A critical discourse analysis of medicine products advertisements in New Zealand Phân tích diễn ngôn phê phán các quảng cáo dược phẩm ở New Zealand

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES
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HOÀNG THỊ MẬN

A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF MEDICINE
PRODUCTS ADVERTISEMENTS IN NEW ZEALAND

̉
́
́
́
PHÂN TÍCH DIỄN NGÔN PHÊ PHAN CAC QUANG CAO
̉
̉
DƯỢC PHÂM Ơ NEW ZEALAND

M.A. MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS

Field: English Linguistics
Code: 60.220.201

HANOI – 2014


VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES
----------o0o----------

HOÀNG THỊ MẬN

A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF MEDICINE
PRODUCTS ADVERTISEMENTS IN NEW ZEALAND

̉
́
́
́
PHÂN TÍCH DIỄN NGÔN PHÊ PHAN CAC QUANG CAO
̉
̉
DƯỢC PHÂM Ơ NEW ZEALAND

M.A. MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS

Field: English Linguistics
Code: 60.220.201
Supervisor: Nguyễn Thi Thu Ha, PhD
̣
̀

HANOI – 2014


DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this Master‘s thesis entitled ―A CRITICAL
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF MEDICINE PRODUCTS ADVERTISEMENTS
IN NEW ZEALAND” is my own work. This study project report is conducted in

partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts.
Hanoi, 2014
Hoàng Thị Mận

i


ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would have never been able to finish my thesis without the guidance of my
supervisor, help from friends and support from my family.
Foremost, I would like to express my deeply sincere gratitude to my
supervisor Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha for the continuous support of my thesis, for her
enthusiasm, invaluably constructive criticism and friendly advice during the project
work. Her hearty and aspiring guidance helped me in all the time of my work. I
could not have imagined having a better supervisor and mentor for my M.A thesis.
My thanks are also due to lecturers of the Faculty of Post-Graduate Studies for their
knowledge and encouragement from that I have learned during 2 years of the
course.
My sincere thanks also go to my relative, who is living in New Zealand, Tran
Thi Huyen for helping me collect the sample data.
I especially thank all of my friends and my parents for all their love, support
and encouragement which help me to finish one of important project works in my
life.

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ABSTRACT
This study investigated medicine products advertisements in New Zealand
under the perspective of Critical Discourse Analysis. A qualitative research was

conducted on total 50 advertisements chosen from 4 most popular websites for
online medicine advertising in New Zealand. The ideologies hidden behind
linguistic features and strategies employed by medicine advertisers are the main
focus. The analysis is based on a combination framework of Fairclough and
Systematic Function Grammar of Halliday. It demonstrates how ideologies of a
―positive medicine product‖ are produced and reproduced in medicine products
advertisements. The findings indicated that advertisers used various strategies to
influence and manipulate their customer‘s perception and behavior. Thus, language
in medicine advertising discourse is a means for people in power (advertisers) to
control and exercise power over others.

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LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES
Figure 1: Three dimensional framework of Fairclough, 2001
Figure 2: Aristotle‘s strategies of persuasion
Table 1: Summary of Finding of the first step
Table 2: Summary of Process, mood used
Table 3: Discursive strategies used in medicine advertisements

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION…………………………………………………………………….i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENS...........................................................................................ii
ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................. iii
FIGURES AND TABLES .......................................................................................... iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................... vi

