Text as Connected

Discourse
MARITES O. SAYLOON, LPT

March 4, 2024
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• Identify the nature and purpose of a discourse.

• Differentiate the types of discourses.
Definition and Purposes of
a Discourse
Definition on Discourse
• comes from the word discursus
in medieval Latin - “argument”
in late Latin - “conversation”
• formal and often lengthy discussion of a
topic, where concepts and insights are
arranged in an organized and logical
manner.
Definition on Discourse

• often associated with speech but may also

be a written text
• the way that language is used to convey
meanings or to propel action or provoke a
specific response
Examples of Discourse
Critique
• states a writer’s opinion about the good and
the bad parts of another piece of writing or
a work of art
• uses formal language
• contains ideas that are arranged in an
organized and logical manner
Examples of Discourse
Diary
• a daily record of someone’s personal
experiences and thoughts
• gives readers a sense of the writer’s
character or values
Purposes of Discourse
To inform
• provides a descriptive and comprehensive
discussion on the topic
• points out what one should know about a
topic or subject
Purposes of Discourse
To persuade
• tries to convince the readers that the
proposed claim or solution is better than
any other proposal
• tries to convince the readers to believe in
or do something
Purposes of Discourse
To entertain
• aims to amuse its readers
• provides a source of entertainment for its
readers
Analyzing Discourse
Experiences
• Personal accounts or firsthand experience
of events, though subjective, establish
credibility and reliability of information
presented in any discourse.
Analyzing Discourse
Social Environment
• The author’s physical surroundings and social
relationships, as well as the culture of the time,
may have influenced his or her writing.
• For instance, during the early decades of the
20th century, most writers produced works
that were classified as “modern” because of a
distinct feature: stream of consciousness.
Analyzing Discourse
Culture
• The beliefs, customs, attitudes, language, and
other things that define culture may influence
the author’s perspective on several issues.
• Knowing about the author’s culture may help
the reader understand his or her biases.
Types of Discourse
Argumentative Discourse
• aims to persuade the audience or readers
• should appeal to logic or reason instead of
emotion
• the act or process of making and presenting
arguments
Argumentative Discourse
• Arguments are a series of statements for or
against an idea.
• comes from the Latin word argumentum,
which means evidence, ground, support, or a
logical argument.
Descriptive Discourse
• Descriptive discourse is based on the main
impression of the author about the topic or
subject.
• Its purpose is to transmit that impression
through concrete, colorful, and vivid language
so that readers can fully imagine the topic or
subject.
Expository Discourse
• Expository discourse aims to inform about,
clarify, and explain a phenomenon.
• It defines what something is and provides an
in-depth discussion about topics that are
usually less explored.
Narrative Discourse
• Narrative discourse recalls events
chronologically.
• The general purpose of narration is to relate a
series of events.
• A narrative discourse may have a linear or
nonlinear structure.
 Text 1
A recent study confirmed that playing video games may
cause children to become violent. However, this is only
true for some children. Dr. Charlotte Cooper and Dr.
Markey Vitasa of ABC University explained that children
who manifest a combination of three personality
traits―high neuroticism, disagreeableness, and low
levels of conscientiousness―are more likely to be
aggressive toward others after playing video games.
 Text 2
When I first saw my childhood friend Margarette, she
was about my younger sister Viv’s height. Her hair was
curly and dark, and her skin was pale. But what really
struck me when I first saw her was her big round blue
eyes.
 Text 3
Many people believe that having a more outgoing or
extroverted personality trait is advantageous for people trying
to learn a second or foreign language since language learning
requires authentic practice through social interactions.
However, a number of studies also suggest that having an
introverted personality trait has several advantages too.
Language researchers emphasize a very complex relationship
between language learning and personality so it is difficult to
generalize which personality trait presents more benefits to
learners.
 Text 4
I remember the time when I learned how to swim. I was only eight
years old and afraid to bathe in a pool. I envied the kids who played
with inflatable balls and animals. Whenever my family would visit the
clubhouse, I would sit beside the pool and never really jump in to join
them. A summer camp opened in our neighborhood, and my mom
thought of enrolling my brother and me in a swimming class. Two
days before the class started, my mom gave me a pep talk; that
made me realize that I did not want to miss out on the fun just
because I was afraid.
Literary Discourse
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• Identify and differentiate between the types

of literary discourses.
• Familiarize the different literary
discourses.
Poetic Discourse
• commonly found in creative works like poems,
novels, short stories, and plays
• focuses on how language is used to form
themes and convey ideologies
• Meanings conveyed are implied and not
explicit.
Poetic Discourse

The Road Not Taken (An Excerpt)

By Robert Frost

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Expressive Discourse
• commonly found in journals, letters, diaries,
and blogs
• a personal narrative and is typically written in
the first-person point of view
• also sometimes referred to as creative
nonfiction
Expressive Discourse
The Diary of a Young Girl (An Excerpt)
By Anne Frank
Sunday, 21 June 1942

Everyone at school is waiting to hear what happens next. Who

will move up a class, and who will stay down? We’re all trying to
guess! I think my girlfriends and I will be OK, though we’ll have
to wait patiently to find out. Most of my teachers like me, but
old Mr Keesing gets angry with me because I often talk too
much! He made me do some extra homework and write about
‘Someone Who Talks Too Much.’
 Transactional Discourse
• commonly found in instructional materials,
advertisements, and editorials
• directive in nature as it provides detailed
information on how something is done or
achieved
• encourages the reader to do something or to take
action
• does not often use literary devices
Transactional Discourse
How to Cook Chicken Tinola

Ingredients:
1/2 kg chicken wings
1 red onion, peeled and sliced
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 small ginger, peeled and julienned
1 small green papaya, peeled and cut into wedges
1–2 stalks of malunggay
Role Play
Group 1- “Read Fire and Ice” by Robert
Frost
Group 2 – Read the “Diary of a Young Girl”
by Anne Frank
Grop 3 – Read recipes and procedures in
cooking.
Academic Discourse
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• Identify the characteristics of academic

discourse.
• Analyze a text to identify the information
presented in academic discourse.
• Create an academic discourse from a given
topic.
 Review
• What is literary discourse?
• What are the types of literary discourse?
• How are the types of literary discourse different
from one another?
 Academic Discourse
• expository or argumentative in nature
• sometimes presents an individual’s insights
regarding a concept or method in a scholarly
way
• includes academic journals and essays
 General Format of Academic Discourse
• Introduction – states the significance of the topic
and the issues that need to be addressed; mentions
the objectives of the discourse
• Body – discusses the methods of gathering
information; presents the findings and interpretation;
contains arguments and supports them with evidence
 General Format of Academic Discourse
• Conclusion – reiterates the writer’s claims and
asserts his or her stand; may include insights and
recommendations for further studies
Write an academic essay about one of the following topics:
In 350 words.
 Violence in the media and its effect on young viewers
 Climate change and what should be done to stop its
acceleration or reverse it
 The use of the mother tongue as the primary language in
education
 Meditation instead of time-out as a disciplinary method in
preschool and elementary classes
 Free vaccines nationwide in all public hospitals for all children
in marginalized communities
THANK YOU!!!
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