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| Course Meetings | MWF 1:00-1:50 | Herring 125 |
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The study of discourse is essentially the study of language in its natural habitat. We use language in a variety of contexts, to fulfill a broad range of communicative and social goals. In this course we will examine how contexts and functions of use influence linguistic form. The course is divided into three sections. We will begin by examining the ‘macro-structure’ of discourse: the organization of different kinds (genres) of language, such as conversation, narrative, jokes, expository texts, and institutional dialogue. We will analyze re-occurring patterns of structure and discuss how they are shaped and motivated by communicative and social functional goals. The next section of the course focuses on how speakers routinely perform social action through discourse, such as disclaimers, offers, and refusals. We will also investigate the social nature of common features of spoken language: ‘reported speech’, dialogicality, and discourse markers. We will analyze how these contribute to discourse structure, and how they reflect, manage, and construct social interaction. We will conclude by examining ‘micro-structure’—the role of discourse in motivating and explaining grammar. We will discuss the way in which grammatical structures are functionally brought about by the communicative and social aspects of discourse.
The purpose of this course is threefold. (1) Students will gain a broad overview of the field, and an introduction to relevant literature. (2) Students will gain experience conducting hands-on analysis of spontaneous spoken language, and the ability to use this skill in their own research. (3) Students will gain an understanding of the implications of discourse research for analyzing language, and its consequences for linguistic theory.
This course will be conducted as a seminar, focusing on hands-on analysis of discourse data and discussion of source articles. Students are required to actively lead and participate in data sessions and discussions of the readings.
* Note: Linguistics 300 (or equivalent) is a prerequisite for this class.
* Note: If you require course material in an alternative format or need special accommodations due to a disability, please contact the instructor and the Disability Services Office (111 Allen Center).
| Actively participate in class discussion and data sessions | 10% |
| Lead class discussion on one article from the reading list | 15% |
| Précis and discussion points | 15% |
| Midterm group project and discussion (tape and transcript) | 30% |
| Final project and presentation (term paper) | 30% |
| Total | 100% |
* Note: This course has no homework assignments and no quizzes or exams. There are however a lot of readings, which you are expected to carefully read, thoroughly understand, and be ready to discuss in class.
Participation: Because this is a seminar-style class, your involvement and attention is crucial! Students are required to actively participate in class discussion of readings and data.
Précis and Discussion Points: Each student is required to submit a précis (brief summary), no more than one paragraph in length, for each of the starred articles on the reading list. This précis should be followed by three discussion points (questions, quibbles, observations, etc.). E-mail this to me by noon on the day we will be discussing the reading.
Reading Discussant: Each student will be responsible for leading class discussion for one of the starred articles on the reading list. Discussion should take a little more than half the class period (25-35 minutes), should briefly summarize the main points of the article, address any methodological/practical difficulties raised, and discuss the theoretical implications of the research.
Midterm Project and Presentation: During the first half of the semester, each student will record 45-60 minutes of natural spoken discourse and transcribe approximately six minutes of it. Students will work in pairs to check and reconcile the transcripts. We will pool these recordings and transcripts, and they will form a collective source of class data for researching topics covered during the semester. During the week after the transcripts are due, each student will do a short in-class presentation (5-10 minutes); students will summarize their recordings for the class, and will show how some aspect of the recording is relevant to something we have looked at in the course so far.
Final Project and Presentation: Each student is expected to submit an original term paper related to the subject matter of this course. The paper should either be a macro-level analysis of a piece of discourse data, a close analysis of a social action pursued through talk, or a micro-level analysis of a grammatical phenomenon as observed in discourse. The data may be from any language, but must be naturally-occurring discourse (any genre, written or spoken). Students should meet with me sometime during the semester to discuss ideas for their projects. During the scheduled final exam session for this class (date and time TBA by the Registrar) students will present a brief overview of their research question and a preliminary summary of data and results (approx. 10-12 minutes per student). The final, written version of the paper is due by Dec. 16 at 5pm (the last day of the final exam period), submitted by e-mail to reng [at] rice.edu.
Cite all sources, and quote any material which is not your own work. Acknowledge the sources of corpora and other discourse data which you are using. In-class presentations and the final term paper must consist of original work. Plagiarism is a violation of the Rice Honor code. See the Rice Honor Council web page for details about the Rice Honor Code, plagiarism, and other general information. Feel free to e-mail me or stop by office hours if you have any specific questions on what is or is not acceptable under the honor code in this class, or how best to cite your research sources for the paper and presentations.