MAAL7005 Spoken Discourse Analysis
COURSE TEACHERS:
Dr. Miranda Legg
E-mail: mglegg@hku.hk
Dr. Parco Wong
E-mail: pmtw2@hku.hk
OVERVIEW
This course introduces key analytical concepts and techniques which can be used for the analysis of authentic spoken texts. It is concerned with the ways language is used as communication in conversational and institutional contexts. The course draws on authentic spoken data for illustration and discussion throughout.
AIMS
This course aims to introduce participants to two linguistic approaches to the description and analysis of spoken English discourse. It also aims to provide opportunities for participants to analyse naturally occurring spoken data using the analytical methods introduced.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
On completion of the course, participants are expected to be able to:
- explain and demonstrate how language use is related to communicative goals and social contexts;
- apply this ability to the analysis of spoken texts;
- demonstrate a working knowledge of different approaches to the description and analysis of spoken discourse;
- apply that knowledge in analyzing different types of naturally occurring texts;
- transcribe and analyse a spoken text using the approaches to discourse analysis covered in the course.
ASSESSMENT
Students will complete one 2,500 word assessment. This will involve transcribing and analysing spoken data using two different frameworks and critically evaluating their use.
KEY REFERENCES
Paltridge, B. (2022). Discourse analysis: An introduction (3rd ed.). Bloomsbury Academic.
Thompson, G. (2014). Introducing functional grammar (3rd). London: Routledge. [Also for MAAL6030]
SCHEDULE
| Session | Topic | Course teacher |
| 1 | Systemic Functional Linguistics – Speech Function Network (I) | Miranda |
| 2 | Systemic Functional Linguistics – Speech Function Network (II) | Miranda |
| 3 | Transcribing Spoken Data | Miranda |
| 4 | Transaction and Analysis Practice Session | Miranda |
| 5 | Pragmatics (I) | Parco |
| 6 | Pragmatics (II) | Parco |
| 7 | Pragmatics (III) + Practice Session | Parco |
| 8 | Pragmatics (IV) + Practice Session | Parco |