Journal 5 (second module)

  In this session, I felt I was enriched with some new insights about CDA. How I can do a richer and deeper analysis of a text. Some of the aspects are: first, to find patterns withint the text involving lexis, grammar, intertextual relations among texts and second, to propose an interpretation of those patternsm and third, make a relationship between the text and the social context. It is important also that when we analyse a text or a talk we make a connection with the text itself and our background knowledge and experience because the most important is the relation between the text and the reader. However, for having a deeper analysis is essential to include and take into account different  interpretations because people usually have different perspectives because of their differences in their background knowledge. Besides, in CDA is important to take into account that naturalization in discourse has became a reality in our daily life, especially because naturalization is the common-sense beliefs on dominant groups, and it is essential we break those assumptions that have became as a "reality" in our society. To sum up, there are three levels to take into account when analysing a text or a talk, word level (find patterns), text level, and intertextual level. CDA has many different approaches and theories that can be taken into account when we are doing an analysis and it depends on the analyst/researcher to select the most indicated according to his purposes. I just want to focus on Fairclough because his model is the one we are going to work on this module. He claims three dimensions that we have to follow to do the analysis: description, interpretation, and explanation. 

The last sessions of the seminar made me gain knowledge about CDA through examples, exercises of CDA, and some chapters that made me have a better understanding of what CDA is and what it implies. Thus, CDA concerns unveiling the meaning-making process of a given discourse (language in use) in a text, talking into account that a text comes in any forms (visual, written, aural, oral, etc). Furthermore, through these lessons I learned about the importance of analyzing not just the text as if it was the whole process because it is not the process but the product and resource used for those processes; whereas discourse is the whole process of social interaction which includes the process of production and the process of interpretation. Both processes are important because it implies the production, distribution, conssumption, interpretation, and explanation of the text. This last part about the explanation of the text which includes the social relationship and the text or talk, it is important here to know the power relationships that still exist in our society. Normally, within these relations come the social struggles, these struggles are almost impossible to erase since they are just part of us, they maintain the social system and the maximization of a social power. 

Glossary:

Intertextuality: It is the interconnection between similar or related works of literature.

Naturalize language: The language concerns with the common-sense beliefs that generally are imposed by dominant groups especially by media.

Synthetic personalization: It is the process of addressing mass audiences as though they were individuals through inclusive language usage.

CLS: Critical language study.

Langue: A system or code which is prior to actual language use.

Parole: It is the social side of the language, so it is the language use.  

Description: Linguistic features of the text, structures that are used. (text analysis)

Interpretation: Relationship between text and interaction. (processin analysis)

Explanation: Relationship between interaction and social context. (social analysis)

Member Resources (MR): Representations of the natural and social worlds such as inhabit, values, beliefs, assumptions, and so on.

Relational dialectics: It is an interpersonal communication theory about close personal ties and relationships that highlights the tensions, struggles and interplay between contrary tendencies.