PART A: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... 1
1. Rationale ................................................................................................................ 1
2. Research question………………………………………………………………..2
3. Scope of the study ................................................................................................... 2
4. Significance of the study ........................................................................................ 3
5. Design of the study.................................................................................................. 3
PART B: DEVELOPMENT ..................................................................................... 5
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................ 5
1.1. An overview of CDA ........................................................................................... 5
1.1.1. Summary of CDA development ........................................................................ 5
1.1.2 CDA: Theory or method .................................................................................. ..6
1.2 Advertising discourse ............................................................................................ 9
1.2.1 Overview of advertising discourse ..................................................................... 9
1.2.2 Approach to adverting discourse ........................................................................ 9
CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURES ................................... 12
2.1 Data ..................................................................................................................... 12
2.1.1 Data source ....................................................................................................... 12
2.1.2 Data selection and sampling............................................................................. 12
2.2 Analytical frameworks ........................................................................................ 13
2.2.1 Faiclough‘s frameworks ................................................................................... 14
2.2.2 Halliday‘s systematic functional grammar ....................................................... 17
2.3 Method of analysis .............................................................................................. 19
CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION: ...................................... 20
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3.1 Summary of the findings of the first step ............................................................ 20
3.2. The main findings .............................................................................................. 21
3.2.1 Textual analysis ................................................................................................ 21
3.2.1.1 Analysis in terms of word choices .............................................................. ..21

3.2.1.2 Analysis in terms of grammar features ......................................................... 25
3.2.2 Discourse practice analysis .............................................................................. 30
3.2.3 Social practice analysis .................................................................................... 38
PART C: CONCLUSION: ...................................................................................... 40
1. Main findings ........................................................................................................ 40
2. Limitations and suggestions for future studies .................................................... 41
REFERENCES ........................................................................................................ 44
APPENDICES ........................................................................................................... I
APPENDIX 1: 50 brand-name medicine advertisements products in New Zealand . I
APPENDIX 2: Extraction of Medicine Acts 1984: Advertisement for Medicine. ..IV

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PART A: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale
Since its appearance in humankind history, language has played a part as one
of essentially important means of communication. Therefore, in accordance with the
changes in human society, the function of language has been increasingly varied in
numbers. It no longer confines in terms of describing, explaining or exchanging
information but means to represent ideologies, to practice power and to influence
others. ―Language connects with the society through ideologies and through being
both a site of and a stake in, struggles for power‖ (Fairclough, 2001). The
relationship between language, ideologies and power, hence has instilled interest in
linguistics. Power is presented through ideologies in language or language is
employed with strategies to enact power. This figures out a very close relationship
between them as ―exercise of power is increasingly achieved through ideology,
particularly through the workings of language‖ (Fairclough, 2001).
Concerning this issue, a wide range of studies were conducted in a field of
applied linguistics: Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). CDA is referred to as ―an

interdisciplinary approach to the study of discourse that views language as a form
of social practice and focuses on the ways social and political domination are
reproduced in text and talk‖ (Fairclough, 1995).
Among types of discourse, advertising discourse, in its nature could be
regarded as one of the very interesting forms of language since ―advertising is the
most influential institution of socialization in modern society‖ (Jhally, 1995).
Although describing advertising as discourse is ―both more complex and more
difficult than any of these approaches.‖ ( El-daly, 2011), advertising discourse still
offers a very promising area for study due to vigorous and diversified language
used. It involves the nature of social practices and the properties of language.
Moreover in this channel of discourse, seemingly a huge number of receivers are
aimed to influence as advertisers often use visual and linguistic features to persuade
their audience. Thus, advertising language servers as a tool to influence people.

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Also this scenario ―has brought into perspective on how people who are in control
of advertisement manage to exercise their power‖ (Kuar Kuldip, 2013).
Linguists and researchers in fact have conducted a noticeable number of
studies related to advertising discourse. However, studies on advertising discourse
from perspective of CDA, to some extent seem to be minor in number.
Following this trend of research, the researcher conducts a study which
focuses on advertising discourse or in a more detail it is a critical discourse analysis
of medicine products advertisements in one of the English-speaking countries. The
aim is to examine the way language used in medicine products advertisements as a
means to present some ideologies, practice power in order to influence customers.
Also, there is another concern, among various types of advertisements; I merely
take notice of medicine products advertisements. In many countries all over the
world, advertisement for medicine products is under extremely strict and limited

