Discourse analysis and university transcription service

Our team of dedicated university transcribers have experience of transcribing research interviews, theses, focus group interviews, round table discussions and recorded lectures. We also have extensive experience in providing transcripts in preparation for discourse analysis.

The Linguistic Society provides a useful definition of discourse analysis. It is sometimes defined as the analysis of language ‘beyond the sentence’. This contrasts with types of analysis more typical of modern linguistics, which are chiefly concerned with the study of grammar: the study of smaller bits of language, such as sounds (phonetics and phonology), parts of words (morphology), meaning (semantics), and the order of words in sentences (syntax). Discourse analysts study larger chunks of language as they flow together.

Some discourse analysts consider the larger discourse context in order to understand how it affects the meaning of the sentence. For example, Charles Fillmore points out that two sentences taken together as a single discourse can have meanings different from each one taken separately. To illustrate, he asks you to imagine two independent signs at a swimming pool: “Please use the toilet, not the pool,” says one. The other announces, “Pool for members only.” If you regard each sign independently, they seem quite reasonable. But taking them together as a single discourse makes you go back and revise your interpretation of the first sentence after you’ve read the second.

Discourse analysis is a time consuming exercise for a university researcher. While we can use special software to prepare a transcript for discourse analysis, including the speaker turns etc, we can also provide a budget and therefore student-friendly solution. By providing a straightforward verbatim transcript in Word, we can save you valuable time. You can simply edit the transcript and add any necessary elements yourself.

Want to learn more?

If you would be interested in learning more about our university transcription service and how we can help with your discourse analysis requirements, do please get in touch.