..\Pictures\pic 6.jpg
Introduction: CDA
 The approaches of conversation analysis (CA) and
interactional sociolinguistics were developed to
analyze interactive talk.
 They were not generally applied nor are readily
applicable, to the analysis of written texts.
 The approach used in critical discourse analysis
or CDA, and which is examined here, can in
principle be applied to both talk and text.
CDA
 It is a ‘textual’ approach, which has most been
applied either to writing or to certain kinds of
speech: analysts tend to work with ‘institutional’
rather than ‘ordinary’ talk, and many are
particularly interested in the language and media.
 These preferences reflect the CDA’s concern
with the ‘hidden agenda’ of discourse, its
ideological dimension.
 The purpose of analysis is to show how discourse in
its first sense (language in use) also functions as
discourse in its second sense ( a form of social
practice).
 Institutions, including the media, are important sites
for the operation of discourse in its second,
ideologically significant sense,
 That is why institutional and/or mediated discourse
features so prominently in the work of CDA
practitioners.
Decoding the Ad: CDA
The Representation of Women in television
Commercials
Advertising
 Advertising is defined as a public notice that is
‘designed to spread information with a view to
promoting the sales of marketable goods and serves’
(Harris and Seldon,1962).
 In addition to information regarding services and
products, it produces and reflects the values,
attitudes and behaviors of the social realm where it
is embedded.
Advertising
 It gives meanings to words and symbols, playing a
special role in the interpretation frame of the current
world.
 Advertising molds and mirrors life and this is enough
to pledge the attention of researchers.
 Advertising has an important role in the presentation
of gender in society.
 Recent studies have illustrated that mass
communication mainly television programs, expresses
somehow the dominant gender relations and
patriarchal values.
Advertising
 Gender roles and gender identity are constantly
being created and negotiated through media
representation (Woods,1994).
 These representations then shape a woman’s view of
herself and society’s view of her(Fergoson,19983).
 Thus, the first to call for an investigation of the
representation of women as a minority group in the
media are the feminist advocates.
Cont.
 Utilizing a critical approach, the present seminar
aims to decode these media messages, verbally and
nonverbally, to see how far they reflect the
dominant gender relations and patriarchal values of
a traditional society, and to understand the
different strategies that advertising uses in media
discourse to perpetuate power relations.
Van Dijk (1995)
 Van Dijk indicates that any work in CDA is
usually characterized by some of the following
criteria:
 It addresses a problem or is issue-oriented
 It has an explicit position or stance of studing
text or talk.
 It focuses on the relations between discourse
and society, thus it is multidisciplinary.
Van Dijk (1995)
 It is part of critical studies in humanities and the
social sciences.
 It pay attention to all levels of linguistic analysis
(phonology, syntax, semantics…)
 It pays attention to “verbal” approaches to
discourse as will as other semiotic dimensions
(pictures, films, sound, music, grammar, etc.)
 It focuses on relations of power, dominance, and
inequality and the way these are reproduced or
resisted by social group members through text or
talk.
Van Dijk (1995)
 It deals with the discursively enacted legitimate
structures and strategies of dominance and
resistance in social relationships of gender,
ethnicity, age, or nationality, among others.
 It specifically focuses on the strategies of
manipulation, legitimation, the manufacture of
the discursive ways to influence the mind of
people in the interest of the powerful.
Van Dijk (1995)
 It has a critical and oppositional stance against the
abuses of the powerful and elite.
 It tries to create or sustain an overall perspective
of solidarity with the dominated groups.
Firth’s model of analysis (1998)
 Firth believes that the interpretation of
advertisement is a complex process, akin to
interpreting any text.
 He calls for the resistant reading of a text rather
than the dominant or the preferred reading.
It is opposional stance
taken towards the text by
critical readers
in line with the aim of the
sender of the message
Firth’s model of analysis (1998)
 Thus, Firth claims that to understand the meaning
of an advert is to deconstruct it.
 He explains deconstruction as
“… a way of reading against the text. The aim
of deconstruction is to expose the social and
political power structures in society that
combine to produce the text”.
Firth’s levels of analysis
 Firth suggests textual analysis as a useful
technique for critically deconstructing both the
surface and the deeper social and cultural
meaning of adverts.
 Firth establishes 3 stages of reading an advert.
These stages can be described as learning how to
read
1)the surface meaning,
2) The advertiser’s intended meaning, and finally,
3) The ideological meaning
1) the surface meaning
The surface meaning which consists of the overall
impression that a reader might get from quickly
studying the advert.
 One can describe this surface level by simply listing
all the objects and people in the advert.
2) The advertiser’s intended message
The advertiser’s intended message is the sales
message that the advertiser is trying to get across.
It’s the “preferred” or expected meaning a
reader might get from the advert; the meaning
that the advertiser intends for the reader to take
with them.
3) The cultural or the ideological
message
 The cultural or the ideological meaning relies
on the cultural knowledge and background of the
reader.
 Readers “make sense” of adverts by relating
them to their culture and to the shared belief
systems held in common by most people.
 But they are not universal beliefs(Fiske,1982)
Cont.
 According to firth, to deconstruct an advert we
must take it apart layer by layer.
 As we move from the surface message to deeper
social messages we will see how this system of
meaning works.
 In the following section a sample of adverts is
analyzed to show how they reflect some ideological
processes in discourse to reflect power relations.
 Several TV adverts where diverse linguistic and
visual choices contribute to the representation of
women are examined.