control. According to WHO, New Zealand is one of the English-speaking countries
that allows a direct-to-customer advertising for medicine products. However, all
forms of medicine advertisements are limited in a strictly legitimate requirement
which means advertising information will be displayed according to a prevailed
frame. For this special situation, it is worth investigating how language is used in
the medicine advertisements as a mean to influence people, to enact power and to
present ideologies under those limitations of censorship.
2. Research question
To be specific, the thesis aims to seek the answers to the following 2
questions:
1. What ideologies are represented through linguistic features used in
medicine products advertisements?
2. What discursive strategies were employed by medicine advertisers to
manipulate and influence their customers?
3. Scope of the study
In this thesis, I aim to focus only on the verbal advertising – the written texts

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of the advertisements. However, under the scope of a minor thesis, there are 50
brand- names and full-text medicine advertisements chosen from 4 most popular
websites for online medicine advertising in New Zealand. Also, I have no ambition
to make an analysis from all aspects of language used. Rather, only word and
grammatical choices are the main focuses. In other words, the research focuses on
analyzing the linguistic features of medicine products advertisements in New
Zealand and reveals how the use of language tends to manipulate and influence the
consumers based on the content of the advertisements.
As its nature is a linguistic study, the thesis will be conducted for the
academic purpose only which has no relation to discussion or analysis of marketing

or commercial strategies which belong to the domain of economics.
4. Significance of the study
The thesis is conducted in the hope of making some contributions.
Theoretically, this study provides a support to CDA theories as from analysis of
selected medicine advertisements, ideologies and power hidden behind them could
be explored. In addition, as the genre of discourse dealt with is advertising discourse
which is not yet widely and fully explored from the perspective of CDA in Vietnam,
thus the researcher holds an expectation to signal more future researchers who will
have the same interest. It is because topics for CDA should not only confine in
politic argument but other sources of social practices in which advertising is an
example.
5. Design of the study
Within 40 pages of a minor thesis, the study is divided into 3 main parts:
Part A (Introduction) aims to give the background of the study. It mentions the
rationale, aims of the study, the research questions, scope and the design of the
thesis.
Part B (Development) includes 3 chapters:

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Chapter 1 (Literature review) presents a review on CDA and advertising
discourse with a summary of development of CDA, the nature of CDA, overview of
advertising discourse.
Chapter 2 (Methodology and procedures) offers a detailed explanation on
the choice of database, analytical frameworks, and analysis tools for the thesis.
Chapter 3 (Data analysis and discussion) is the analysis of data under
frameworks of Fairclough and Halliday‘s SFG. The research questions are expected
to reveal from the result of the analysis.
Part C (Conclusion) summarizes the main findings from which some important

conclusions have been drawn out. Some limitations are also drawn out in this
chapter.

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PART B: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
1.1 Overview of CDA
1.1.1 Summary of CDA development
Before ―emerging as a distinct theory of language, a radically different kinds
of linguistics ―(Kress, 1990) by the 1990s, the history of CDA dated back to 1970s.
At that time, there was an emergence of a discourse and text analysis form which
was referred to as Critical Linguistics. This new form recognized the role of
language in structuring power relation in society. It is completely different from the
Chomskian‘s former focus in that it aimed at ―describing and explaining language
variation, language change and the structures of communication interaction with
limited attention to issue of social hierarchy and power‖ (Labov, 1972). This new
trend drew interest from a number of researchers whose names are: Kress and
Hodge, Fowler, Van Dijk, Fairclough, Wodak, etc. Their works made a significant
contribution to Critical Linguistics. The assumptions, principles, procedures were
developed and this made ―CL is able to describe its aims, research interests chosen
perspective and methods of analysis much more specifically and rigidly than
hitherto‖ (Wodak, 2001). Critical Linguistics at that time paved the way to a new
concern to the relationship between language and environment, however, the
attention to social disparities and power, to some extent, is still in low state. By the
end of 1980s, however, the term Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) became
recognized as: ―a distinct theory of linguistic analysis‖ when there was a bloom of
works and studies from many researchers: Kress (1990) should be the first name
mentioned to as he laid the foundation for the CDA in early stage. Fairclough and

