Mediated Discourse: The nexus of practice

Mediated Discourse: The Nexus of Practicesets out a discursive theory of human action. Language and action are intimately related. The difficult question to answer ishowthey are related. Mediated Discourse Theory looks into social relationships to see how the use of language is both a form of action in itself and is also indirectly related to all other forms of human action. Through the empirical study of a one year old child learning to exchange objects with caregivers,Scollonchallenges the commonly held claim that all practices are represented in discourse and that all discourse has the function of structuring practice.

Ron Scollon is Professor of Linguistics at Georgetown University.