Analyzing the Text Using Gee's Analytical Discourse, Tools of Inquiry, Buildings Tasks - Case Study Example

WORKING TEXT By Department Professor’s Name Name of the University 12th May, 2012 1.0 Introduction According to Gee how language is used as a tool used to communicate information’s to support social activities, social identities and affiliations within cultures and institution. The report analyzes how language available to use is structured in its sequence, to address the topic, a number of functional questions will be asked, why a number of people are using the language? Secondly the paper will try to interpret the linguistic system in a functional semantics perspective. The text used in the report was extracted from a book titled; ‘an introduction to systematic functional linguistic’ the author Suzanne Eggins, published in 2004, page 13. The text extract was chosen because it tries to explain the overall purpose of language; it also tries to explain how people interact in order to make meanings, which is by making sense of what is going on in the world (Eggins, 2004). The text was also selected because it is a perfect example of using social languages within a actual context and Discourses of work, labor, instruction, knowledge and literacy. The main conclusion and purpose of the language is for semantic purposes.The text was selected because it is a noble example text existence used to strengthen a particular perception on the actions involved. It is an example of spending bullet points, grammar, headings and certain sign systems/knowledge to provide significance to its intended purpose (Wollenhaupt, 2008). It brings out from the text, that whenever we participate in a given text we are able to get meanings from that particular context. The Gee’s text analytical approach is appropriate to be used as it brings out a close meaning of how the language we use is structured. 2.0 Gee’s Text analysis techniques To understand the question from the text extract Gee’s tool of inquiry and building tasks will be used to make the analysis. The second model of analysis used will be Gee’s tools of inquiry (Gee, 2011). Discourses, social languages and inter-textuality will be described and used to analyze the text in expressions of particular situations that comprise more than just the text that also has relations to further texts. Finally it will be revealed that using these models will have progressive effects on practice in the training and learning environment (Gee et al, 1992). 2.1 Gee’s tools of inquiry. The method is used for studying language in a wider perspective. It covers different aspects which are relevant to understanding language use. According to Gee this refers to relevant building identities and activities and also for recognizing identities and activities that others build. These are methods that are broad and complex involving tasks and tools which covers diverse theoretical and methodological approaches from linguistics and sociology. 2.1.1 Social languages. The language in the extract has been used to show how social languages memberships in groups, relationships between individuals exists e.g. ‘a fellow suffer offering useful advice based on her life experience to all’ other languages, for example English or Spanish, French, are made of other distinctive social language. Through analyzing several everyday life examples were it demonstrates how specific meanings function in various contexts. Gee argues that the meaning is an active and a social process. The use of language as also given a reflection on how and why certain activities for example technical language is used over everyday language use, These Social languages are part of the things that we get to learn, and what we use to communicate. Use of discourse and social language are terms used for distinctive number of things. According to Gee’s, the use of languages like technical, vernacular, and jargons in different settings, with different relationships, authorities, membership aims of coming up with an identity in a certain setting. (Gee et al, 1992). The term is that discourse establishes society and culture. Non-linguistic symbols, tools and technologies are part of language (Gee, 2011), and can be identified in the text. This means that every occurrence of language use kinds its own aid to reproducing and changing society and culture, comprising relations of power. In reference to Gee’s the social language is only used to explain the role of discourse, but one need to take note that discourses comprises a number of more than one languages. They continuously involves organizing language with ways of drama, networking, valuing, trusting, emotion, and with bodies, garments, non-linguistic signs, objects, tools, expertise, times, and dwellings. We can apply social languages to analyze how other languages can have the same kind of discourse even if it is used in a different setting. 2.1.2 Discourses. To create meaning within a Discourse may possibly convey advantages in dissimilar circumstances. The model is used to encourage the readers to look beyong a certain example from their own culture and bring out language in action. For example, if an individual is elevated in a family of lawyers, the Discourses of language of politics or commercial may come definitely to that person. From the text it shows the relationship between two parts the social and political issues which are implicated in the study of discourse models. In the most places, those are wholly Discourses of language of power and they are strictly related. Another individual rose up in a very diverse (Wollenhaupt, 2008). According to Gee’s discourse is a socially accepted association among ways of using language, other symbolic expressions and artifacts of thinking, feeling, believing, valuing, and acting that can be used to identify oneself as a member of socially meaningful group or social network or to signal or socially meaningful role (Gee, 2011). Discourse communal and influence find himself or herself at a hindrance when trying to exchange surrounded by the Discourse of business, demanding to get a loan, for example. One Discourse community is not intrinsically better than additional; still power outside a society could be unequally represented within diverse Discourses. It is used in the extract to combine language, various actions, beliefs, values, symbols, other tools that create an identity. The text illustrates that some of languages are in born are depended on the cultural, social surroundings. 