Chouliariki (1999) offered a framework for CDA. Fairclough developed a threedimensional framework for studying discourse, where the aim is to map three
separate forms of analysis onto one another: analysis of (spoken or written)
language texts, analysis of discourse practice (processes of text production,
distribution and consumption) and analysis of discursive events as instances of

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sociocultural practice (Fairclough, 1995). Fairclough contributes numerous works,
books and journal in CDA (Critical discourse analysis, Language and Power, Media
Discourse, et al). He also claimed that Functional Grammar theory of Michael
Halliday could be applied to uncover linguistic structures which are represented
power in text. Wodak (1996) is another representative who shows support for the
relationship between society and language. There are other researchers: Scollon,
(2001), Siegfield Jager (2001) who makes considerable contribution to the
development of CDA.
In short, since its appearance, ―CDA has passed through the first flush of
youth and is embarked upon the maturation process. It is the moment for some
consolidation, for some collective thought to be given to the unity and coherence of
CDA, its theoretical bases is methods of analysis and to its relationship with
adjacent areas of study‖ (Faircough, 1995).
1.1.2 CDA: Theory or method?
In broad sense, CDA is understood as a part of applied linguistics stems from
a critical theory of language which sees the use of language as a form of social
practice (Janks 1998). Also in linguistics, CDA takes place as a branch or a tool of
discourse analysis. Regarding to the term, as the name implies, CDA is a type of
discourse analysis from a ―critical‖ perspective. CDA, thus is equal to ―critical +
discourse analysis‖. However, what makes CDA different from other forms of
discourse analysis? To answer this, it is worth reviewing the nature of CDA.
According to Roger (2004), CAD ―is both a theory and a method. Researchers who

are interested in the relationship between language and society use CDA to help
them describe, interpret and explain such relationships. CDA is different from other
discourse analysis methods because it not only is a description and interpretation of
discourse in context but also offers an explanation of how and why discourse works.
CDA is domain of critical applied linguistics‖. This definition, possibly is the most
comprehensive and overall one. Roger gives out the position of CDA in applied
linguistics, the objectives and principles of CDA, its difference and more

6


importantly Roger (2004) proves that CDA is both theory and method.
On theory, as Meyer (2001) claimed that: ―CDA in all of its various forms
understands itself to be strongly based in theory‖. Firstly, it is due to the fact that
CDA draws on a range of theoretical resources derived from numerous disciplinary
fields. It has developed historically from differing conceptions of linguistics and
from differing influence from a range of post-structural and neon-Marxist
influences. In the fields of CDA, there are all different theoretical levels including:
the theoretical level of sociological and socio psychological theory. Secondly, CDA
holds a wide range of theories as Meyer (2001) reviews: micro sociological
perspective of Rocollon, society and power of Michael Foucault, tradition with
Siegfield Jager, Norman Fairclough and Ruth Woodak, theories of social
recognition (Teun van Dijk) and grammar. However, is CDA a pure theory in
domain of applied linguistics? Van Dijk (1985) though, stated that ―CDA is neither
a method nor a theory that simply applied to social problems‖ and it is ―a critical
perspective on doing scholarship, it is so to speak discourse analysis with an
―attitude‖, still claimed the multidisciplinary of CDA as ―the complexities of the
relationships between discourse structure and social structure‖. In van Dijk‘s
argument, CDA is ―explicit and systematic methods, however, it is highly a
―sophisticated, empirically grounded theory‖ because ―in CDA, theory formation,

description, problem formulation and applications are closely interviewed and
mutually inspiring‖. In fact as Meyer (2001) discusses, not only in the field of
linguistics but the contributions from social theorists like Karl Marx, Antonio
Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Jürgen Habermas, Michel Foucault and Pierre Bourdieu
have shaped the basement for CDA to emerge as a theory. Thus, CDA is a theory, a
linguistic and social theory to examine ideologies and power relations involved in
discourse.
In a more common view, CDA is considered as an emerging method of
analyzing discourse. It has its own objective and method of approaching discourse
in which researchers apply CDA to ―explain the relationship between language,

