Page 266 - DENG504_LINGUISTICS

Linguistics

Notes A definition of discourse as language use is consistent with functionalism in general discourse
is viewed as a system (a socially and culturally organized way of speaking) through which
particular functions are realized. This functional analysis focuses on how people use language
to different ends; they are typically concerned less with the way people intend what they want
to say to serve referential meanings, and to move with the unintended social culture, and
expressive meanings stemming from how their utterances are situated in context.
3. The third definition of discourse attemps to bridge the formalist-functionalis dichotomy discourse
is utterances. This view captures the ides that discourse is above (larger than) other units of
language; however, by saying that utterance (rather than sentence) is a unit of which discourse
is comprised, we can suggest that discourse arises not as a collection of decontextualized units
of language structure but of inherently contextualized units of language use. And the main
problem with this definition is that the notion of "utterances" is not really all that clear. For
many linguists, utterances are contextualized sentences, i.e. they are context bound (as well as
text bound). Thus, defining discourse as uterances seems to balance both functional emphases
on how language is used in context and the formal emphasis on extended pattern.
In another side three definitions of discourse above wich are influences by the differences in
paradigm, there are still some linguist who give other definition of discourse. Few of them are
as follows:
(i) Henry Guntur Tarigan state that: "wacana adalah satuan bahasa yang terlengkap dan
tertinggi atau terbesar di atas kalimat atau klausa dengan kohesi dan koherensi yang
berkesinambungan yang mempunyai awal dan akhir yang nyata disampaikan secara lisan
dan tulisan." (Discourse is one complete and highest language unit above sentence and
clause with continuous cohesion and coherence, which have the reality beginning and
ending, communicate as verbal and writing.
(ii) Stubbs explain that, "discourse analysis refers to the attmpts to study the organization of
language above the sentence or above the clause and therefore to study larger linguistic
unit such as conversational exchanges or written texts."
(iii) Edmonson in Tarigan says that discourse is a structural event manifested in linguistic
behavior or athers whereas a text is an arrangement of structural lingusitic expressoins
which forms a unity.
(iv) Linde in Tarigan says that discourse is a stretch of continuous beginning and ending, and
alsi a number of internal structure.
(v) Carlson in Tarigan says, "Discourse is a stretch of continuous utterances (a sequence of
individual sentences). So, it does not only consist of utterances or sentences which are
grammatically well-formed."
From definition about discourse analysis above, the writer see some similarities and differences
on concept of the linguists. For me, there are essentially some important points that the writer gets
from all those definitions, i.e. discourse is: (1) lingusitic unit; (2) the most complete or the highest;
(3) above the sentence or above the clause; (4) well-tied or coherent; (5) sense of unity or cohesion;
(6) continuity; (7) written and spoken; and (8) clear beginning and ending.
There is no agreement among linguists as to the use of the term discourse in that some use it in
reference to texts, while others claim it denotes speech which is for instance illustrated by the
following definition: "Discourse: a continuous stretch of (especially spoken) language larger than
a sentence, often constituting a coherent unit such as a sermon, argument, joke, or narrative"
(Crystal). On the other hand Dakowska, being aware of differences between kinds of discourses
indicates the unity of communicative intentions as a vital element of each of them. Consequently
she suggests using terms 'text' and 'discourse' almost interchangeably betokening the former
refers to the linguistic product, while the latter implies the entire dynamics of the processes
(Dakowska). According to Cook novels, as well as short conversations or groans might be equally
rightfully named discourses.
Seven criteria which have to be fulfilled to qualify either a written or a spoken text as a discourse
have been suggested by Beaugrande. These include:

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