discourse vs hearing

discourse

noun
  • A formal lengthy exposition of some subject, either spoken or written. 

  • Expression in words, either speech or writing. 

  • An institutionalized way of thinking, a social boundary defining what can be said about a specific topic (after Michel Foucault). 

  • Any rational expression, reason. 

verb
  • To exercise reason; to employ the mind in judging and inferring; to reason. 

  • To engage in discussion or conversation; to converse. 

  • To write or speak formally and at length. 

hearing

noun
  • A proceeding at which discussions are heard. 

  • The sense used to perceive sound. 

  • The act by which something is heard. 

  • A legal procedure done before a judge, without a jury, as with an evidentiary hearing. 

adj
  • Able to hear, as opposed to deaf. 

How often have the words discourse and hearing occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )