In the second sense (the codified language of a field of enquiry) and in the third sense (a statement, un énoncé), the analysis of a discourse examines and determines the connections among language and structure and agency.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discourse
Discourse (from Latin discursus, running to and from) denotes written and spoken communications such as: In semantics and discourse analysis: Discourse is a conceptual generalization of conversation within each modality and context of communication.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discourse
1 communication of thought by words; talk; conversation:earnest and intelligent discourse. 2  a formal discussion of a subject in speech or writing, as a dissertation, treatise, sermon, etc.  Linguistics[Ling.]any unit of connected speech or writing longer than a sentence.
http://www.wordreference.com/definition/discourse
1 verbal communication; talk; conversation. 2  a formal treatment of a subject in speech or writing, such as a sermon or dissertation. 3  a unit of text used by linguists for the analysis of linguistic phenomena that range over more than one sentence.  archaic the ability to reason or the reasoning process.
http://www.wordreference.com/definition/discourse
The verb is pronounced dɪskɔ:rs. 1 n-uncount Discourse is spoken or written communication between people, especially serious discussion of a particular subject. ...a tradition of political discourse. 2 n-count A discourse is a serious talk or piece of writing which is intended to teach or explain something. FORMAL Gates responds with a lengthy discourse on deployment strategy.
http://dictionary.reverso.net/english-cobuild/discourse
In the first sense-usage (semantics and discourse analysis), the term discourse is studied in corpus linguistics, the study of language expressed in corpora (samples) of real world text.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discourse
Medieval Latin discursus (spelling, spelled by influence of Middle English cours course), Late Latin: conversation, Latin: a running to and fro, equivalent. to discur(rere) to run about (dis- dis-1 + currere to run) + -sus for -tus suffix of verb, verbal action.
http://www.wordreference.com/definition/discourse
1 conversation:earnest and intelligent discourse. 2  a formal discussion of a subject in speech or writing, as a dissertation, treatise, sermon, etc.  Linguistics[Ling.]any unit of connected speech or writing longer than a sentence.
http://www.wordreference.com/definition/discourse
1 n-uncount Discourse is spoken or written communication between people, especially serious discussion of a particular subject. usu with supp. ...a tradition of political discourse. 2 n-count A discourse is a serious talk or piece of writing which is intended to teach or explain something. FORMAL Gates responds with a lengthy discourse on deployment strategy. 3 verb If someone discourseson something, they talk for a long time about it in a confident way.
http://dictionary.reverso.net/english-cobuild/discourse
1 communication of thought by words; talk; conversation[uncountable]The lawyers enjoyed the time spent on intelligent discourse.  a formal discussion of a subject, such as an essay or sermon[countable]a long discourse on the evils of drugs.
http://www.wordreference.com/definition/discourse
define esl discourse
As per English as a second language, discourse is a serious talk or a piece of writing which is intended to teach or explain something. English as a Second Language discourse is defined as a serious talk or piece of writing which is intended to teach or explain something.