7


ideology and power by analyzing discourse in its material form‖ (Janks, 1998).
Also CDA is a form of discourse analysis which uses Systemic Functional Grammar
(SFG) to study how formal linguistic features of text, such as vocabulary and
grammar are related to social power and the relationship between text and power is
mediated by ideology. However, CDA does not limit itself as a method of analyzing
discourse which aims at specific structures of text or conversation, but
systematically relates these linguistic aspects to structures of the sociopolitical
context. According to Fairclough (1995) : ―CDA sees language then as socially
produced (or constituted) and at the same it also shapes the society (constitutive)
and ―CDA is analysis of the dialection relationship between semiosis (including
language) and other elements of social practices‖. In other words, as a form of
discourse analysis, CDA aims at describing, explaining, interpreting ideologies,
power hidden behind discourse. Faiclough (2001) also supposes that CDA can be
used in social scientific research. This means CDA is regarded as a research tool
since ―it is combined scholarly and social responsibilities, CDA must be rigorous
scholarship‖ (van Dijk, 1995). Indeed, CDA can be applied widely in different

domains of linguistics: translation, literature… or other social domains. Moreover,
in the word of Wodak: ―most generally, CDA can be defined as a problem-oriented
interdisciplinary research program, subsuming a variety of approaches with
different theoretical models, research methods and agendas‖.
In short, as many scholars supposing CDA lies in the fence of both theory
and method. They all agree that CDA is a ―shared interest in social process of power
hierarchy building, exclusion and subordination. In the tradition of critical theory,
CDA aims to make transparent the discursive aspect of social disparities and
inequalities. CDA in majority of cases takes the part of under the privileged and
tries to show up the linguistics means used to stabilize or even to intensify iniquities
in society‖ (Meyer, 2001). Thus, ―CDA needs to be understood as both a theory and
a method‖ (Chouliaraki and Fairclough, 1999) in that it offers: ―not only a
description and interpretation of discourses in social context but also offers an

8


explanation of why and how discourses work‖ (Rogers, 2004) and CDA provides
opportunities to consider the relationships between discourse and society, between
text and context, between language and power (Fairclough, 2001).
1.2 Advertising discourse
1.2.1 Definition and character of advertising discourse
Advertising language, according to El-daly (2011) is referred to as a form of
discourse in the sense that it has influenced not only the structure of language and
the modality of lifestyle, but also the content of routine daily acts of communicative
exchanges‖. The term ―advertising‖, as El-daly (2011) argues, is not often familiar
as a form of ―discourse‖ but a form of public announcement intended to direct
people. She also indicated types of advertisements often used:‖ printed
advertisements fill the pages of newspapers and magazines. Commercials interrupt
TV and radio programs constantly‖. Advertising discourse, as in the word of Fill

(2002) is often presented through: "Brand names, logos. Trademarks, jingles, and
slogans have become part and parcel of the ―mental encyclopedia‖ of virtually
everyone who lives in a modern- day society‖. Fill (2002) also indicates 3 main
categories of Advertising: (1) consumer advertising, which is directed towards the
promotion of some product or service to the general public; (2) trade advertising,
which is directed to dealers and professionals through appropriate trade publications
and media, and (3) public relations advertising, which is directed towards society by
citizens or community groups, or by politicians, in order to promote some issue of
social concern or political agenda. The category of advertising in my thesis is
consumer advertising.
1.2.2. Approach to advertising discourse
When discussing the nature of advertising discourse, El-daly (2011) claims
that ―studies of the discourse of advertising with a linguistic focus remain relatively
rare. In the sense that they constitute departures from the study of more elaborated
linguistic form, they are all indebted, directly or indirectly‖. The approach of critical
discourse analysis used in studying advertising discourse seems to occupy a modest

9


amount. The reason for this, to some extent, relates to the nature of advertising.
According to Harms (2010), most of research in advertising are ―administrative
research‖, whether theses research are working out at micro level or content
analysis, the insight found often to reveal the effects of advertising in carrying out
certain specific tasks such as influence audiences, sell products, promote politicians
rather than critical or analysis on linguistic aspect. In 1970s, since the emergence of
―critical media studies which addressed to social and cultural effects of mass
communications and their roles in perpetuating and unjust social order‖, there were
more studies focus on this. However, Harms (2010) argues that ―very rarely have
critical studies of advertising and mass communications adequately circulated the

linkage between the macro political economic structure of mass media and micro
mass communication forms and techniques so as to reveal both the soio-economic
functions of advertising and the ways that advertising actually shape and influence
perception and behavior which reproduce the existing social system‖. Hence, the
micro mass communication form such as linguistic form is directly or indirectly
imbedded in the way. In fact, as El-daly (2011) indicates there are ―studies which
describe the pictures of advertising without paying any attention to language‖. In
other words, to examine the way language used in advertising discourse, there are
generally conducted toward the pragmatic, semantic, syntax or even from
psycholinguistics approaches. Studies on advertising discourse, in the light of CDA,
to some extent, are still rare in number.
In a study which examined beauty advertisements in local English magazines
from CDA perspective conducted by Kaur Kuldip (2013), the focus was on the use
of language in beauty advertisements and strategies employed by advertisers to
manipulate and influence their customers in two popular local woman‘s magazines,
Cleo and Women Weekly. The findings indicated that advertisers used various
strategies to manipulate women. The advertisements promote an idealized lifestyle
and manipulate readers to a certain extent into believing whatever that is advertised
is indeed true. This study revealed how the ideology of beauty is constructed and

10


reconstructed through magazines by stereotyping how beauty

products are

synonymous with a better life.
In addition, Rosul Shubarna (2011) conducted a critical discourse analysis of
fairness products advertisements with the aim to raise awareness in order that the

consumers do not get influenced by the use of persuasive discourse in
advertisements before buying any kind of fairness product in Bangladesh. The
findings suggest that texts influence the consumers through their artificial language.
The similarity of the two studies is both of them are adopted the framework of
Fairclough which reveal the representations and construction of power and
ideologies through language. It also proves that language plays an essential part in
enhancing effectiveness for advertisement in general.

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CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY & PROCEDURES
In this chapter, there is a detailed explanation on the choices of database,
analytical frameworks and analysis tools for the thesis. In addition, the procedures
of data collection, data analysis will be discussed in full detail.
2.1. Data
2.1.1 Data source
The main data for analysis in this thesis are 50 medicine advertisements
taken from 4 out of the most popular websites on medicine advertising in New
Zealand. They are all secure and well-known online shopping sites. Furthermore,
the researcher has made decision on choosing these sources as they are reliable,
informative and convenient for the analysis. The links are enclosed as the following:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
2.1.2. Data selection and sampling
There are wide ranges of medicine advertisements available on those
websites. However, the researcher has made a choice of particular number of
medicine products advertisements for analysis. Since the study aims at investigating

medicine advertising discourse, only advertisement component are selected. All
other editorials, comments, visual aids, instruction, direction, warnings or nonverbal
acts are excluded for they are of different genres or require different methods of
analysis.
As investigated, the advertisement information of medicine products in New
Zealand often lies in the Description and Ingredients. Therefore, only two sets of
data: brand name - headline and full-text of those parts are investigated. Within the
scope of a MA minor thesis, it is assumed that 50 brand names and full-text of
medicine

