The relationship between language and the representations of ex-convicts in supportive discourse in Thai newspaper.

Abstract

This article aims at analyzing the relationship between language and representations of ex-convicts in supportive discourse in Thai newspapers by adopting the framework of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). The analysis reveals that various linguistic strategies, including using lexical selection, using lexical collocations, using contrastive sentence structures, using cause and effect sentence structures, using metaphors, using presupposition, citing ex-convicts and reliable sources and creating intertextuality, were adopted to construct both positive and negative representations of ex-convicts. The positive representations include representing ex-convicts as persons who have undergone reliable rehabilitation and skill training, as repentant criminals, as those without criminal inborn traits and as persons who are successful in their lives. As for the negative ones, ex-convicts are represented as underprivileged persons who are objected by the society, as people who tend to repeat the same mistakes, as those with criminal records, as persons who have undergone inefficient rehabilitation and as terrible and dangerous people. The findings indicate that even in supportive discourse, ex-convicts are negatively represented. Such representations re-emphasize the bias against ex-convicts and may unfavorably affect the governmental policy entitled “Returning the good people to the society.”