2.1.3 Intextuality and conversations. In any given society discourse exists, there are all kind of people who emanate for distinctive identities, who communicate to each other not has individuals but as a society. In textually and conversations are tolls centrally for the purposes of distraction of diseases (Wollenhaupt, 2008). Here in the conversation the text does to illustrate other meanings in addition to the meanings illustrated in the text. According to Gee’s they are cross references in languages in other types of text whether quoting directly, indirectly or simply alluding. In majority of places discourses do interact in complicity to each other but not in conflict situations e.g. a deal of complexity may involve conservatism and fundamentalists’ discourses. All texts, vocal and transcribed, are constructed and require the meanings which text-users give to them in and over their relations with additional texts in some societal formation.The idea of intertextuality offers a viewpoint of together reading and writing texts as a tactic of considering at a text’s exchanges with past texts, authors, students, and conventions. Researchers in diverse fields reflect the idea of ‘intertextuality’ from diverse perspectives for different resolutions. These intellectuals could be coarsely categorized into two clusters. The first group is the researchers from semiotics, largely from professed literary semiotics. Conversations are part of arguments debates, issues or themes that a number of large numbers of people in communities or groups know about. It is mainly composed of a myriad of interactions activities which does exists among a specific people within a specified time and place. People use not only language but other elements outside of the realm of language in order to engage themselves in activities. For example the way the writer speaks in a right way attracts a number of attentions. Intetextuality is about mixing together a number of different social languages which are connected in a different discourse in a number of ways, for example, in a speech, two or more styles of language interacting with one another. The analysis of intertexuality and conversation does reflect on how language is used in a community (Wollenhaupt, 2008). 2.2 Gee’s buildings tasks. This report will include the use of building tasks: significance, activities, identities, relationships, politics, connections, sign systems and knowledge. The language as created a certain kind of activity by creating its value through the use of the language as certain activities are enacted Language is an active task that both creates and models behavior and situations. Gee uses seven building tasks that emphasize the exercise of language is continually and everywhere (Levenstein, 2003). Significance: according to Gee’s use the available language to make things important and significant. The language used creates a significant meaning of the ideas meaning or value, explanation that needs to explain to the readers. We provide things; individuals or group was being communicated. The language that has been used in the extract provides a symbolic type of language, where it enables the learners or readers to visualize or captures the real meaning of whatever is being explained. Language is intentionally used to build significance (Gee, 2011) and initially visual cues can be used to apply significance to parts of the text some of the significant meanings of words used in the text include use of phrases which represents particular meanings to contents. How and what different things mean in the present situation (Schaider, 2009). Activities: In reference to use of language informs others of whatever we are able to see ourselves and what we are doing, which enables others to learn from us. In this way it customs language to be identified as engaging in a particular activity, The practice of language beginning the extract reflects use of traffic lights, which is part of the activities that we through, or we encounter every day the use of this enables individuals to conceptualize the language and link with the activity to create meaning of what they encounter in their daily lives. This piece of text is an instructional activity; it uses bullet points and short statements to give the impression of factual facts (Felson & Walker, 2009). Identities: From the text our role is that of a sociologist, who need to relate with others to signify the role of language in communication. This text takes on the identity of a person with authority decimating important information where the language that is used reflects the identities that the message tries to portray. Language can be used to make the text recognized as taking on a particular identify. what identities other roles or positions which seems to be relevant to all being taken for total granted in, or under the all construction process. According to Gee; Relationships with the reader are established through language. Language is used to reflect or indicate the real role that will have taken on, and planning to enact a new identity in piece of language to be used to enact this is portrayed by Gee’s. Politics. According to Gees the use of techniques creates the authority of power the use of certain phrases conveys a motive representing what is right or wrong. The use of language in a text is a description of items that is taking place in a number of social context repeated with a multipart set of power relationships, is then interpreted and represented upon by readers or listeners subject on their