In Simpler Words: Discourse Analysis (by Mahal Vorson)

After our long vacation from the Philippines, I faced the consequence of jet lag with school work. I am currently pursuing my extended career in education wherein I enrolled in a Masters degree program to leverage my prowess as an educator. One of our professors posted an assignment in our Google Classroom asking us to define Discourse Analysis in our own words and provide examples. Here are my personal thoughts about the topic.

But let me share my jump shot at the Sikatuna Mirror of the World in Bohol, Philippines.

Discourse Analysis is a study of how people use language in a conversation, stories, emails, or even in social media posts. It is a study of how people from different walks of life use language in real life. It is a study of how people talk and write, the kind of language they use to effectively convey their message and meaning, and how words are connected. For example, how a teacher asks questions to the students, how a child talks to his parents, and how a social media influencer influences the audience.

Discourse Analysis is not a study of grammar. Instead, it uses grammar structure to analyze the speaker and the addressee. It uses grammar to understand the purpose and meaning of the conversation. In this study, grammar is not the main thing. It is about understanding why someone said something, how they said it, and what effect it has in conversation, stories, news, or social media. In short, it analyzes the purpose, the manner, and the effect of language in real life. Just like this word "BOHOLLYWOOD" in the picture. It intentionally entices people to visit the place because it is coined with the famous landmark "Hollywood" giving the tourist an instant US, American vibe.

I am excited about this class because it will give me more insights about how I can effectively use language to express my thoughts and to understand other people.

#Education #Travel