2. Genre
A genre is a staged, goal oriented, purposeful activity inA genre is a staged, goal oriented, purposeful activity in
which speakers engage as members of our culture.which speakers engage as members of our culture.
Technically:Technically:
Genres are how things get done, when language is usedGenres are how things get done, when language is used
to accomplish them.to accomplish them.
(Martin, in Eggins 1994, p. 26)(Martin, in Eggins 1994, p. 26)
Genres are not arbitrary but reflect the social and
cultural processes that generate them. Some
communicative events which difference in each culture
also reflects the GENRE
3. Genres are culture specific, and have
associated with:
particular purposes
particular stages: distinctive beginnings,
middles and ends
particular linguistic features.
5. Types of genre
Conversation
• Transactional
• Interactional
Transactional language is language which
is used to make a transaction and which
has a result. It can be compared with
interactional language, which is used to
maintain relationships.
6. Genre Vs Text Types
• Many writers use these terms interchangeably or
avoid the term ‘genre’ altogether.
• For others, the term ‘genre’ is intimately
associated with Halliday’s systemic functional
linguistics which attempts to describe language
in terms of its social purposes.
• Thus, genre analysis does not simply describe
how texts are structured, but tries to account for
these structures in terms of the social and
cultural forces that shape them.
7. Paltridge's Examples of Genres and "Text Types" (based
on Hammond, Burns, Joyce, Brosnan, & Gerot, 1992)
8. Classroom Aplication
• Malinowski’s maxim: “A text becomes
intelligible only when it is placed within its
context of situation.”
• This maxim applies equally to the
understanding and to the production of
texts.
10. Example: Narrative
The social Function
The function of the narrative genre is to amuse, entertain
and to deal with actual or vicarious experience in
different ways. In some cases, narratives are set in
historical ones. In writing this historical narratives, writers
perhaps lead readers to think about social issues of a
particular period of time.
Narratives deal with problematic events which lead to a
crisis or turning point of some kind, which in turn finds a
resolution.
11. Cont.
The Generic Structure
The body of the text consists of:
• Orientation: sets the scene and introduces the
participants, characters, complication.
• Evaluation (if it is necessary): a stepping back to
evaluate the plight.
• Complication: a series of complication, or crisis
points arises in the story.
• Resolution: the crisis is resolved, for better or for
worse.
• Re-orientation: optional
12. The Language
• The use of the past tense.
• Possible use of the present and future tenses for various
parts of the story.
• Possible use of the first person (‘I’,’We’) or third person
pronouns (‘he’.’she’).
• The use of action verbs.
• The use of adjectives and adverbs to create mental
pictures of characters, actions and setting.
• The use of direct speech to show what the characters
are saying or thinking.
13. Snow white
Orientation
Once upon a time there lived a little girl named Snow White.
She lived with
her uncle and aunt because her parents were died.
Complication
One day she heard her uncle and aunt talking about leaving
Snow White in the castle because they both wanted to go to
America and they didn’t have enough money to take Snow White.
14. Resolution
Snow White didn’t want her uncle and aunt to do this so she decided
it would be best if she run away. The next morning she ran away from
house when her uncle and aunt were having breakfast.
She ran away into the woods.
Complication
She was very tired and hungry
Resolution
Then she saw this little cottage. She knocked but no one answered
so she went inside and fell asleep.
15. Complication
Meanwhile, the seven dwarfs were coming home from work.
They went inside. There they found Snow White sleeping.
Then, Snow White woke up. She saw the dwarfs. he dwarfs said,
‘What is your name?’ Snow White answered, ‘My name is Snow White.’
Re-orientation
Doe said, ‘If you wish, you may live here with us. Then, Snow White
told the dwarfs the whole story and Snow white and the seven dwarfs
lived happily ever after.