Linguistic and Literary Origins of Critical Discourse Analysis

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is to explore the linguistic and literary origins of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). The paper starts with defining the discipline in relation to its main principles and objectives as model of analysis, and then it moves to shed light on the linguistic and literary origins of CDA, by focusing on four approaches: critical linguistics (CL) and linguistic criticism (LC) on the linguistic level; and the deconstruction theory and the reception theory, on the literary level. One main research questions is presented in this study: to what extent does CDA derive its analytical and theoretical principles from the traditional linguistic models and literary theories? Findings reveal that CDA is dated back to both linguistic and literary theories, which in turn influences its theoretical and analytical framework to the extent that it is perceived as a deconstructive, reader-oriented approach of analyzing language that tends to end the sanctity of texts.