Here's a breakdown of the different ways it can be used:
1. Characterized by discussion or reasoning:
This is the most common meaning. A discursive text or speech is one that presents ideas in a connected and logical way, but may ramble or digress as it moves from point to point. It's not always straightforward or tightly focused. Think of a conversation with someone who goes off on tangents!
2. Pertaining to discourse:
Discourse is a broader term that refers to any form of communication, including spoken and written language. So, something discursive could be anything that involves language or communication.
3. Relating to discourse analysis:
Discourse analysis is a field of study that analyzes how language is used in different social contexts. A "discursive approach" in this sense would mean examining a text or situation through the lens of discourse analysis.
Examples:
* "The essay was discursive, jumping from one topic to another without a clear thread." (This uses the first definition, highlighting the rambling nature of the writing.)
* "The professor gave a discursive lecture on the history of the French Revolution." (This uses the first definition, suggesting the lecture covered various aspects of the topic.)
* "The research paper used a discursive analysis to examine the language of political speeches." (This uses the third definition, indicating the use of discourse analysis as a research method.)
To understand the meaning of "discursive" in a specific context, pay attention to the surrounding words and the overall meaning of the sentence.