Text and Context Studies

obligatory courses

Classroom

The lecture presents a dynamic approach to text as a social event, which takes place through multiple channels of interaction, such as speech, writing, non-verbal communication, audio-visual devices, electronic tools, etc. The diverse media involved in communicative exchange transmit the linguistic process of meaning-making, which on the cultural plane enters the construction of social practices responsible for shaping human reality. The latter contains identities, relations and structures of knowledge, which jointly build contexts as ways of being, acting and thinking in the world. The course demonstrates an interdisciplinary perspective on communication, including both linguistic analysis and social analysis.

The lecture focuses on the dynamic concept of text as a social event. Such an event takes place through multiple channels of interaction: speech, writing, non-verbal communication, audio-visual devices, electronic tools, etc. The diverse media involved in communicative exchange transmit the linguistic process of meaning-making, which on the cultural plane builds social practices shaping human reality. The latter contains identities, relations and structures of knowledge, which jointly produce contexts as ways of being, acting and thinking in the world. The course prepares students for research on broad socio-cultural phenomena that are channelled in interpersonal space through text and discourse.

Student’s contribution to the course:

30hrs – participation in classes

30hrs – readings and literature analysis

30hrs – preparation for the final exam

Dijk, Teun van. 2008. Discourse and Context. A Sociocognitive Approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Dijk, Teun van. 2009. Society and Discourse. How Social Contexts Influence Text and Talk. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Duszak Anna, 1998. Tekst, dyskurs, komunikacja międzykulturowa. Warszawa: PWN.

Fairclough, Norman. 2003. Analyzing Discourse. Textual Analysis for Social Research. London and New York: Routledge.

Tannen, Deborah, Heidi E. Hamilton, and Deborah Schiffrin (eds.) 2015. The Handbook of Discourse Analysis. Oxford: Blackwell.

Knowledge: the graduate knows and understands:

-in depth, the complex structure of language as a system

-in-depth, biological, cultural and communicative-social aspects of language use

-in-depth, specialized terminology in the fields of theoretical linguistics, corpus linguistics, neuroscience

-in-depth, fundamental problems of language use as an interlingual and intercultural phenomenon

-in-depth, the role of language in communication between people and cultures, and linguistic phenomena in a broader cognitive, communicative and social context

-in-depth, the relationship of linguistics (theoretical, computational, cognitive, corpus linguistics) with other fields of (neuro)science

Skills: the graduate is able to:

-use in-depth theoretical and practical knowledge to carry out research work and solve complex problems in linguistics (theoretical, computational, cognitive, corpus, social/text linguistics) using appropriate methodology

-to an in-depth degree, search, analyze, evaluate and select information in the native language and foreign languages

-use advanced research tools of linguistics (theoretical, computational, cognitive, corpus-based) and select research methods appropriately to the problems undertaken

-use a foreign language to an advanced degree (C2 level) in specialized terminology in the field of linguistics (theoretical, computational, cognitive, corpus, social/text linguistics)

-communicate in native and foreign language in various professional situations with specialists, using various channels and communication techniques and strategies

-independently acquire knowledge in the field of linguistics (theoretical, computational, cognitive, corpus, social/text linguistics) and evaluate the usefulness of the learned methods, practices and procedures in their own professional activity

Social competences: the graduate is ready to:

-recognize the importance of the latest linguistic knowledge and critically evaluate research in linguistics (theoretical, computational, cognitive, corpus, social/text linguistics), especially those published in scientific journals and monographs and popular science sources

-recognize the importance of linguistic knowledge in solving cognitive and practical problems and to consult with experts

-adequately identify and resolve problems of interlingual, intercultural and social communication

-initiate and carry out linguistic research, in particular to improve accessibility in the dimensions of language, information and communication

-perform the professional role of a linguist responsibly and with an entrepreneurial spirit, taking into account changing social and market needs

Assessment method: written exam

The condition to take the exam is regular attendance at classes; max. 2 absences allowed.

Assessment criteria:

The exam is assessed on the basis of

- material coverage;

- the ability to refer to the literature of the subject;

- the ability to express oneself scientifically in writing.

Share of the exam’s content (%) in the final grade:

90% and more – 5

85%-89% – 4+

80%-84% – 4

70%-79% – 3+