1. Discourse Communities

2. Defining a “Discourse Community” A “cluster of ideas” A “group of people who share certain language-using practices” Writing and knowledge building Writing and community building A “cluster of ideas” A “group of people who share certain language-using practices” Writing and knowledge building Writing and community building

3. Knowledge and the Notion of a “Discourse Community” The focus on community composition studies shows that “language use in a group is a form of social behavior, that discourse is a means of maintaining and extending the group’s knowledge and of initiating new members into the group, and that discourse is epistemic or constitutive of the group’s knowledge” (Swales 468).

4. Swales’ Characteristics of a “Discourse Community” Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise

5. Let’s look at each characteristic in more detail.

6. 1. Goals “A discourse community has a broadly agreed upon set of common public goals.”

7. Goals of The Plastics?

8. 2. Intercommunication “A discourse community has mechanisms of communication among its members.” The communication takes place regularly, but the mechanisms can vary according to the community (meetings, correspondence, newsletters, conversations, Facebook posts, etc.). “A discourse community has mechanisms of communication among its members.” The communication takes place regularly, but the mechanisms can vary according to the community (meetings, correspondence, newsletters, conversations, Facebook posts, etc.).

9. Intercommunication between The Plastics?

10. 3. Participation “A discourse community uses its participatory mechanisms primarily to provide information and feedback. Thus, membership implies uptake of the informational opportunities.” membership Communication and participation involves the exchange of knowledge. “A discourse community uses its participatory mechanisms primarily to provide information and feedback. Thus, membership implies uptake of the informational opportunities.” membership Communication and participation involves the exchange of knowledge.

11. 4. Genres “A discourse community utilizes and hence possesses one or more genres in the communicative furtherance of its aims.” Genres “articulate the operations of the discourse community.” Examples include chemistry reports, personal narratives, hip hop music, emails, etc. “A discourse community utilizes and hence possesses one or more genres in the communicative furtherance of its aims.” Genres “articulate the operations of the discourse community.” Examples include chemistry reports, personal narratives, hip hop music, emails, etc.

12. Genres of The Plastics?

13. 5. Lexis “A discourse community has acquired some specific lexis.” Lexis includes specialized terminology, community-specific abbreviations, and community-specific acronyms. “A discourse community has acquired some specific lexis.” Lexis includes specialized terminology, community-specific abbreviations, and community-specific acronyms.

14. The Lexis of The Plastics? “Fetch” “Burn book” “The Plastics” “Fugly” “Fetch” “Burn book” “The Plastics” “Fugly”

15. 6. Expertise “A discourse community has a threshold level of members with a suitable degree of relevant content and discoursal expertise […] Survival of the community depends on a reasonable ratio between novices and experts.”experts “A discourse community has a threshold level of members with a suitable degree of relevant content and discoursal expertise […] Survival of the community depends on a reasonable ratio between novices and experts.”experts

16. “Is it a discourse community?”

17. The STL Cardinals Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise

18. A sorority/fraternity Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise

19. UMSL students Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise

20. Facebook users Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise

21. The Harry Potter Fan Club Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise

22. Republican voters Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise

23. College Democrats at UMSL Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise

24. Composition Scholars Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise

25. Our class Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise

26. Academia Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise Goals Intercommunication Participation Genres Lexis Expertise

27. Discussion Swales argues that membership in a discourse community does not necessarily involve assimilation of world-view. What does this mean? Do you agree?