Discussing Discourse Community In John Swales '

Discussing Discourses Many people find the concept of a discourse community to be important enough to write about but many have failed to create a clear and universal definition. Three scholars: Porter, Swales, and Gee each attempt to create their own definition of the concept. Each of their articles has major differences in their interpretation of the notion of discourse communities while still having underlying similarities. The articles all build off the work of others while also introducing new ways of approaching and thinking about the ideology of discourse communities. In John Swales’ article he aims to distinguish between a discourse community and a speech community setting several criteria in his article. He views a speech community
Gee illustrates this point in saying “Discourses are ways of being in the world: they are forms of life which integrate words, acts, values, beliefs, attitudes, and social identities as well as gestures, glances, body positions, and clothes”(484). This thought in part agrees with Swales stated criteria for a discourse community being “A Discourse community has a broadly agreed set of common public goals”(471). This criteria does not directly link Swales and Gees thoughts, Swales idea of a “common public goal”(471) leads the members of a discourse community to express their beliefs, attitudes, and values that Gee outlines as important factors of a Discourse community. This notion separates a discourse community from a speech community, for Swales, as well as a Discourse community from a discourse
Likewise James Porter identifies a discourse community as “a group of individuals bound by a common intrest who communicate through approved channels and whose discourse is regulated”(91). With out this criterion the group would not necessarily be a “community” it would just simply be a discourse ultimately without a purpose. The need for communication is derived from the goals only being attainable through the use of the community. Swales further more declares the criteria for a discourse to include that the mechanism of communication be used mainly for feedback and to provide information. This allows for members of the discourse to further their expertise as well as a venue to publish or express their ideas and beliefs opening it to criticism. This forum for criticism helps to further develop the ideas and beliefs that are being