Post 12

In Swales conversation, he believes that there are six defining characteristics that are necessary and sufficient for identifying a group of individuals as a discourse community. He feels that if these six characteristics are no met, then this group cannot be considered a discourse community. Gee believes that there are two different types of discourse. Discourse with a “D” and discourse with a “d.” The difference between the two, is that Discourse is the rights, values, beliefs of a group and that once you learn these from your family, friends, or church, one cannot leave the discourse community. Those rights, values, and beliefs of the group are instilled in the member from a young age, and do not always change. Gee said that while one cannot change their Discourse community, there are secondary Discourse categories for things like sports teams, groups for class, and many other things, but your values, beliefs, and rights will not change when you join these types of groups. Swales and Gee ideas of discourse communities differ, because while Swales analyzed the groups that one joins itself as a discourse community, Gee analyzes how life molds ones discourse community.

Johns extends the conversation of discourse communities, because her idea of a discourse community includes the six defining characteristics of a discourse community, but she states that one can choose to be members of one or a variety of communities, groups with whom they share social, political, professional, or recreational interests. Johns also mentions that these genres are not, in all cases, sophisticated or intellectual, literary or high browed. They represent the values, needs, and practices of the community that produces them. Community membership may be concentrated or diluted; it may be central to a person’s life or peripheral.  These people can be musicians, lawyers, athletes, and physicians can all be apart of a discourse community.