A clear, lively introduction to the latest trends in the theory, method, and tools of discourse studies, Discourse Analysis provides a solid grounding of the linguistics mechanisms, and interactive features of discourse. By adopting a fundamental distinction between narrative and non-narrative discourse, the authors clarify the linguistic construction of different text types and the various perspectives from which they can be analyzed. This book is a valuable guide, not only for students and teachers of linguistics, but for anyone with an interest in communication. This revised second edition registers key changes in a rapidly expanding area and thoroughly updates suggestions for further reading and the bibliography.
A useful introduction to some of the linguistics to help understand some of the more technical linguistic terminology used in more recent Biblical studies in Greek and Hebrew, as well as more technical commentaries and journal articles. There were a lot of examples in the book to help explain the concepts which were helpful. I only disagree with the authors presuppositions that if the methodology laid out in this book is applied to biblical studies, then it would risk reducing the Bible to merely another human Book, and not taking into account both the Divine and Human authorship of Scripture (such as the methodology of the grammatical-historical hermeneutic which emphasizes the use of natural revelation i.e. history, culture, etc. as the predominant means to interpret Scripture). Linguistic theories and other means of exegesis focusing on external categories such as emphasizing cultural background studies or geography too much have their limitations, but Scripture commenting on Scripture provides an infallible interpretation of Scripture.