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

~ James Paul Gee (Author)
Key Phrases: six building tasks, different situated meanings, different social languages, Native Americans, Don Chabo, Claudia Strauss (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.

Review

'A unique volume in the wide range of professional literature on discourse analysis, because while it is written with great professional expertise, it is also a highly enjoyable read that can reach out to a wide audience. From undergraduate students to fellow colleagues and researchers this volume has a lot to offer ... The main merits of the book are its many real life examples and the "hands-on" advice the author gives to discourse analysts ... There is no doubt that [this book] will appear on lists of recommended textbooks worldwide and students and lecturers will use it for their courses.' - The Linguist List

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (August 17, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415211867
• ISBN-13: 978-0415211864
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 6.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,005,126 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

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

By A Customer

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.

3 of 3 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.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent introduction to linguistics, January 15, 2010

By	A customer "intellectually oriented" (California USA) - See all my reviews

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

This is an excellent book. It is clearly written, it is very well researched (bibliography), and the reader will comprehend the theory and methods behind linguistics. I've read other linguistic books that make mention of Dr. Gee's book.