By: Breianna C. Russell
An idea of my discourse communities would be...
Family
Friends
&
Work
Each of which has a different set of interactions,
communication portals,
and
behavioral sets.
|
Breianna Russell's Discourse Communities Map |
Family (Parents & Siblings) | Friends | Work Environment |
| Goals and Values | To keep in touch with family matters as well as drama within the family. Not only this but also to see that everyone is doing well in their lives and if not to help them where possible. . | The goals of this group is to keep everything social and fun, while providing emotional support as well as keeping each other active. | To better customer's experiences, also to make the best of their dollar. |
| Typical Genres | In my family we typically speak to each other one-on-one. Or through phone calls or even text messages. On the rare occasion letters. | The main communication portals would be texting and talking as well as e-mailing and instant messaging, Such is what technology has created for us, an easier way to communicate. | Emails, text messaging as well as hand-held radios are all used to keep each other informed on task that need to be completed. |
| Norms for Genres | Occasional phone calls, civil discussions during disagreements, and the occasional family get-together. | Parties, going out to malls or movies, or even just hanging out at each others homes are common, however with busy lives today the most common would be texting. | Working together to get all tasks done, making sure that all team members understand what is needed to be done. |
| Writer's Tasks and Roles | My family is very much looking out for all of its members and we all strive to maintain a happy togetherness with all members of our family. | My friends and I just like to have that social interaction, to keep each other sane in the modern world and also to make each other happy and well rounded as people. | Keeping customers satisfied and happy. With the hope that they will return continuously. |
Response:
In each of my discourse communities I see a variety of
language uses and attitudes. In my most prominent community, or my
family, one could say that we feel very freely to speak and communicate as we
wish. While even in that community its self there are slight differences in the
ways I might speak with my parents as opposed to how I would speak with my
little brother or sisters. For instance, when talking to my parents I typically
use the usual parent-to-child grammar, I also tend not to use many curse words
and I like make sure to stay respectful of both parents.
This is how they have raised me to be and from my knowledge they were raised
similarly. Typically the goals of our communication are that of general
informing. As a family we like to keep up with each others lives and if possible
help along the way. My family in particular loves to text. Since we are a
younger family we are very much colored intrigued to utilize all, if not most of
what today's technology has to offer. My mother would have to be the main guru
of family drama if you could imagine that. She wastes no time in getting
the latest and greatest family news out to everyone be it her ex-husband/my
father or my aunts and uncles. No one is left out in the wind, something I
sometimes wish was different.
In any case, speaking with my little brother or sisters consists of a completely
different dialog. We take little time to edit what we say when speaking with
each other, I guess you might say we prefer to let loose with our language
around each other. In my opinion it is much like when one speaks with his/her
friends. For instance, if my mother had asked me how she looked in a new dress
she purchased, I might reply with "oh, what a nice dress mom, you look great in
it" then if my sister asks me a similar question in reference to her new outfit,
if I feel it necessary, I might say "don't you think you look a bit chubby in
that?" This is where the communication between friends has drawn its lines as
well. If a friend asked me how they looked in an outfit I doubt I would have
used the word 'chubby' and for the sake of my friendship I would have been more
helpful in finding a solution
to their fashion fopaux.
I feel that discourse communities can vary even from person to
person though and there are so many different encounters that you experience everyday.
Work would have to be another selection. While at work it would seem, depending
on the workplace, that there is a set of unwritten rules set upon you from day
one of your employment. You get to know quickly what you should/shouldn't do in
the presence of certain coworkers and even your boss. A person definitely does
not want to create the wrong impression so you would act much more professional
and confident around customers and co-workers alike. However, it is easy to see
why it should be kept professional. If an employee does not keep it so then they
risk ruining their report with the customer and eventually with their employers.
Most of my chosen discourse communities can be joined simply by having friends
and family. Work on the other hand must me sought out. But in any case as long
as you know the gist of each communities ideals and goals it is not
difficult to be assimilated into said group. This is why I feel their are many
discourse communities and most if not all people who are not complete hermits
have no choice but to be a part of one or two or even three communities.