Date of Award

2010

Thesis Type

Masters

Document Type

Dissertation

Divisions

Faculty of Languages and Linguistics

Department

Department of English Language

Institution

Universiti Malaya

Abstract

This dissertation reports a study addressing the issue of identity construction of four young Malay homosexual men in Malaysia.  Through their narrative discourse of their life experiences and aspirations, this study explores these participants‟ linguistic repertoire and discursive strategies in the formation, negotiation, and establishment of their identities. The narrative data were gathered through a semi-structured interview-cum-conversation which allowed the participants to express sentiments about their lives in a heterosexual dominated society.  Using an adapted framework of discourse-historical approach of Critical Discourse Analysis proposed by Reisigl and Wodak (2009), this study analyzed the participants‟ emergent language use and discursive strategies in representing themselves and others; and in disclosing their positions to the dominant sexual ideology. This study has revealed that there are some similarities and homogeneity of the discursive strategies used by these participants in the constructing of their identities.  None of the participants rejected the mainstream sexual ideology.  In fact, there were some indications in their narratives that revealed their internal struggle between their desire to stay homosexual and their obligation to assimilate the dominant sexual ideology.  The participants‟ identity construction was realized through their linguistic choices which included rhetorical devices such as metaphors, metonymies and hyperboles; modalities; and others.

Initial

khm

Additional Information

Dissertation (M.A.) – Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Universiti Malaya, 2010.

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