Representation, conceptualization and positioning in Critical Discourse Analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 272-294
Author(s):  
Piotr Cap
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Perspective Taking ◽  
Political Discourse ◽  
Cognitive Linguistics ◽  
Significant Contribution ◽  
The Other ◽  
Critical Discourse ◽  
Space Theory ◽  
Discourse Studies

Abstract The present paper explores the current nexus between Cognitive Linguistics (CL) and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), focusing on theories of conceptual positioning, distancing and perspective-taking in discourse space. It assesses the strengths, limitations, and prospects for further operationalization of positioning as a valid methodology in CDA, and political discourse studies in particular. In the first part, I review the cognitive models of positioning that have made the most significant contribution to CDA. Discussing Deictic Space Theory and Text World Theory, among others, I argue that these models reveal further theoretical potential which has not been exploited yet. While they offer a comprehensive and plausible account of how representations and ideologically charged worldviews are established, they fail to deliver a pragmatic explanation of how addressees are made to establish a worldview, in the service of speaker’s goals. The second part of the paper outlines Proximization Theory, a discursive model of crisis and conflict construction in political discourse. I argue that, unlike the other models, it fully captures the complex geopolitical and ideological positioning in political discourse space, providing a viable handle on the dynamics of conflict between the opposing ideologies of the space.

scholarly journals From Divergence to Convergence: Towards Integration of Cognitive Linguistics and Critical Discourse Analysis in Political Discourse

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. 401-411
Author(s):  
QIAN WANG
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Political Discourse ◽  
Cognitive Linguistics ◽  
Power Relation ◽  
The Other ◽  
Critical Discourse ◽  
Social Dimensions ◽  
The Social

The social turn of cognitive linguistics and cognitive turn of critical discourse analysis breed the opportunity for cognitive linguistics and critical discourse analysis to develop towards a more converging path that integrates both cognitive and social dimensions of language. As known, political discourse is intrinsically persuasive and always informs a power relation with attempts to achieve effectiveness of persuasion. This paper argues that both approaches (Cognitive Linguistics and CDA) are concerned with surfaced evidence of implicit ideologies hidden behind political discourse, so the integration of CL and CDA could extend the research scope for both paradigms on one hand, and provide more powerful explanatory tools to augment our understanding of the intertwined relations between language, cognition and society on the other.

scholarly journals ‘And we are Stuck in One Place, Minister.’ A Study of Evasiveness in Replies to Face-Threatening Questions in Slovak Political Interviews on Scandals (A Combined Approach)

2021 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 690-704
Author(s):  
Jana Lokajová
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Political Discourse ◽  
Critical Discourse ◽  
Cognitive Frames ◽  
Communicative Strategies ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Conceptual Background ◽  
Political Argumentation ◽  
Discourse Studies

Abstract The phenomenon of political evasiveness in the genre of a political interview has been the focus of several discourse studies employing conversation analysis, critical discourse analysis and the social psychology approach. Most of the above-mentioned studies focus on a detailed qualitative analysis of political discourse identifying a wide range of communication strategies that permit politicians to ambiguate their agency and at the same time boost their positive face. Since these strategies may change over time and also be subject to a culture specific environment, the aim of this paper is to discover a) which evasive communicative strategies were employed by Slovak politicians in 2012–2016, b) which lexical substitutions were most frequently used by them to avoid negative connotations of face-threatening questions, and finally, c) which cognitive frames formed a frequent conceptual background of their evasive political argumentation. The paper will draw on a combination of quantitative and qualitative approach to the analysis of non-replies devised by Bull and Mayer (1993) and critical discourse analysis in the sample of five Slovak radio interviews aired on the Rádio Express. The selection of interviews was not random- in each interview the politician was asked highly conflictual questions about bribery, embezzlement or disputes in the coalition. Based on qualitative research of Russian-Slovak political discourse (2009) by Dulebová it is hypothesized that a) the evasive strategy of ‘attack’ on the opposition and ‘attack on the interviewer’ would occur in our sample with the highest prominence in the speech of the former Prime Minister Fico, and b) the politicians accused of direct involvement in scandals would be the most evasive ones.

scholarly journals Gesture and legitimation in the anti-immigration discourse of Nigel Farage

2021 ◽  
pp. 095792652110485
Author(s):  
Christopher Hart ◽  
Bodo Winter
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Political Discourse ◽  
Cognitive Linguistics ◽  
Social Identities ◽  
Critical Discourse ◽  
Discursive Construction ◽  
Systematic Analysis ◽  
Rhetorical Tropes

Critical discourse analysis (CDA) increasingly recognises the role played by multiple semiotic modes in the discursive construction of social identities and inequalities. One embodied mode that has not been subject to any systematic analysis within CDA is gesture. An area where gesture has been extensively studied, and where it is shown to bear significant semiotic load in multimodal utterances, is cognitive linguistics. Here, we use insights from cognitive linguistics to provide a detailed qualitative analysis of gestures in a specific discursive context – the anti-immigration discourse of Nigel Farage. We describe the gestures that accompany a range of rhetorical tropes typical of anti-immigration discourses and critically analyse their role, alongside speech, in communicating prejudice and legitimating discriminatory action. Our analysis suggests that gesture is an important part of political discourse which is worthy of further investigation in future CDA research.

