Lesson Seven Genre Language Varieties Subject area literary

Lesson Seven Genre

Language Varieties • Subject area (literary, technical, etc. ) • Function (narrative, argumentative, etc. ) • Sociolinguistic (dialect, sociolect, etc. )

Genres We can recognise what genre a text belongs to. Genre is «a staged, goal-oriented, purposeful activity in which speakers engage as members of our culture» OR Genres are how things get done when language is used to accomplish them.

Genres There as many different genres as there are recognisable social activity types in our culture. Eg. Literary genres: short stories, novels, autobiographies, sonnets, fables, sitcoms, etc. And subgenres: sports autobiographies, historical autobiographies, etc.

But for the moment … … we’ll look at some broad distinctions. Literary Texts Technical Texts Legal Texts Advertising Texts Journalistic Texts

Literary Texts • A literary text ‘declares its distance’ • (figures of speech, original language, noncasual language, etc. ) • Lack of intertextuality

Example • Night’s candles are burnt out and jocund day stands tiptoe on the misty mountain top.

Technical Texts • • Written language Particular lexis and grammar Nominalisation Lexically dense

Examples • The introduction of outdoor ventilation air is necessary when the conditionigng is occupied by people. • In a right-angled triangle, the square on the hypoteneuse is equal to the sum of the squares on the other two sides.

Legal/Commercial Texts • Legal – flawless, archaic, repetitive • Commercial - stylised

Example • Policy of the Community • Rules on Competition • The following shall be prohibited as incompatible with the common market: all agreements between undertakings, decisions by associations of undertakings and concerted practices between Member States and which have as their object or effect the prevention, restriction or distortion of competition within the common market. …,

Example • Dear Mr. Smith, • We are pleased to advise you of our air parcel post shipment of yuor order no. 80/190 -09 for Westman spare parts • ……… • We look forward to hearing from you. • Yours sincerely

Advertising Texts • • Persuasive Expressive Spoken language written Particular lexis and grammar

Example BEANZ MEANZ HEINZ

Journalistic Texts • Particular language use in – headlines – reports – editorials – Cf. quality and tabloid newspapers

Example • Tyson faces prison sentence for rape • Beaten by the Belle • Yesterday in Baghdad, a suicide bomber attacked… • It is our firm comviction that the situation in Iraq…

Function - Narrative Linear flow Introduction – setting – complication – solution - ending

Function - Argumentative Introduction – body – conclusion argument for argument against argument for etc. arguments for arguments against

Sociolinguistic Dialect “there’s nowt so queer as folk” Sociolect dinner vs. lunch Nationlect elevator vs. lift New Zealanders use ‘going to’ three times more than the British

GENRE • Genre – sub-genre – Genrelet – Identified by configurations of obligatory elements (+ optional elements) – We recognise genres through intertextuality – we’ve seen them before. – Eg. Emergency telephone call

Genre • Recipes (books, Internet, TV) – Obligatory elements • Food lexis • Imperatives • Instructions

Sub-genre • Indian recipes – Obligatory elements Spices vocabulary Indian terminology (tandoori, poppadom)

genrelet • Phone-in Indian recipes – Obligatory elements • Conventional phone exchange (Hello, Thankyou for calling, etc. ) • Food lexis….

Discourse communities • David Johnson • student rugby player boyfriend son

Genre: register/context • Registers emerged to fulfil specific purposes and are recognised as such in context: STOP CHILDREN CROSSING