English 1102
Jonathan Sanders
Discourse
This video below preposes a good question. Is this discourse?
This video really brings up a good question. Was that observation a discourse? Before we can answer this question, let’s learn what discourse is. According to Gee, Discourse (with a capital “D”) is defined as “distinctive ways of speaking/listening and often, too, writing/reading coupled with distinctive ways of acting, interacting, valuing, feeling, dressing, thinking, believing, with other people and with various objects, tools, and technologies, so as to enact specific socially recognizable identities engaged in specific socially recognizable activities.” To break down this long definition, Discourse is essentially way you do things in a discourse community. For example, I am involved in the lifeguard discourse community (which means I am a lifeguard) and there is certain Discourse within my community. To hit on a few of the traits that Gee lists in his definition, the way we speak to people in and around the pool is by one whistle blast to get the specific person’s attention and then we talk to them about the violation that they have committed. The way we dress is typically a shirt (or no shirt depending on the weather), red lifeguard shorts, flip flops, sunglasses, and a whistle. When interacting with other patrons at the pool we should be courteous to them at all times and engage them in conversation every once in a while. As a lifeguard we value people’s lives as our own because when they are in our pool, we are responsible for their wellbeing. We also have various tools and objects that we use as a lifeguard. Some examples would be a whistle, a lifeguard tube, a fanny pack containing, gloves, bandages, mouth to mouth recitation mask, and other first aid equipment, an AED, and other materials. These are just some of the many aspects to lifeguarding Discourse that is defined by Gee. Going back to the video. In the video the group of people are talking about a group of children who are looking at rocks. According to Gee’s definition, we could say that, yes the group of kids are a Discourse. Here’s why, the kids are interacting with one another. They use objects, which in this case is rocks, to interact with each other and complete an assignment which would be the “socially recognizable activity”. For further explanation of Discourse and examples, in Class Notes Day 4, I go over the Discourse that Theirry is involved in in his documentary Exit though the Gift Shop. The way discourse relates to writing is by each discourse community uses certain genres and coupled with Discourse, the genre, the way you write it, and the words you use are unique to that discourse community. Athough now you may be limited to your communites unqiue genre, you can still express your feelings, thoughts, and ideas and carry intilectual conversation about your beliefs.
In the video, watch the video closely and find which aspects of the video is a Discourse of the Lifeguard discourse community and comment below what you find!