 Adverts are aimed at men are also analyzed and
compared to adverts aimed at women which are
based on assumptions of men-dominated gender
relations.
Women and the ideal of beauty
Example 1
Unforgettable hair
from the first touch.
Bert shampoo is an
exclusive extract of
natural oils to
moisturize your hair
and give it softness.
His heart is yours by
one touch only. Bert
is in its new bottle
now.
Example 2
One of three men complains of
skin sensitivity. Men may suffer
from skin irritation that may cause
them to suffer during shaving.
Gillette fusion is recommended by
American dermatologists. Gillette
fusion moves on the
skin so smoothly that the shaving
mission ends up comfortably. This
what men deserve. Sensitive
Gillette protects your skin from
irritation.
Example 3
I'm more than a writer.
I'm more than a singer.
I'm more than a star.
I'm a man.
Only the brave..
the new fragrance from Deisel.
Example 4
What would you change
about Barbican bottle?
A little of the shape … the
look … longer nick …
longer … slimmer …
You grip it better … change
the color … lighter color …
greener … better .. in green
…stylish.
Example 5
Enjoy your moment with
the smoothy delicious
Galaxy. When the
chocolate is adored.
Women’s Passiveness and
Dependence
Example 6
Do you want your
original skin stay
beautiful to use a razor or
the right wax? You can
leave Dove roll-on do that
for you.. The skin can fix
itself. Dove roll-on
moisturizer leaves the
skin fixing itself to make
it soft like
silk. From Dove world:
effective protection ..
beautiful result.
Example 7
Vasline knows that overtime
other materials weakened but
the skin can become healthier
and stronger with hydration.
New Vasline men lotion
helps fighting dryness over
your skin, so while other
materials break down, your
skin can go stronger with the
essential material to tackle
dryness
intensely. New Vasline lotions
and crèmes .. stronger and
more resilient skin.
Women as Working Individuals
Example 8
When do we say "NO" to tea
bags?
-Why you are so happy?
- Yes, he came to ask for my
hand!!
- Wait.. wait!! This requires
Rabea!!
Nothing can compensate a
soaking bunch of complete tea
leaves from the most luxurious
natural tea types that gives
your tea the golden color
and the rich flavor.
The bunch of tea leaves when the
chat has a value.
Example 9
Amre! I want the report in half
an hour. The computer is very slow;
"how can I finish my report?... offf "
Malay or Beirut?
Where should we spend our anniversary? Oh !!!
I need the information for the report …
I have to call the selling department.
Come on Amre!! Come on Lipton !!..
The Yellow label picks young tea leaves that are rich with
theanine that not only adds quality to your tea but also
helps to clarify your mind. Lipton tea can do that .
Example 10
We can see your beauty
and know your
expectations, so we
provide you with Vital milk
with more protein, more
calcium, low-fat to keep
your fitness that adds
beauty and elegance that
distinguishes you from
others .. For your
brightness starts from the
inside.
Example 11
Dealing with urgent cases is
part of my life at work as well
as home. They depend on me
in all matters. That's why there
is no time to doubt
or to fail, especially when it is
related to strong pain. That's
why when I feel in pain I take
Panadol Extra that is stronger
37% than normal Panadol. To
let them continue relying on
me every day.
Panadol Extra is my choice.
Example 12
I taught my son to play football since
he was five. Now, We can not play as we
used to . Sometimes I can not let him
upset, but when my joints ache and
becoming stiff. The doctor advised me
to have Panadol Joint. It has a
component that has a long effect of
nine hours. There are scientific
experiments have already
proved that who take them will get rid
of joints pain. With Panadol, I will not
waste any time I can play with my son.
Panadol is my choice.
Example 13
Once upon a time.. I became a
princess. But.. Mommy!! How can I
be a princess with a dirty dress?
Don't worry your highness. So, I
continued to be a princess. I
collected Spring flowers and I picked
summer fruits and I flew with the
breeze. Tide with the protection
shield helps prevent dirt from
sticking to clothes and maintains its
whiteness over time. And the last
season I realized every princess
needs a supermom.
Example 14
It's great to see your
son personify your
own thoughts. But it's
even greater that these
thoughts have deeper
passion like that we
had 60 years ago.
Ideal of Domesticity
Example 15
- Can I come in?
- Please do! You are not a
stranger!
- Um Talib has bought a
detergent and she was in
trouble.
- Do you see my dirty dishes;
it’s washed once and twice.
- Dou you see the dirty
laundry; it’s washed once and
twice.
Example 15
But saving needs one to be sharp.
Get down to Bounix.
Don’t forget the the cleaning test of
Bounix.
Fatheyya! Do you want come to me
today?
Bounix.. Cleaness, smell and saving.
Example 16
If your coffee can able
express to you what it needs
to be better coffee,
you will be able to know that
the only thing coffee adores
is Coffee Mate. Only Coffee
Mate can make your coffee
smooth, delicious, and rich. It
is the permanent companion
for coffee. Neslte what coffee
adores.
Women and Aging
Example 17
- well, long time ago, but you are
becoming more beautiful .
- Amm !!! You've noticed then?
-What would you like to have?
-What is your special course today?
You!!!
Regain his love and live the
romance once more. Pond age
Miracle slows down skin aging lines
and retains its youth in seven days
only.
- Should I bring you the bell now?
- Only if you accept a credit card.
- Only if it's written on it I love
you.