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18 - SFL and Critical Discourse Analysis

from Part II - Discourse Analysis within SFL

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 May 2019

By
Gerard O’Grady
Edited by
Geoff Thompson ,
Wendy L. Bowcher ,
Lise Fontaine  and
David Schönthal
Geoff Thompson
Affiliation:
University of Liverpool
Wendy L. Bowcher
Affiliation:
Sun Yat-Sen University, China
Lise Fontaine
Affiliation:
Cardiff University
David Schönthal
Affiliation:
Cardiff University
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Summary

This chapter traces the historical relationship between Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). I describe Fairclough’s linguistic SFL approach to CDA focusing on his seminal 1989 work Language and Power and outline his three-stage methodology, which enables analysts to account for discourse as (i) text, (ii) discursive practice, and (iii) societal practice. Text samples are used to illustrate how SFL is able to analyze language use as text and practice. Furthermore, I show that the Marxist heritage underpinning the genesis of SFL is shown to fully harmonize linguistic theory with social theory. Various criticisms of SFL-flavoured CDA such as the unrepresentativeness of data, subjectivity of analyses, and an anti-mentalist theory of context are discussed and dismissed. A claim that cognitive linguistics is the missing link in the analysis of ideological patterns underpinning social action is considered and mostly rejected on the grounds of its seeming incompatibility with social theory and individual-centred focus. Finally, technological developments which have the potential to add to the power of CDA descriptions and explanations in language and other modes are briefly outlined, as are some of the tensions remaining between theory and practice.
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Systemic Functional Linguistics , pp. 462 - 484
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2019

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