Indirect discourse is a term used in linguistics to describe a way of reporting spoken statements or thoughts without quoting verbatim. The phonetic transcription of this word is /ˌɪndəˈrɛkt ˈdɪsɔːs/, where the stress falls on the second syllable of "indirect" and on the first syllable of "discourse". The initial "i" is pronounced as a short vowel sound, while the "e" in the second syllable of "indirect" is pronounced with a schwa sound, which is a neutral vowel.
Indirect discourse refers to the reporting or conveying of someone else's spoken or written words in a manner that is not directly quoting them. It involves summarizing or paraphrasing what was said or written, rather than providing an exact replication of the original words.
In indirect discourse, the speaker or writer relays information about another person's speech or text, providing a description or a summary of the content, rather than quoting it verbatim. It often involves a change of tense, pronouns, and other elements necessary to make the reported speech fit within the context of the indirect discourse.
For example, if someone says, "I am going to the store," in indirect discourse, it would be reported as "They said they were going to the store." Here, the pronoun "I" is changed to "they," and the verb "am" is changed to "were" to indicate the shift in perspective.
Indirect discourse is commonly used in writing, journalism, news reporting, and everyday conversation. It allows for the efficient and concise reporting of someone else's words, while still maintaining the meaning and essence of the original message. By using indirect discourse, speakers and writers can avoid the monotony and excessive use of direct quotations, making their writing or speech more engaging and fluid.
The term "indirect discourse" is derived from the combination of two words: "indirect" and "discourse".
1. Indirect: The word "indirect" goes back to the Latin word "indirectus", which is formed by combining the prefix "in-" (meaning "not" or "against") with the word "directus" (meaning "straight" or "direct"). In English, "indirect" refers to something that is not straightforward or explicit and may involve various complicated or indirect methods.
2. Discourse: The term "discourse" is derived from the Latin word "discursus", which means "conversation" or "speech". In general, "discourse" refers to verbal or written communication involving extended thoughts or ideas on a particular subject or topic.