products

advertisements

would

be

sufficient

for

a

relatively

comprehensible analysis. Brand-names and full-text advertisements are selected

12

randomly. All of them are enclosed in the appendices which are also ordered in
number and referred by Index name.
2.2. Analytical frameworks
In discussion on methodology of CDA, according to van Dijk (1995): ―one
of CDA‘s volitional characteristics is its diversity‖. Apparently, there is a wide range
of CDA researchers, practitioners which leads to various ways of doing CDA. Also
in the words of Wodak (2001), the methodologies for CDA are not similar. Instead,
it ranges from small qualitative case study to large data corpora taken from
fieldwork and ethnographic research. Generally, there are mainly text-oriented
methods, other focus on the context or social situation which is known as ―social
actor approach‖ to CDA with the use of quantitative corpus linguistic methods. In
terms of data collection, there is no typical CDA way of collecting data and even in
the contributions of van Dijk and Fairclough, there is no evidence concerning data
collection requirements. In CDA many studies mostly deal with only small corpora
which are usually regarded as being typical of certain discourses. A definite list of
the linguistic devices relevant for CDA cannot be given since their selection mainly
depends on research questions.
Nguyen Hoa (2006) summarizes 5 CDA approaches and their practitioners.
Those include discourse historical method (Ruth Wodak), Halliday‘s systemic
functional (Norman Fairclough), social-cognitive studies (van Dijk), mediated
discourse analysis (Ronscollon) and Duisburge school (Siegfield Jager). In
discussion of those approaches, Nguyen Hoa claims that the framework of
Fairclough is the most applicable. Nguyen Hoa (2006) also gives suggestion of
integrated framework for CDA, based on combination of Halliday‘s functional
grammar, Fairclough‘s textual analysis and Karl Marx‘s Dialectic Marxism and
Historialism. Also, as Nguyen Hoa (2006) states that: ―discourse analysis at nature
is text analysis‖. It means that ―discourse analysis in its real meaning, is the analysis
of word choice, macro structural discourse as well as method of interaction
conducted‖. Based on that sense, in analyzing text of medicine products

13


advertisements in New Zealand, the researcher makes a decision to adopt the textual
analysis framework of Fairclough in combination with Halliday‘s SFG. This is
believed to be both reasonable and feasible for my thesis.
2.2.1. Fairclough’s frameworks
Firstly, in employing the framework of Fairclough as a method of text
analysis, I choose to adopt the three-dimensional model for CDA offered by
Fairclough (2001). According to Rogers et al. (2004) Fairclough‘s analytic
framework includes three levels of analysis: the text, the discursive practice and the
sociocultural practice. Premised on the notion that texts cannot be analyzed in
isolation from the wider social context the three-dimensional model for CDA that
encompasses: (1) the examination of the linguistic features of texts (the level of the
text); (2) the exploration of processes related to the production and consumption of
texts (the level of the discursive practice); and (3) the consideration of the wider
social and cultural context to which the text as a "communicative event" belongs
(the level of the sociocultural practice). The model can be summarized as the
following:

TEXT

TEXT
DISCURSIVE PRACTICE
(production, distribution, consumption)
SOCIAL PRACTICE (order of discourse)

Figure 1: Soci dimensional framework of Fairclough, 2001
Three

At the level of text, the vocabulary and grammatical features will be
analyzed. This level of analysis is useful to explore different kinds of texts.
Therefore, I adopt for the analysis of 50 advertisements in individual and then for

14


the text analysis of 50 advertisements in overall. In detail, I base on ten main
questions introduced by Fairclough (2001) to analyze the formal features of a text:
A. Vocabulary
1. What experiential values do words have?
2 What relational values do words have?
3. What expressive values do words have?
4. What metaphors are used?
B. Grammar
5. What experiential values do grammatical features have?
6. What relational values do grammatical features have?
7. What expressive values do grammatical features have?
8. How are (simple) sentences linked together?
C. Textual structures
9. What interactional conventions are used?
10. What larger scale structures does the text have?
Fairclough (2001: 92-3)
The ten questions are not intended as an exhaustive or all-encompassing list;
rather they are suggested list of possible directions or areas that could be
investigated. I adopt this to explore the following vocabulary and grammar features:
part of speech used, tense, voice, and modality as: ―these linguistic features and
strategies are believed to be effective analytical tools in discerning ideologies in
media discourse and ‗a socially and ideologically controlled set of constructive
strategies‖ (Fairclough, 2001).

