Lingual primitives and critical discourse analysis: a case of gender ideology in Cosmopolitan

Abstract

English: This article investigates the utility of combining critical discourse analysis with the framework of lingual primitives advanced by Weideman (2011), in a critical analysis of gender ideology in the women’s lifestyle magazine Cosmopolitan. More specifically, two elementary linguistic concepts are combined with the critical discourse analysis methodology in order to analyse a sample of feature articles from Cosmopolitan. The results are illustrated on the basis of a case study that is representative of this larger sample. The findings suggest that the abuse of power in this magazine is best conceptualised as the abuse of lingual trust.

Afrikaans: Hierdie artikel ondersoek ’n wyse waarop kritiese diskoersanalisie gekombineer kan word met die raamwerk van linguale primitiewe as deel van ’n kritiese analiese van geslagsideologie in die vroue leefstyltydskrif Cosmopolitan. Om meer spesifiek te wees, twee basiese taalkundige begrippe word gekombineer om ’n steekproef van artikels in Cosmopolitan te analiseer. Die resultate word op die basis van ‘n gevallestudie, wat verteenwoordigend is van hierdie groter steekproef, geïllustreer. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat die misbruik van mag in hierdie tydskrif die beste gekonseptualiseer kan word as die misbruik van linguale vertroue.