Foreign language classroom speech: inter-regulated dialogue

Abstract

The present work aims at analysing the discourse of a beginner’s foreign language classroom. To do so, we present a brief review of the concept of discourse (FOUCAULT, 1996, 2008; FAIRCLOUGH, 2003, 2010; MAINGUENEAU, 2008), bringing to our discussion the Bakhtinian (2011) principle of dialogism, and the concept of regulated inter-incomprehension (MAINGUENEAU, 2008). For the analysis, our methodology is based on the social theory of discourse (FAIRCLOUGH, 2001), as well as Blommaert’s (2005) considerations on the dialogic nature of meaning. Thus, we propose to set the theoretical and methodological basis guiding our analysis of samples of communicative events. As a result of the analysis, we conclude that the interdiscursive relations which take place in this classroom are regulated in interaction, according to the goals set in the course program, generating an inter-regulated dialogue in accordance with the teaching plan.