Discourse Analysis似乎翻译成 话语分析 的比较多，也有翻译成篇章分析、语篇分析的。
An interesting introduction to discourse analysis是一篇“名副其实”的有意思的解释什么是话语分析的文章，首先对什么是话语分析做如下定义：
Discourse analysis is sometimes defined as the analysis of language 'beyond the sentence'. This contrasts with types of analysis more typical of modern linguistics, which are chiefly concerned with the study of grammar: the study of smaller bits of language, such as sounds (phonetics and phonology), parts of words (morphology), meaning (semantics), and the order of words in sentences (syntax). Discourse analysts study larger chunks of language as they flow together.
说明话语分析研究的对象是比句子粒度更大的篇章单位。此文举了一个很有意思的例子：在游泳池经常看到两个警示牌。第一个是：
Please use the toilet, not the pool
第二个是
Pool for members only
如果这两个前后紧接着出现在一篇文章中，就是
Please use the toilet, not the pool. Pool for members only.
就很有意思了。