scholarly journals The Representation of America and China in Trump's Press Conferences Concerning COVID-19: A Critical Discourse Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zainab Abd Al-Razaq Mohammad ◽  
Zainab Abd Al-Razaq Mohammad
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Political Discourse ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
The Self ◽  
The Other ◽  
Critical Discourse ◽  
Three Dimensional Model ◽  
Construction Of Self ◽  
Lexical Items

This study explores the construction of “Self” and the “Other” in President Donald Trump’s political discourse concerning COVID-19. The study is based on two Critical Discourse Analysis approaches which are van Dijk’s ideological square and Fairclough’s three-dimensional approach. Van Dijk’s ideological square is utilized to investigate the representation of the “self” and the “other” throughout Trump’s conferences. Fairclough’s three-dimensional model is utilized to reveal the lexical items that are used in Trump’s political discourse to construct the “self” and the “other”. Fourteen press conferences of Trump are used for the analysis. The data is selected between periods from February 2020, until September 2020. This period represents the period of appearance and the spreading of COVID-19. The results of the study revealed that before the spreading of COVID-19, China was represented in a positive portrayal, while after the spreading of COVID-19; China was represented in a negative portrayal. On the other hand, America was represented in a positive and noble portrayal after and before the outbreak of COVID-19. Furthermore, lexical items, such as “China virus, Wuhan virus, Wuhan labs, Kung flu, got out of control, etc.” are associated with China, to hold it responsible for creating and spreading COVID-19.

A Critical Discourse Analysis of Grace Natalie Louisa’s Speech

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adib Rifqi Setiawan
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Political Discourse ◽  
Critical Discourse ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Speech ◽  
Political Purpose

The Critical Discourse Analysis is often applied to analyze political discourse including the political speech. This article analyzes Grace Natalie Louisa’s Speech, mainly in Festival 11 by Partai Solidaritas Indonesia (PSI), that is exclusively based on the perspective of Teun Adrianus van Dijk. It reveals that we can learn how to deliver our ideology to public. Moreover, we can have a better understanding of the political purpose of these speeches.

scholarly journals Rural as Periphery Per Se? Unravelling the Discursive Node

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 11-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bianka Plüschke-Altof
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
The Other ◽  
Critical Discourse ◽  
Hegemonic Discourse ◽  
Spatial Inequalities ◽  
Urban Rural ◽  
Per Se

Despite often being used interchangeably, the dominant equation of the rural with the peripheral is not self-evident. In order to critically scrutinize the discursive node, the aim of this article is twofold. On one hand, it argues for overcoming the prevalent urban‒rural divide and dominant structural approaches in sociological and geographical research by introducing discursive peripheralization as a conceptual framework, which allows the analysis of the discursive (re-)production of socio-spatial inequalities on and between different scales. On the other hand, this article explores how rural areas are constituted as peripheries within a hegemonic discourse naturalizing the ascription of development (non-)potentials. Following a critical discourse analysis approach, this will be illustrated in the case of periphery constructions in Estonian national print media.

scholarly journals The Political Discourse Behind Canada’s Unusually Harsh Detention Practices: The MV Sun Sea Case

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaina Singh
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Political Discourse ◽  
Critical Discourse ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Ideologies ◽  
Analysis Strategy ◽  
The Government

On August 13th 2010, the MV Sun Sea ship carrying 492 Tamil asylum seekers arrived off of the coast of British Columbia. Immediately upon arrival the Tamil asylum seekers were detained for a prolonged period of time, subjected to intensified interrogation techniques, and unfairly questioned even when in possession of identifying documents. This paper examines how the government used political discourse to try and justify the unusually harsh detention of asylum seekers. Through a critical discourse analysis strategy, eight newspaper articles will be analyzed and the theories of securitization, discourse, and orientalism will be used to advance certain political ideologies. The political justifications of detention operate through the theme of the egocentric state, and the theme of categorizing and demonizing asylum seekers. The final theme discussed is the concept of victimization, which will offer an alternate perspective to this paper’s main focus on political discourse.

Critical Electronic Discourse Analysis

2013 ◽  
pp. 191-209
Author(s):  
Bob Hodge
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Electronic Media ◽  
The Other ◽  
Critical Discourse ◽  
Electronic Discourse ◽  
Research Traditions ◽  
Social Forms ◽  
The Social

This chapter investigates and endorses the integration of two existing research traditions, electronic discourse analysis (EDA) and critical discourse analysis (CDA), into a more powerful and comprehensive form of analysis of electronic discourses, Critical Electronic Discourse Analysis (CEDA). It sets this analytic project against the massive, unpredictable changes in culture and society which are associated with the electronic media revolution. It argues for innovative forms of analysis, in which ‘electronic discourse analysis’ acquires two over-lapping interpretations: electronically enabled analysis of discourses in all media; and all forms of analysis of electronic discourses and the social forms they express. It uses McLuhan and multi-modality theory to argue for major continuities and significant breaks in semiotic modes over long periods. It argues that powerful innovations in analysis and technology need to recognize and incorporate the two fundamental semiotic modes, digital and analogue, and not seek to replace one with the other.

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