Analyzing Written and Spoken
The Libyan Academy
The School of Languages -
Department of English
Introduction
The highly publicised defamation
trial between Johnny Depp and
Amber Heard brought the issue of
intimate partner violence into the
public sphere. A qualitative multi-
modal discourse analysis of their
written and spoken communications
was conducted to gain a nuanced
understanding beyond surface
claims. The aims were to examine
language use, the construction of
identities, analyse power dynamics,
and critically interpret implied and
stated meanings on this
consequential issue.
Extracts of the
analyzed written and
spoken discourse
Written: Extract from Amber Heard's
2018 Washington Post op-ed, where
she wrote, “I spoke up against sexual
violence and faced our culture's
wrath. That has to change.” This
statement was interpreted by
Johnny Depp as defaming him.
Spoken: An exchange from cross-
examination where Depp's lawyer
asked Heard, "You still haven't
donated the $7 million divorce
settlement to charity. Isn't that
right? and Heard responded by
manipulating language.
By: Alaa Najeeb Ahmed Hasan
Under the supervision of: Prof. Albashir Abdulhamid Muftah
Discourse: A Case Study of
Amber Heard and Johnny
Depp Defamation Trial
Steps of analyzing discourse
Data Collection:
Gather the relevant
discourse data, such
as texts,
conversations,
speeches, or
.interviews
Conclusion:
Summarize the
Pre-processing: Clean
and organize the data
to make it suitable for
findings and reflect on
analysis. This may
the insights. Draw
involve removing
conclusions about the
irrelevant information,
discourse and its
formatting the text, or
significance within the
transcribing spoken
.broader context
.discourse
Critical Analysis:
question power Contextual Analysis:
Conclusion
dynamics, ideologies, Examine the broader
biases, and underlying
assumptions within
context in which the
discourse occurs,
A multi-level discursive
the discourse. considering factors
Evaluate the discourse
for potential social,
such as the social,
cultural, and historical
examination unpacking deeper
political, or cultural .background
.implications
These five steps provide a general framework for
insights that a single
conducting discourse analysis on a selected sample. perspective cannot offer was
most illuminating. Language
must be critically understood
Materials and within intricate social, cultural,
methodology and interactive contexts,
considering all perspectives, to
arrive at balanced views
Formal, functional and social challenging preconceptions.
approaches were used to analyze
Heard's writing, examining grammar,
meanings constructed, and power
plays. Exchanges between Heard and
Depp's lawyer was studied based on
four assumptions of discourse -
ambiguity of language, language in
context, social identities, and multi-
modality. Relevant literature
informed the qualitative
methodology of thick description
and deep unbiased interpretation..
This case highlights the need for
nuanced analysis of discourse rather
than acceptance of claims at face
Results value on weighty issues.
Heard linguistically crafted her References
identity, but implicatures were Akbas, E., Sevi, A., & Eney, H. (2022).
ultimately used against her. Discourse analysis methods in language
Cross-examination revealed assessment and testing. Journal of
power dynamics and Heard's Language and Linguistic Studies, 18(3),
failed attempts to manipulate 755-770.
language under rigorous https://doi.org/10.52462/jlls.110238
Department of Linguistics and English
questioning. Ambiguities and
Language. (2020). Analysing spoken
context provided new discourse. Loughborough University.
understanding beyond surface https://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/linguisti
assertions on complex issues cs-english-language/discourse/analysing-s
of abuse, accusations, and poken-discourse/
institutional protection.