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curiosity about the popularity and success of this program, careful study of the theory and
methodology of the ethnography of communication have enabled me to narrow my focus
to conduct a structured and systematic discourse analysis of the cultural communication
surrounding Talking to Americans.
The remainder of this paper will be structured as follows: I will begin by
presenting my research questions and a rationale for study; I will then introduce and
describe the act sequence in Talking to Americans; I will continue by providing a
literature review of the theory and method underlying this cultural discourse analysis; and
I will conclude by analyzing my data and discussing the implications of my findings.
II. Research Questions and Rationale for Study
This analysis takes a particular, cultural stance to the study of some discourse
surrounding Talking to Americans and seeks to interpret the symbolic nature of its
meaning. The primary data are segments of talk in which Talking to Americans is the
main topic; secondary data are segments drawn from the show itself. The following
research questions will guide my thinking throughout this study:
a. What are the functions (ends, outcomes) of this discourse?
b. Are there terms for talk present in Talking to Americans and, if so, what are they?
c. Is there a critical voice present in communication within and surrounding Talking
to Americans and, if so, what is its nature and meaning?
I have chosen to analyze the discourse surrounding Talking to Americans in an
attempt to understand why and how it resonates so well with Canadians (according to the
Boston Globe, the April 2001 “one-hour episode of Rick Mercer’s Talking to Americans
Convention