example: Kress who show how in school geography books certain agents and action would suppressed in
order capitalist of world.
“The large size of the farms is needed because of the land’s poor carrying capacity
Verb passive
We are not told who here does the “needing”; who it is that requires the area to be productive is never
mentioned. The land is described in terms of what it is bad for having a poor carrying capacity ( is bad for
and good for). The land isn’t assessed in its own right, for its beauty, for its ability to support countless
wildlife and small scale communities, but only for ability to yield produce and resources. In the text is never
mentioned the “ assessment of the region is basically about economic exploitation” is looking for absences
Kress and Hodge language is a form of social practice and it is important for regulate the society. Language
promoted a particular views of world and naturalize them (make them appear natural and commonsensical).
With the language certain kinds of practices, ideas, values and identities are promoted and naturalized.
Example: discourse by David Cameron
“Premature sexualization is like pollution (inquinamento). It’s in the air that our children breathe. All the
time. Every day”
the first element is metaphor that abstract concept complicated; the second element is a concrete concept/
simple to understand (is an association pollution with premature sexualization)
He would create a great sense of menace and easily attribute blame to the society created by the existing
New Labor government without stating exactly what he is accusing them of doing.
The word “Premature sexualization” is naturalized, they can come to comprise ways that we go on to
socialize and control our children (they become a part of the way we organize our institutions how we teach
about the body and identity). Critical linguistics would point to the assumptions that a text makes remain
implicit (sexualization is identifiable and isolatable thing); looking for absent from the text and also look for
assumptions and taken for granted concepts.
Critical discourse analysis (CDA)
CDA typically analyses news texts, political speeches, advertisements, school book; exposing strategies
that appear normal or neutral on the surface but which may in fact be ideological and seek to shape
the representation of events and persons for particular ends. The term “critical” therefore means
“denaturalizing” the language to reveal the kinds of ideas, absence and taken for granted assumptions
in texts. This will allow us to reveal the kinds of power interests buried in this texts.
Fairclough and Wokak primary focus is on how power relations are exercised and negotiated in discourse,
so analysis the power relations involved in racism are maintained through news texts and political speeches.
Faircloughsum up the idea of “critical” language study as the processes of analyzing linguistic elements in
order to reveal connections between language, power and ideology that are hidden from people.
Example: in a speech by Tony Blair given in 2010 to the world faith foundation ( we can analysis ideology:
“Religious understanding is key to defeating hostilities threatening the world”
He never has to specify exactly what it is that we will need to understand or know in order to defend
hostilities, nor who will have to demonstrate “understanding”.
“What needs to be globalized is knowledge and understanding… it is knowledge that gives us foresight and
helps people realize what they have in common”
