Describing the Situational Characteristics of Registers

and Genres

Reference: Register, Genre, and Style

Douglas Biber and Susan Conrad

Introduction

Registers-variety of a language used

for a particular setting

Genres-type of written or spoken

discourse

Situational Characteristics-are the features that are

related to the situation and are more basic

*Identifying and Describing the Situational Characteristics of the Genre/Register is the first step in conducting an analysis.

Issues in the

Identificationof Register and Genres

*Identify first the Text Variety before analyzing its’ Situational Characteristics.

Two Important Issues:

1. recognizing the level of generality of different registers and genres

2. appreciating the role of culture in identifying registers and genres

Examples of Specifying Characteristics

-interactiveness

-written/spoken

-scripted/ free-flowing

-specific/broad topics

General and Specialized Registers and Genres

ORAL (DISCOURSE):

Conversation is a General Register.

WHY?

-has few specifying characteristics

Examples of Specifying Characteristics:

-number of participants

-physical place/ setting

-particular topics

ORAL (SOLO):

A speech is also an example of a very general spoken register.

Specialized Registers:

-sermon

-political speeches

-academic lectures

WRITTEN:

Academic Prose is a very general register.

Specifying Characteristics:

-intended audience

-specific communicative purposes

-section parts/format

Culturally Recognized Register/Genre Distinctions

In many cases, genres have simple names while specialized text varieties have longer, more complex names.

Genres are governed by specific conventions and is generally recognized within a culture.

Registers don’t always have simple names.

(ex. Casual conversations among colleagues)

Culturally...

Examples:

Anglo People: stories/gossips

Western Apaches: 4 Kinds:

-creation stories (godihyigo nagoldi’e)

-historical moral story (agodzaahi)

-stories within the past decades (nlt’eego nagoldi’e)

-stories about recent events (ch’idii)

Written:

American- letters (through e-mail), general interpersonal communication, ‘first person’ stance constructions

Somali- warqad, writer needs something from the addressee, has imperatives and optative clauses

A Framework for Situational Analysis, an Introduction

Major Situational Characteristics of Registers/ Genres

-Participants

-Relations Among Participants

-Channel

-Production Circumstances

-Setting

-Communicative Purposes

-Topic

Methods for Describing the Situational Characteristics of a Register

*importance of the sources below will differ on how involved you are with the cultural group that recognizes the register, and how much experience you have with the register yourself.

Methods…

1. Your experiences and observation

2. Expert Informants

3. Previous Research

4. Analysis of Texts from the Register

Thank You. =)

Elaine Antonette P. Gunsi3 AB English A

Continuation by…

Erika Mae Puno