According to Merriam Webster, discourse is “a mode or organizing knowledge, ideas, or experience that is rooted in language and its concrete contexts (as history or institutions)” (“Discourse,” n.d.). Discourse Analysis focuses on how human exchange ideas, and for interpreters this includes verbal, nonverbal, and signed communication. Interpreters sometimes believe that their main goal should be to learn to sign as many words, sentences, and facial expressions as possible. However, in the article “Intro to Discourse Analysis,” Winston (2017b) explained that effective communication requires more than rote memorization; interpreters must “recognize discourse structures and markers in source messages,” understand what these structures mean,
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Because language varies so much across people groups, it is helpful to use a common vocabulary for the purpose of analysis. Winston (2017b) identified two important terms related to discourse: form and function (p. 2). According to Winston (2017b), function involves diverse uses of language including “interaction, greetings, openings & closings, interruptions, informing, [and] joking;” in contrast, form involves the characteristics of how these greetings, interruptions, and interactions are delivered, including things like cause and effect relationships between ideas, a speaker’s use of space, word choice, and a sense of time based on verb tense. (p. 2) The speaker usually makes these choices automatically and subconsciously. In “Interpreters as Applied Linguists,” Winston (2017a) indicated that although the speaker may have subconscious preconceptions and prejudices, it is important that the interpreter remain objective. Winston (2017a) stated, “Prescriptive, judgmental discourse about consumers needs to be eliminated from our professional discussions and replaced with descriptive and evidence-based analyses of their discourse intent, its functions and forms” (p.
Because language varies so much across people groups, it is helpful to use a common vocabulary for the purpose of analysis. Winston (2017b) identified two important terms related to discourse: form and function (p. 2). According to Winston (2017b), function involves diverse uses of language including “interaction, greetings, openings & closings, interruptions, informing, [and] joking;” in contrast, form involves the characteristics of how these greetings, interruptions, and interactions are delivered, including things like cause and effect relationships between ideas, a speaker’s use of space, word choice, and a sense of time based on verb tense. (p. 2) The speaker usually makes these choices automatically and subconsciously. In “Interpreters as Applied Linguists,” Winston (2017a) indicated that although the speaker may have subconscious preconceptions and prejudices, it is important that the interpreter remain objective. Winston (2017a) stated, “Prescriptive, judgmental discourse about consumers needs to be eliminated from our professional discussions and replaced with descriptive and evidence-based analyses of their discourse intent, its functions and forms” (p.