The Discourse Community

http://theshakespeareblog.com/2013/10/state-of-play-
audiences-and-actors-in-the-uk-theatre/

1. How does Mirabelli begin his article? What can you infer from it about his intended audience and purpose from the way he begins? What are the effects for his audience of the way he begins?

Mirabelli begins his article by introducing an experience that he had seen on bitterwaitress.com. This introduction implies that he is reaching out to a few audiences: people who use the internet, possibly waiters and waitresses, and people who are interersted in reading about the work industry. They way that Mirabelli introduces his article is actually intriguing to the audience and aids in the likelihood of interest throughout the article.

2. Do you know or have you ever participated in a discourse community that is strongly stereotyped in ways that restaurant work is stereotyped? What are the stereotypes? Using Mirabelli, consider the various 'multiliteracies' of this discourse community.

I have been part of a discourse community that is strongly stereotyped. Ironically it is the restaurant industry particularly fast-food. I believe that the stereotype is that the fast-food industry is just a bunch of kids who do not know how to do their jobs. This is not true. We do not just read texts, we read people and situations. We are actually able to identify which customers we will struggle with based on their tone or body language, and which situations to let our managers handle.

3. Klass describes entering the hospital as a medical student 'in a state of primeval innocence' but quickly learning all the 'endless jargon and abbreviations'. What she is describing is the process of enculturating into a discourse community. How does this kind of enculturation happen in general?

Learning these special languages result from being submerged in a new culture. Klass was not able to understand these abbreviations and phrases until she was a part of her work culture. She learned how to become a part of her discourse community.

https://www.discoverwalks.com/blog/top
-5-award-winning-restaurants-in-paris/

4. Mirabelli chooses to focus on participation in a restaurant Discourse. Why? What is he contributing to the conversation on Discourses by doing so? (question 2 page 317).

I think that Mirabelli focuses on participation in a restaurant discourse because, as seen in the introduction, there are many negative stereotypes about the capability of those that wok there. In a way, Mirabelli is challlegning the stereotypes that exist about the restaurant discourse while also explaining discourse. He is opening the door for a conversations about the actual capabilities that are overlooked in those who work in this discourse.

5. Name one concept from this lesson that you most struggle(d) to understand. What about this concept, term, or idea is troublesome? What do you currently think it means, whether you feel certain or not?

One concept that I struggled to understand was lexis. I just did not understand what it meant and how it could mediate activities. Through reading, I realized that it is another way of saying a specialized language.