rules, procedures, and mental simulations of on a social basis conventional behavior. From the text extract a dire approach to discourse looks to link the text with the underlying power structures in community through a lengthy story practice, within which the text was extracted. (Glesecke, 2005). Relationships: The use of language is used to signal the type and kind of relationship or relations we expect and want to have with those we communicate with in reference to Gee’s. The text reflects the kind of social relationship expected after reading the extract which should be integrative in nature. It should be open and a positive one, the language shown in the texts need to promote a positive communication between parties (Schaider, 2009). Connections: It is used to create relevance or irrelevance between two things or create relevancy or vice versa this is according to Gee’s. It used to create or connect actions, meanings and words to convey the message. For example from extract explanations have been explain to give connectivity in different language usage to give one particular role within distinctive communities (Gee et al,1992). Sign systems/ knowledge: According to Gees a number of different languages e.g. Spanish, English is used with different jargons languages of lawyers, artists, and other non- verbal types of expressions e.g. facial expressions or images are part of sign systems. The use of sign languages gives one umbrella top for all members of society. The extract from the text reflects what sign systems becomes a relevant factor of a given situations. Examples of such can be through speech, images and other gestures. In the extract text it reflects how writings and images have been used to give meaning to the use of language. The text is in English, the trouble and style of writing is used in a manner that tries to break down the privileged contact to the sign system and knowledge in use. Further, the determination of the text is to improve the reader’s competence in using the sign systems to indicate a type-written business/employment communication using English (Kotler, 2004). 3.0 Implication and application. Analyzing the text using Gee's analytical discourse allowed a better understanding of the inferences of using this text as an educational tool. Gee (2011) recognizes two main functions of human language, use of backup as the performance of social actions and social categorizes this is in support with association within cultures, social individuals and institutions. Many things that we do in the world are standards set by individuals. Practice is also improved being able to use the six building responsibilities to the identified extract in text. Discourse analysis is a useful and valid way of describing the components, structure and used to effectively break apart text to examine the way it is put together and used (Gee et al,1992). But to make such things significant we need to use language, or if you want to make it less significant otherwise (Levenstein, 2003). Being capable to critically analyze the text and describe the aims of its parts can support developing student’s rational and meta-cognitive skills in literacy in addition to language. From the entire study were recommending the following to be used in application in adult literacy and numeracy course: Individuals are mentored or encouraged in any educational program through the practice of building task; this can be achieved through language use where simple languages that suit them can be used. Language can be used to mentor adults to continue with their studies. Language and practice go hand in hand, and should be integrated together. To help make identities among adult’s literacy and numeracy programs, language is used by taking to identify certain identity or roles. Use of writing and speaking should be used to specify certain identities or to acquire one this can be through full descriptions of certain tasks and identities. This can be used to build social relationship among the adults with language used for communication purposes. Relationship will signal the relationship that we have, communicating will bring relationship from every parties involved. This can be used in the education setup to encourage individuals to communicate well and build good relationship within them. References List Eggins, S. (2004). An introduction to systemic functional linguistics, (2nd Ed.). New York London. Continuum. Felson, D., & Walker, A. (2009) developing language structures Harwood, Lippincott, Glesecke, J. (2005) the long term prognosis of linguistics, Journal of literacy, volume 8 pages 251 263. Gee, J. P. (2011). An introduction to discourse analysis: Theory and method (2nd Ed ed.). New York: Routledge. Gee, J. P., Michales, S., & O'Conner, M. C. (1992). Discourse analysis. In M. D. LeCompe, W. L. Millrow, & J. Preisseie, The handbook of qualitative research in education (pp. 228-291). San Diego: Academic press. Kotler, R.C. (2004) expressions of languages in society, Geneva, Switzerland, prentice hall. Mauk, L. (2006) phonology and linguistics in usage, Sulbury, MA, Jones & Bartlett. Levenstein, H. (2003) the transformation of American society, Berkeley, Los Angeles, University of California press. Radloff, L.S. (2009), The CES-D scale:Journal ona self-report expression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement 1, 385-401. Schaider, J. (2009) sociological linguistics, New York, Harwood, Lippincott. Smith, F. (2004) the oxford encyclopedia of food and drink America, New York, US Oxford. Wollenhaupt, J. (2008) undifferentiated diversity in cultures, Journal of current opinion in phonology, vol 10 pages 306-313. Appendix A Appendix B – Matrix of Gee’s analytical techniques Tools of Inquiry Significance Activities Identities Relationships Politics Connections Sign Systems &Knowledge Building Tasks Social Languages Discourses Intertextuality Conversations Source Eggins, S. (2004). An introduction to systemic functional linguistics, (2nd Ed.). New York London. Continuum. Page 14. Read More