A discourse community can be defined as group of people that have the same thoughts, ideas and language that can be unique to that certain group. For example three different communities could be UTEP, driving and music. Each discourse community has different languages, topics, genres and ways of becoming part of that community. Edith Hernandez, Tiahna Ontiveros and I, all belonging to those three discourse communities, decide on the best and appropriate description on each.
UTEP is an academic discourse community which anyone can be part of if they take the right steps to join. To join you have to complete an application, take placement exams, go to orientation and pay tuition. The conventions, language, consist of proper grammar and spelling, professional with the professors and faculty and Spanish at times. For example you are not going to talk to a professor the way you do to your friends or write in abbreviation like when you are texting. The genre in this community includes reports, essays, school e-mail, blackboard, webassign and sometimes even Facebook. The topics are your major, the class subject, advising and schedules.
The second discourse community is driving which is civic. Anyone over the age of 15 can join this community by taking drivers ed., passing test required, getting a permit, getting your license and buying a car. In this community you have to use formal language with driver’s ed. teacher and informal with public, usually English. The genre consists of driving, lessons, homework, quizzes, DMV paperwork and tickets. The topics covered in this community are driving, regulations, cars, police and safety.
The last discourse community is music, which can be either personal or professional. It’s personal when you are learning by yourself but it’s professional when you’re in an actual group like band, orchestra, choir, etc. To join a music community you have to learn how to play an instrument, do research online or join a class. You have to use formal language with teachers and directors, informal with fellow musicians, must know how to read music and how to tune your instrument. In this community you will go over different keys, tempos, how to match the tone when playing and or singing and identify instrument clefs. Topics concerning music include concerts, auditions, events and rehearsals. Us three are considered part of this community because Edith sings, Tiahna plays the piano and the violin, and I play the guitar and the vihuela, which is an instrument usually used in mariachi groups.
These three discourse communities were very easy to work on within our group because we all had some kind of knowledge of what each one consisted of. I have to give credit to Edith for using her creativity in the discourse map and using a triangle to display all the communities. Most of the time working in groups can be complicated because not everyone always agrees with one another but not this time. I actually enjoyed working in a group, we didn’t disagree and we all put our ideas together to finish the project.
UTEP is an academic discourse community which anyone can be part of if they take the right steps to join. To join you have to complete an application, take placement exams, go to orientation and pay tuition. The conventions, language, consist of proper grammar and spelling, professional with the professors and faculty and Spanish at times. For example you are not going to talk to a professor the way you do to your friends or write in abbreviation like when you are texting. The genre in this community includes reports, essays, school e-mail, blackboard, webassign and sometimes even Facebook. The topics are your major, the class subject, advising and schedules.
The second discourse community is driving which is civic. Anyone over the age of 15 can join this community by taking drivers ed., passing test required, getting a permit, getting your license and buying a car. In this community you have to use formal language with driver’s ed. teacher and informal with public, usually English. The genre consists of driving, lessons, homework, quizzes, DMV paperwork and tickets. The topics covered in this community are driving, regulations, cars, police and safety.
The last discourse community is music, which can be either personal or professional. It’s personal when you are learning by yourself but it’s professional when you’re in an actual group like band, orchestra, choir, etc. To join a music community you have to learn how to play an instrument, do research online or join a class. You have to use formal language with teachers and directors, informal with fellow musicians, must know how to read music and how to tune your instrument. In this community you will go over different keys, tempos, how to match the tone when playing and or singing and identify instrument clefs. Topics concerning music include concerts, auditions, events and rehearsals. Us three are considered part of this community because Edith sings, Tiahna plays the piano and the violin, and I play the guitar and the vihuela, which is an instrument usually used in mariachi groups.
These three discourse communities were very easy to work on within our group because we all had some kind of knowledge of what each one consisted of. I have to give credit to Edith for using her creativity in the discourse map and using a triangle to display all the communities. Most of the time working in groups can be complicated because not everyone always agrees with one another but not this time. I actually enjoyed working in a group, we didn’t disagree and we all put our ideas together to finish the project.