Reading and Writing Skills Unit 1: Text as a Connected Discourse

Lesson 1: Definition and Purposes of a Discourse

A text, such as a recipe or a literary critique, which has distinct

features and purpose, is a piece of discourse.

What Is Discourse?

The term discourse comes from the word discursus. In medieval Latin, it
means “argument,” and in late Latin, it means “conversation.” Some
texts indeed are in the form of discussion in which writers express their
opinions. Other texts are like a conversation because the writers talk
to the readers. A discourse is a formal and often lengthy discussion of
a topic, where concepts and insights are arranged in an organized and
logical manner. It is often associated with speech, but it may also be
written. It usually serves as a writer’s or a scholar’s analysis of a
concept or theory proposed by another writer. Also, discourse refers to
the way how language is used to convey meanings or to propel action or
provoke a specific response. One example of a discourse is the critique.
This piece of writing states a writer’s opinion about the good and the
bad parts of another piece of writing or a work of art. Its language is
formal, and its ideas are arranged in an organized and logical manner.
The diary entries in the The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank can also
be considered a discourse. A diary is a daily record of someone’s personal
experiences and thoughts. By reading every entry in a diary, we get the
sense of the writer’s character or values. Texts like a literary critique
or a diary entry are written with a purpose. Thus, discourse has purposes.