A Critical Discourse Analysis of Hard News

Transitivity analysis can be classified into critical and non- critical. The non-critical method is mainly used to analyze language forms and the distribution rules. While critical discourse analysis attempts to show how discourse is affected by power and ideology,and how discourse acts on social relations and the knowledge structure. The critical analysis of discourse within the framework of systemic functional grammar can reveal the social connotation behind the discourse. This essay uses Halliday's transitivity system to critically analyze the hard news genre to reveal potential ideology,and tries to prove the transitivity system can be used to effectively do discourse analysis. In addition,this essay also helps people improve critical consciousness in thieir reading.