Author: alexisfehring

CL 11/14 semester reflection questions

Why do people form discourse communities?…

People form discourse communities, and communities in general to fit in, to make money, to gain education/accomplishment. I think each discourse community has a different “why” for their people but the community shares the same common goal. In retail or food service, this is make money. In a profession such as a English professor, this is to gain education, skill and accomplish a dissertation. I think people gain, in my case, skills in retail and customer service, happiness, friends from coworkers and community from my DC. The writing is used to police the community membership- in my case DSW’s website of stock because without shoes in stock, there is no customers and no jobs for associates like myself. This writing is key to all we do with our “Here 4 U” behavior. We are dedicated to finding a shoe for them whether that be in our store, at a store nearby or ordering it for them online. This is distinguished from a speech community because my coworkers and managers all share a love for shoes, helping people find their perfect fit (customer service), and the need for money (job). The goals of this discourse community can be changed in an instant with a new staff or corporate rules. I believe the coworkers make the job. At my specific store, our associates are incredible, knowledgeable and communicative. If you were to go to another DSW in the area, the community may not be the same, see eye to eye and work together as well for the common goal of finding a shoe for the shoelover in our store. Other store associates may just see it as a job. I believe my stores’ associates see it as a way to connect with the community and find the shoe for them with that “Here 4 U” behavior. Corporate could change our direction and policies any day as well. I think a big goal of DSW as a company is “we inspire self expression”. If the company was to take that slogan away to express their employees, it would change the community of the associates.

extra notes:

goals in the DC can also change with time of year, conversion, sales goals

CL 11/12

  • I don’t really have a physical document to prove my discourse community, its mostly all word of mouth and understood principles– whatever works as an example of the community
  • I think applying Mirabelli’s 6 concepts will help me define my discourse community better because I will understand what discourse communities focus on and are about
  • Because not everyone is in it, you have to be in it to understand it fully, we make decisions together, its public to anyone to join but private with knowledge
  • I think I’m using my Arbonne business, community to talk about a discourse community. Its a community of young entrepreneurs, mostly women who work on personal development and health and wellness together.

multi literacies- know the person is not pleasant or interested, will not tell them about the best deal with fries or veg combo

focused on certain narrow topics