Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Studying Discourse Communities
Welcome to our English 101 blog on studying discourse communities. Here's a starting point for our online conversation.
In comparing the oral traditions of Roadville and Trackton (Exploring Literacy, 228-31), Heath found that members of the two communities told stories for different purposes: "One uses stories to reaffirm group membership and behavioral norms, the other to assert individual strengths and powers" (228). From the conversation you transcribed and the others you read today, what are some of the different purposes you found for why people were participating in conversations?
In comparing the oral traditions of Roadville and Trackton (Exploring Literacy, 228-31), Heath found that members of the two communities told stories for different purposes: "One uses stories to reaffirm group membership and behavioral norms, the other to assert individual strengths and powers" (228). From the conversation you transcribed and the others you read today, what are some of the different purposes you found for why people were participating in conversations?
