This week was based on Genre; literature, art and
entertainment based on conventions in a criterion (Luyn, 2013). Genres play into social networking as there
are differing ways of expression within the capacity of online users. A user
may use a picture to express their views on a topic, say a political advert
which ridicules the opposition. In the same context, another user may wish to
use an audio slogan to ridicule the opposition, both methods used are genres.
Genres are not fixed as the conventions which set the parameters of the
criteria are subject to change. Genres can be discarded altogether in favour of
newly invented ones (Luyn, 2013).
Luyn (2013) displays seven different conventions
which make up a genre.
·
Formal features- this refers to the
words chosen and where they are placed
·
Thematic structure- how the text relates
to wider topics
·
Situation of address- if the author is
addressing a real or imagined audience
·
Structure of implication- whether or not
the text assumes that the audience has prior knowledge of the addressed topic
·
Rhetorical function- the intended effect
of the text on the audience
·
Setting- place in time and space
·
Frame- what sets the text apart from
other genre
Writers on Facebook use many of the conventions used
in genre patterns to construct their posts. “Formal features” are arranged in a
non-formal manner, there is little attention given to the way in which the
appearance of features attracts users. “Thematic
structure” is not a predominant feature as most posts refer to feelings of the self,
that said “thematic structure” can be inclusive in posts as many are used to draw
attention to news items or give persuasive argument to a valued topic and/or
concept. For “situation of address”, most posts address a non-real audience as
they ask rhetorical questions or provide insight into a person’s current state
of mind, on the other hand posts can
have a real audience in mind as they provide information intended for a
group or person to view for example. For “structure of implication”, posts
rarely assume any prior knowledge is needed for their subject matter. Every
post has a “rhetorical function” whether it is to entertain, mock or inform. In
FB, “setting” mostly refers to the present and to people’s own space; however some
refer to the past and future. As argued
by McNeill (2011), texts found on Facebook fall under the genre of diary forms
in which they give self-expression of feelings and personal recollection of
events (McNeill, 2011). Other genres found on FB include, organised cultural
communication and commentary (Frow, 2013). From here it is clear that “frame”
varies in FB.
There are a number of methods used to attract users
in Facebook; posts with visual features such as images or captions are used to
draw users in to view further information concerning the post. Other such
attractive posts come in the form of comedic or satire statements which convey
amusement. These both relate to DiYanni’s article on essays in which it is
reported that decadent features in text can give them an appealing nature (DiYanni,
2005).
Facebook does not have any generic rules for
communication, based on the average post; one would infer that one rule is to
use language which is unambiguous and allows for anyone to understand. Facebook
posts are more elaborate than those in phone texting and yet, a lot less
elaborate and formal than professional based communication; that said terms which are unique to social networking can be found, as shown by the Facebook Urban Dictionary.
McNeill asserts that writers typically do not
advertise a disclosing attitude towards public diary texts as this compromises
the authenticity of the genre’s experience. This is most certainly true in
Facebook as introspective posts are not explicit in their messages on an
individual’s feelings. On the other hand this isn’t always the case due to the
fact that a lot of posts can wind up as explicit “clumps” of information.
Facebook users can give a sense of authenticity to
their posts through use of personal insight to their real lives. McNeill states
that network users are able to give a great level of accessibility to reality
through their posts if they use language which expresses themselves well, links
and other visual stimuli aid to this (McNeill, 2011). Links, pictures and
emotive language aid in making a user’s real life more accessible in the
Facebook thus they can appear to be authentic rather than a person trying to
attract attention.
In terms of online “street cred”, Facebook users can
be credited for the types of posts they put out. Many posts which give
reinforcement to an accepted social value, make a joke about a current disliked
fad, or maybe criticise a disliked norm can be popular to the Facebook
community. It is quite a temperamental concept as popular types of posts change
over time, hence street cred can be obtained by virtually any users.
References:
- DiYanni, R. (2005). Introduction: Reading and writing essays, in Twenty-five great essays (pp. 1-30). New York, NY: Penguin Academics.
- Frow, J. (2013) Genre. Retrieved from http://jcu.eblib.com.au.elibrary.jcu.edu.au
- McNeill, L. (2011). Dairy 2.0?: A genre moves from page to screen, in Rowe, C. & Wyss, E.L. (Eds.) Language and new media: Linguistic, cultural, and technological evolutions (pp.313-3325). Creskill, NJ: Hampton.
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