230153 Discourse Analysis (S) (WiSe 2026/2027)

This seminar introduces discourse analysis as the study of language in use and of meaning-making beyond the sentence level. Drawing on major theoretical traditions in discourse studies, the course examines how discourse is structured (i.e. its form) and how it is used to achieve particular communicative purposes (i.e. its function).

Particular attention is given to patterns of structure and organisation that extend beyond the sentence, including phenomena such as narratives, interactional frames, discourse markers, information structure, and forms of reference. We will also explore how discourse-analytic methods can be used to investigate social practices, identities, ideologies, and power relations across different communicative contexts.

Emphasis is placed on methodological approaches to discourse analysis, including the collection, transcription, and interpretation of authentic language data. Through hands-on exercises and project work, students will apply a range of discourse-analytic frameworks to contemporary spoken, written, and digital discourse, investigating a variety of online and offline genres.