A Critical Discourse Analysis Of University Prospectuses In Jiangxi Province

Critical discourse analysis is a kind of research approach which connects language with society. It mainly examines the hidden ideology behind language structure by analyzing the linguistic features of discourses and their social and historical context, whose purpose is to expose the complex relationship between language, power and ideology. In recent years, the theory of critical discourse analysis has been widely used in a variety of stylistic analysis, mainly in news discourse, political discourse, educational discourse and other public discourses. University prospectus is an important carrier of publicizing the conditions and characteristics of university, educational philosophy, professional settings, enrollment and so on. In order to propaganda their universities, universities all make their efforts to design their own prospectus. Universities fall into public universities, private universities and independent colleges. There exist similarities and differences on the language using of the universities of different nature. And similarities and differences also exist in the power and ideology hidden behind the language structure of the three kinds of university prospectuses.Three-dimensional analysis model is proposed by Fairclough and the three dimensions refer to text, discursive practice which includes the production, distribution and consumption of discourse and social practice respectively. Later Fairclough points out that the three steps of critical discourse analysis are description, interpretation and explanation. Based on Fairclough’s three-dimensional analysis model, the thesis makes a critical discourse analysis of university prospectuses 2014 in Jiangxi province. The data of the thesis is chosen from the three kinds of university prospectuses 2014 in Jiangxi province respectively. At the description stage, the thesis describes the features of language used in the three kinds of prospectuses in Jiangxi province from the aspect of ideational function and interpersonal function by applying Halliday’s Systemic Functional Grammar. At the interpretation stage, the thesis discusses the intertextuality of the discourse practice by applying XinBin’s theory of specific and generic intertextuality. At the explanation stage, the thesis illustrates the related social background of the three kinds of university prospectuses 2014 in Jiangxi province by applying Fairclough’s theory of CDA. The thesis aims to find out the similarities and differences of the language used in the two prospectuses and dig out the social context they reflect and the power and ideology hidden behind them. What’ more, the thesis expects to improve readers’ critical awareness when they read university prospectus.