Discourse of Ageing in the Autumn of Life

Gaining an insight into the ageing process necessitated approaching the field of discourse and ageing from three different yet intertwined disciplinary perspectives. With a kindled interest in that goal, this research analyzed how the linguistic and communicative abilities of the elderly, their personal identities, and their social values and practices were revealed through their use of narrative in a Lebanese nursing home. To unravel this research inquiry, Labov's model of natural narrative and Erikson's theory of personality development were utilized as analytical tools via observational and interviewing techniques. Contrary to research findings in the literature of discourse and ageing, the narratives of the elderly in this case study proved to be linguistically and communicatively densely-packed regardless of differences in chronological age. Moreover, the cultural context within which each elderly had formerly lived basically served as either empowering or constraining their own identities that were consequently mirrored in their discourse in old age. Findings had also revealed that the majority of the elderly conveyed the same social values and practices in discourse.