The level of discursive practice pays attention to examining the production,
consumption and reproduction of a text. Values of textual features are valuable
when they are put in social interaction. In other words, texts are produced and
interpreted against the background of common-sense assumptions (part of members‘
resources - MR). Hence, it is necessary to interpret these discourse processes and
their dependence on background assumptions.

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At this level, I will deal with strategies used in medicine products
advertisements. Basically, the nature of advertising, according to Harms (2010) is
persuasion. The strategies of persuasion, appeals were developed more than 2000
years ago by a Greek philosopher Aristotle. He divided persuasive strategies into
three categories: Logos, Ethos and Pathos. The model of Aristotle is summarized by
John; R.E (2014), below is the illustration:
Ethos - credibility, trust

Logos

Pathos

Consistency-logic

Emotions- imagination

Figure 2: Aristotle's strategies of persuasion
Generally, the strategies of persuasion developed by Aristotle are considered
as effective forces of persuasion. In advertising, advertisers used various strategies
to persuade customers to buy their products (Fill, C. 2002) and Logos, Pathos,

Ethos are frequently used. The representation of those strategies in advertisements,
according to Fill, C (2002) is categorized in smaller strategies which also are
combined together in advertisement texts. In detail, Pathos is persuasive strategies
to evoke an emotional response in the consumers. The emotion response could be
positive, negative emotion or even fear and guilt. The Pathos strategies can be
represented through using of positive-self representation, unrealistic presentation,
emotive words, magic ingredients, invoking inadequacies, celebrity endorsement
and patriotism. Logos are strategies which aim to appeal to logic or reason by
giving facts, statistics and figures or evidence about the products that customers
need to fully understand. The Logos strategies could be imbedded through
information indicating about the products. The Ethos strategies are used to appeal to
credibility or character. Normally, the advertisers often employ statistics from

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experts; scientists for customers to believe in their products are more credible,
reliable by making a persuasion with a good reputation or trustworthiness. The
credibility includes expert's opinion and in some cases, celebrity endorsements. This
often involves using scientific evidence in products or using the celebrity to endorse
the products. The customers are urged to buy their products more or less. Apart
from those main strategies, there are different strategies to use for example: using
vessel words to suggest the positive meaning without making any guarantee, using
bandwagon strategies to persuade the customers that they should join the crowd by
using the products. All these create effective influences on customers. The
employing of these persuasion strategies in medicine advertisements will be
analyzed at discursive practices level.
Finally, the analysis of sociocultural practice consists of an investigation of
what is happening in a particular socio-cultural framework. According to Fairclough
(2001), the objective of this level of analysis is to portray a discourse as part of a

social process. It tries to show how discourses are determined by social structures
and what reproductive effects discourses can have on those structures.
2.2.2 Halliday’s Systematic Functional Grammar
In accordance with Faiclough‘s framework, SFG of Halliday (1994) is also
employed in my thesis for the analysis of process of transitivity at level of text
analysis. As presumably stated, SFG plays an important part in CDA. The close
relationship between them is indicated: ―The systemic-functional theory of language
is particularly helpful in textual analysis (Halliday, 1994). Fairclough (2001) also
emphasizes the role of SFG in CDA: ―SFG is profoundly concern with the
relationship between language and other elements and aspect and social life and its
approach to the linguistic analysis of text is always oriented to the social character
of texts. This makes a valuable source for critical discourse analysis and indeed
major contributions for critical discourse analysis have developed out of SFG‖. Also
Wodak and Meyer (2001) claimed that: ―an understanding of the basic claim of
Halliday‘s grammar and his approach to linguistics analysis is essential for a proper

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