Swales' Discourse Communties

What makes up a discourse community? - Swales' defining characteristics

1) Has a broadly agreed set of common public goals

2) Has mechanisms of intercommunication among its members (jargon)

3) Uses it participatory mechanisms primarily to provide information and feedback

4) Utilises and hence possesses one or more genres in the communicative furtherance of its aims

5) In addition to owning genres, it has acquired some specific lexis

6) Has a threshold level of members with a suitable degree of relevant content and discoursal expertise


Lexicon – According to Swales 

Politician

Lexicon – standard, low-frequency English (e.g. legislation, mandate, representation)

1) Set of goals; pass legislation, represent constituencies, keep country running smoothly, keep economy stable

2) Intercommunication – emails, phone calls, meetings

3) Participatory mechanisms – debates, question-time, cabinet meetings

4) Furtherance of aims – News, house of commons channel, public speeches/announcements

5) Specific lexis – SNP=Scottish National Party, Brexit=Britain leaving the European Union,  whips=party discipline, Boaty McBoatface argument=the argument that sometimes it’s not a good idea to let the public vote, backbenchers, coalition, Chancellor of the Exchequer, crossbenchers, devolution, first past the post

6) Threshold level of members – political education, possible membership of party, elected fairly by the public

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