El análisis crítico del discurso y el pensamiento social

Original en su forma, el texto que se presenta a continuación es una co-elaboración escrita, de tipo conversacional, creada y revisada con Teun van Dijk. Se discuten inquietudes relativas a sus planteamientos y el espacio que ocupa su visión del análisis crítico del discurso (ACD) en las ciencias sociales actualmente

Further experience in Bayesian analysis using Monte Carlo Integration

An earlier paper [Kloek and Van Dijk (1978)] is extended in three ways. First, Monte Carlo integration is performed in a nine-dimensional parameter space of Klein's model I [Klein (1950)]. Second, Monte Carlo is used as a tool for the elicitation of a uniform prior on a finite region by making use of several types of prior information. Third, special attention is given to procedures for the construction of importance functions which make use of nonlinear optimization methods. *1 This paper started as a revision of Van Dijk and Kloek (1978). In the course of the work our ideas developed to such an extent that the final result is an almost completely new paper. We are indebted to a referee for a number of very useful suggestions. We also wish to thank A.S. Louter and G. den Broeder of the Econometric Institute for their help in preparing the necessary computer programs

Efficient estimation of income distribution parameters

The parameters of several families of distributions are estimated by means of minimum χ2; use is made of random samples taken from Dutch income-earning groups in 1973. The numerical search routine used, is the Complex method due to Box. The χ2 function is evaluated by standard numerical integration procedures. The lognormal and the Gamma families are rejected because of a poor fit. The log t and the log Pearson IV families are introduced. This results in a considerable improvement of χ2 critical levels. The generalized Gamma and the Champernowne function describe the income distribution reasonably well in some cases

Bayesian estimates of equation system parameters, An application of integration by Monte Carlo

Monte Carlo (MC) is used to draw parameter values from a distribution defined on the structural parameter space of an equation system. Making use of the prior density, the likelihood, and Bayes' Theorem it is possible to estimate posterior moments of both structural and reduced form parameters. The MC method allows a rather liberal choice of prior distributions. The number of elementary operations to be preformed need not be an explosive function of the number of parameters involved. The method overcomes some existing difficulties of applying Bayesian methods to medium size models. The method is applied to a small scale macro model. The prior information used stems from considerations regarding short and long run behavior of the model and form extraneous observations on empirical long term ratios of economic variables. Likelihood contours for several parameter combinations are plotted, and some marginal posterior densities are assessed by MC

Knowledge and News

Este artículo explora algunas relaciones entre el conocimiento y las noticias en la prensa. Dentro del marco de la psicología del procesamiento del discurso, se proponen sugerencias para el estudio del papel del conocimiento en la producción y la comprensión de las noticias, por ejemplo una tipología de conocimientos, basada sobre las comunidades que comparten ese conocimiento. El discurso de las noticias contiene estrategias que combinan conocimiento general (nacional), con nuevos conocimientos de eventos, representados en modelos mentales.This article explores some of the relations between knowledge and news in the press. Within the framework of the psychology of discourse processing some new proposals are made for the study of the role of knowledge in news production and comprehension, for instance a typology of knowledge, e.g., based on which communities share such knowledge. News discourse features strategies that combine general (national) presupposed “common ground” knowledge with new event knowledge represented in event models

Algunos princípios de una teoria del contexto

This paper formulares some general principles of a theory of context. Despite some attempts, especially in functional linguistics, linguistic anthropology and social psychology, such a theory of context is still on the agenda. The central claim of my theory of context is that it is not a social situation that determines language use, and not even only the relevant properties of such a social situation, but rather the mental model of these relevant properties, that is, a context model, stored in episodic memory. Such context models are special cases of more general experience models that define our consciousness and control all actions and discourses of our everyday lives. Since context models constantly adapt themselves to a changing social situation as well as the ongoing discourse, they are dynamic and not static. They combine social knowledge about social events and situations with personal experiences, memories and opinions, and hence are subjective and individual. They explain how each participant has her or his own interpretation of the situation. Such context models feature global categories such as global domain and action, as well as local categories such as setting, local actions, as well as cognitive properties of participants, such as their aims and especially their knowledge. The contextual knowledge device Controls many of the aspects of discourse pròcessing, especially what Information may or must be left implicit.En este trabajo se formulan algunos princípios generales de una teoria del contexto. A pesar de los intentos, especialmente de la lingüística funcional, de la antropologia y de la psicologia social, la teoria del contexto todavia está por definirse. El argumento central de mi teoria del contexto es que no es la situación social la que determina el uso del lenguaje, sino más bien el modelo mental de estas propiedades relevantes, es decir, un modelo del contexto, almacenado en la memória episódica. Tales modelos son casos especiales de modelos de experiencia más generales que definen nuestra conciencia y controlan todas las acciones y los discursos de la vida cotidiana. Dado que los modelos del contexto se adaptan constantemente a una siuación social cambiante al igual que al flujo del discurso, son dinâmicos y no estáticos. Ellos combinan el conocimiento social sobre los eventos y las situaciones sociales con las experiencias personales, los recuerdos y las opiniones, y por ende son subjetivos e individuales. Ellos explican cómo cada participante tiene su propia interpretación de la situación. Estos modelos de contexto presentan categorias globales tales como el dominio y la acción global, al igual que categorias locales como el escenario, las acciones locales, las propiedades cognitivas de los participantes, sus metas y, especialmente, su conocimiento. El conocimiento contextual controla muchos de los aspectos del procesamiento del discurso, especialmente la información que puede o debe ser dejada implícita.Neste trabalho se formulam alguns princípios gerais de uma teoria do contexto. Salvo alguns avances, especialmente no campo da linguística funcional, da antropologia linguística e da psicologia social, essa teoria ainda não existe. O argumento central da minha teoria do contexto é que nem a situação social, nem as suas propriedades relevantes, determinam o uso da linguagem. Quem o faz é o modelo mental dessas propriedades relevantes, ou seja, um modelo de contexto, armazenado na memória episódica. Esses modelos de contexto são casos especiais de modelos de experiência mais amplos, que definem a nossa consciência e controlam todas as nossas ações e discursos quotidianos. Se adaptam constantemente tanto a uma situação social cambiante como ao fluxo do discurso; são dinâmicos e não estáticos. Combinam o conhecimento social sobre os eventos e as situações sociais com as experiências pessoais, as recordações e as opiniões, sendo, portanto, subjetivos e individuais. Explicam como cada participante tem a sua própria interpretação da situação. Os modelos de contexto apresentam categorias globais -como o domínio e a ação global-, assim como categorias locais -como o cenário, as ações locais, as propriedades cognitivas dos participantes-, ou seja, os seus objetivos e, especialmente, o seu conhecimento. O mecanismo do conhecimento contextual controla muitos dos aspectos do processamento do discurso, especialmente a informação que pode ou deve manter-se implícita