An Introduction to Discourse Analysis: Theory and Method (Paperback)

by James Paul Gee (Author) "Many people think that the primary purpose of language is to "communicate information..." (more)
Key Phrases: New Derby, Professor Miller, Native Americans (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Gee's book shows us that Discourse Analysis is about a lot more than linguistic study; it will help us all to see how to keep from, as he says, 'getting physically, socially, culturally, or morally "bitten" by the world'." -- Ron Scollon, Georgetown University --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
Discourse analysis considers how language, both spoken and written, enacts social and cultural perspectives and identities. In this book, James Paul Gee introduces the field and presents his unique integrated approach to it. Assuming no prior knowledge of linguistics, the author presents both a theory of language-in-use and a method of research. Clearly structured and written in a highly accessible style, An Introduction to Discourse Analysis incorporates perspectives from a variety of approaches and disciplines, including applied linguistics, education, psychology, anthropology and communication to help students and scholars from a range of backgrounds to formulate their own views on discourse and engage in their own discourse analysis. The second edition has been completely revised and updated and contains substantial new material and examples of oral and written language, ranging from group discussions with children, adults, students and teachers to conversations, interviews, academic texts and policy documents.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 2 edition (February 3, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415328616
• ISBN-13: 978-0415328616
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #387,820 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fine introduction, March 12, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: An Introduction to Discourse Analysis: Theory and Method (Paperback)

Reading the book does not require prior knowledge and training in linguistics or social theory because the book was written at the really introductory level. The author has intentionally stayed away from using too many technical jargons and dumping too many names on his readers. Thus, it is actually a very good introduction for students who haven't had prior experiences of reading linguistic stuffs. While the book does not deal with discourse analysis deeply, it certainly can provide an entry point for people who would like to know more about discourse analysis.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Interesting Introduction to Discourse Analysis, March 30, 2008

By	Adam Pope (Fayetteville, AR USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: An Introduction to Discourse Analysis: Theory and Method (Hardcover)

Having read this book for a graduate seminar in Discourse Analysis I can give Gee credit for producing a very readable book on a subject that has literature that often strays into the hard to read category. The book systematically lays out Gee's version of Discourse Analysis with useful examples and citations of others' work.

The one negative that I ran into consistently is that the book does tend to require the reader to readily absorb a large vocabulary that Gee introduces almost immediately. If you forget some of Gee's terms and phrases, you will find yourself flipping back and forth through pages to see what exactly he means when he says X word or phrase. Considering the relative shortness of the book, this isn't that big of a problem. Also, it is important to realize that Discourse Analysis brings with it by its very nature a large vocabulary--it is something Gee can not help but include in his book.

12 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nailed it!, June 30, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: An Introduction to Discourse Analysis: Theory and Method (Paperback)

Professor Gee is easily one of the most exciting literacy/language/education/discourse thinkers of our time. This book is perfect for those thinking of researching the ways that language/talk/discourse reflect cultural/political/societal models. Gee is always on the cutting edge of this kind of research, and if you want to know how he does it, buy this book!