Discursive
adjective
Passing aimlessly from one subject to another.
His speech was a bit discursive, but he got his point across in the end.
Often appears as...
- discursive essay
- discursive approach
adjective
Consisting of or characterized by the use of reasoning or arguments based on reasoning.
The philosopher's discursive approach is evident in his writing.
Often appears as...
- discursive strategy
- discursive reasoning
Usage tips
Academic
adjective
Relating to discourse or modes of discourse.
The professor highlighted the discursive nature of the text.
Often appears as...
- discursive structure
- discursive formation
Usage tips
Literary
adjective
Passing aimlessly from one subject to another.
His speech was a bit discursive, but he got his point across in the end.
Often appears as...
- discursive essay
- discursive approach
adjective
Consisting of or characterized by the use of reasoning or arguments based on reasoning.
The philosopher's discursive approach is evident in his writing.
Often appears as...
- discursive strategy
- discursive reasoning
Usage tips
Academic
adjective
Relating to discourse or modes of discourse.
The professor highlighted the discursive nature of the text.
Often appears as...
- discursive structure
- discursive formation
Usage tips
Literary
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Shifts Topic
Think of 'discursive' as shifting topics, not sticking closely to one subject in conversation or writing.
His discursive talk covered history, personal anecdotes, and current events.
Pro Tip 2/3Casual Tone
'Discursive' can imply a casual, conversational manner of discussing various topics without a formal plan.
Her discursive approach made the lecture feel like a chat with a friend.
Pro Tip 3/3Avoid in Debates
In debates or focused discussions, being discursive is typically viewed negatively since clarity is key.
He lost the debate because his arguments were too discursive and unfocused.
Pro Tip 1/3Shifts Topic
Think of 'discursive' as shifting topics, not sticking closely to one subject in conversation or writing.
His discursive talk covered history, personal anecdotes, and current events.
Pro Tip 2/3Casual Tone
'Discursive' can imply a casual, conversational manner of discussing various topics without a formal plan.
Her discursive approach made the lecture feel like a chat with a friend.
Pro Tip 3/3Avoid in Debates
In debates or focused discussions, being discursive is typically viewed negatively since clarity is key.
He lost the debate because his arguments were too discursive and unfocused.
Pro Tip 1/3Shifts Topic
Think of 'discursive' as shifting topics, not sticking closely to one subject in conversation or writing.
His discursive talk covered history, personal anecdotes, and current events.
Pro Tip 2/3Casual Tone
'Discursive' can imply a casual, conversational manner of discussing various topics without a formal plan.
Her discursive approach made the lecture feel like a chat with a friend.
Pro Tip 3/3Avoid in Debates
In debates or focused discussions, being discursive is typically viewed negatively since clarity is key.
He lost the debate because his arguments were too discursive and unfocused.
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Video examples
Liz Diller: A giant...
even if you're not sure what it is that you have to say. It may just be a place for civic commiseration. There is a huge disconnect, we believe, between the communicative and discursive space of the Mall
Video examples
Beware of nominalizations...
and they substitute abstract entities for human beings. Here's an example. "The proliferation of nominalizations in a discursive formation may be an indication
Video examples
Liz Diller: A giant...
even if you're not sure what it is that you have to say. It may just be a place for civic commiseration. There is a huge disconnect, we believe, between the communicative and discursive space of the Mall
Video examples
Beware of nominalizations...
and they substitute abstract entities for human beings. Here's an example. "The proliferation of nominalizations in a discursive formation may be an indication
Example 1 of 2
Quote examples
Scott Turow
American Novelist
In re-reading 'Presumed Innocent,' the one thing that struck me - and I re-read the book four different times in writing 'Innocent,' interested in different things each time - but I did think there were a couple of extra loops in the plot that I probably didn't need. The other thing that sort of amazed me was how discursive the book was.
Quote examples
Kerry James Marshall
American Artist
Artwork operates on two different levels: On one level, there's artwork as a mode of expressivity, and then there's the other side, where the image is a construction that is meant to engage in a discursive field in order to perform a particular function.
Quote examples
Stuart Hall
British Activist
Politicians always think they know what people feel. It's a fallacy, because there is no such thing as 'the people.' It is a discursive device for summoning the people that you want. You're constructing the people, you're not reflecting the people.
Quote examples
Juan Goytisolo
Spanish Poet
When I write now I do not invent situation, characters, or actions, but rather structures and discursive forms, textual groupings which are combined according to secret affinities among themselves, as in architecture or the plastic arts.
Quote examples
Fernando Haddad
Brazilian Politician
What seems not yet to have been sufficiently explored is the emancipating potential of the discursive form of psychoanalysis in politics as a counterpoint of marketing.
Quote examples
John Fiske
American Philosopher
Realism is not a matter of any fidelity to an empirical reality, but of the discursive conventions by which and for which a sense of reality is constructed.
Quote examples
Carrie Brownstein
American Musician
People barely have anything to say in 140 characters. The last thing we need is a bunch of discursive rambling on Twitter.
Quote examples
James Watkins
English Director
Television is ever more ambitious, more akin to the Victorian novel with multiple narratives and more discursive material.
Quote examples
David Longstreth
American Musician
Kanye has this discursive way of working, getting input from a range of people, that I thought was really cool.
Quote examples
A. R. Ammons
American Poet
Everything is discursive opinion instead of direct experience.
Quote examples
Scott Turow
American Novelist
In re-reading 'Presumed Innocent,' the one thing that struck me - and I re-read the book four different times in writing 'Innocent,' interested in different things each time - but I did think there were a couple of extra loops in the plot that I probably didn't need. The other thing that sort of amazed me was how discursive the book was.
Quote examples
Kerry James Marshall
American Artist
Artwork operates on two different levels: On one level, there's artwork as a mode of expressivity, and then there's the other side, where the image is a construction that is meant to engage in a discursive field in order to perform a particular function.
Quote examples
Stuart Hall
British Activist
Politicians always think they know what people feel. It's a fallacy, because there is no such thing as 'the people.' It is a discursive device for summoning the people that you want. You're constructing the people, you're not reflecting the people.
Quote examples
Juan Goytisolo
Spanish Poet
When I write now I do not invent situation, characters, or actions, but rather structures and discursive forms, textual groupings which are combined according to secret affinities among themselves, as in architecture or the plastic arts.
Quote examples
Fernando Haddad
Brazilian Politician
What seems not yet to have been sufficiently explored is the emancipating potential of the discursive form of psychoanalysis in politics as a counterpoint of marketing.
Quote examples
John Fiske
American Philosopher
Realism is not a matter of any fidelity to an empirical reality, but of the discursive conventions by which and for which a sense of reality is constructed.
Quote examples
Carrie Brownstein
American Musician
People barely have anything to say in 140 characters. The last thing we need is a bunch of discursive rambling on Twitter.
Quote examples
James Watkins
English Director
Television is ever more ambitious, more akin to the Victorian novel with multiple narratives and more discursive material.
Quote examples
David Longstreth
American Musician
Kanye has this discursive way of working, getting input from a range of people, that I thought was really cool.
Quote examples
A. R. Ammons
American Poet
Everything is discursive opinion instead of direct experience.
Example 1 of 10
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