GENRE

Suhartini Syukri(2003512142)

Semarang State University

Genre

A genre is a staged, goal oriented, purposeful activity in A genre is a staged, goal oriented, purposeful activity in which speakers engage as members of our culture.which speakers engage as members of our culture.Technically:Technically:Genres are how things get done, when language is used Genres are how things get done, when language is used to accomplish them.to accomplish them.(Martin, in Eggins 1994, p. 26)(Martin, in Eggins 1994, p. 26)

Genres are not arbitrary but reflect the social and cultural processes that generate them. Some communicative events which difference in each culture also reflects the GENRE

Genres are culture specific, and have associated with:

particular purposesparticular stages: distinctive beginnings,

middles and endsparticular linguistic features.

Genre

Types of genre

Conversation• Transactional• Interactional

Transactional language is language which is used to make a transaction and which has a result. It can be compared with interactional language, which is used to maintain relationships.

Genre Vs Text Types

• Many writers use these terms interchangeably or avoid the term ‘genre’ altogether.

• For others, the term ‘genre’ is intimately associated with Halliday’s systemic functional linguistics which attempts to describe language in terms of its social purposes.

• Thus, genre analysis does not simply describe how texts are structured, but tries to account for these structures in terms of the social and cultural forces that shape them.

Paltridge's Examples of Genres and "Text Types" (based on Hammond, Burns, Joyce, Brosnan, & Gerot, 1992)

Classroom Aplication

• Malinowski’s maxim: “A text becomes intelligible only when it is placed within its context of situation.”

• This maxim applies equally to the understanding and to the production of texts.

Text TypeRecount DescriptiveNarrative ReportSpoof News ItemDiscussion ExplanationExposition Review

Example: Narrative

The social Function　 　

The function of the narrative genre is to amuse, entertain and to deal with actual or vicarious experience in different ways. In some cases, narratives are set in historical ones. In writing this historical narratives, writers perhaps lead readers to think about social issues of a particular period of time.

Narratives deal with problematic events which lead to a crisis or turning point of some kind, which in turn finds a resolution.

Cont.

The Generic Structure

The body of the text consists of:• Orientation: sets the scene and introduces the

participants, characters, complication.• Evaluation (if it is necessary): a stepping back to

evaluate the plight.• Complication: a series of complication, or crisis

points arises in the story.• Resolution: the crisis is resolved, for better or for

worse.• Re-orientation: optional

The Language

• The use of the past tense.• Possible use of the present and future tenses for various

parts of the story.• Possible use of the first person (‘I’,’We’) or third person

pronouns (‘he’.’she’).• The use of action verbs.• The use of adjectives and adverbs to create mental

pictures of characters, actions and setting.• The use of direct speech to show what the characters

are saying or thinking.

Snow white

OrientationOnce upon a time there lived a little girl named Snow White. She lived with her uncle and aunt because her parents were died.

ComplicationOne day she heard her uncle and aunt talking about leaving Snow White in the castle because they both wanted to go to America and they didn’t have enough money to take Snow White.

ResolutionSnow White didn’t want her uncle and aunt to do this so she decided it would be best if she run away. The next morning she ran away from house when her uncle and aunt were having breakfast. She ran away into the woods.

ComplicationShe was very tired and hungry

ResolutionThen she saw this little cottage. She knocked but no one answered so she went inside and fell asleep.

ComplicationMeanwhile, the seven dwarfs were coming home from work. They went inside. There they found Snow White sleeping. Then, Snow White woke up. She saw the dwarfs. he dwarfs said, ‘What is your name?’ Snow White answered, ‘My name is Snow White.’

Re-orientationDoe said, ‘If you wish, you may live here with us. Then, Snow White told the dwarfs the whole story and Snow white and the seven dwarfs lived happily ever after.

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