Literacy, Discourse and Linguistics - Introduction - Dissertation Example

“Literacy, Dis and Linguistics: Introduction” by James Paul Gee The intended audiences addressed by Gee are since they need to understand more about the nature of various discourses in terms of how they are acquired and how they influence life. The purpose of the article is to express the important of good use of language in different approach thus enabling the learner to have a deep insight of linguistics. Gee is attempting to remove various assumptions associated with the study of language by bringing in a different yet important aspect of Discourse. He asserts that language is not just about grammar but a combination of Discourses like doing, believing, valuing and saying (Gee 5). He further explains that Discourses are ways of being in the world and are forms of life since human beings always talk and posse’s attitudes which dictates their behaviors at all times. The genre of this writing is descriptive essay which describes the various importance of language as a communication tool in daily life, the format of the article is well organized and arranged in a logical manner for easier understanding to the reader. Gee, primary claims are that literary studies should not be language or literary but social practices due to its socially important and cognitive interesting consequences. This is true because a person can know perfectly the grammar of a language but fails to use the in proper context during communication process. He explains that a language is not what you say but how you say it that determines the good mastery of language (Gee 5). A sentence may have a good grammar but its wrong regarding the context in which it’s said. What you are and do in expressing yourself in a sentence is of great importance in determining the success of your communication (Gee 6). Disclosures are forms of life with integrate words, acts, values and beliefs with social identities like gestures, glances and body positions together with the clothes one wears. Trained linguistic learn to speak, think and act like in a particular manner and to recognize others also acting and thinking on particular manner. Discourse is acquired in just like the way on acquires the second language and are not mastered by overt instruction but by enculturation. The discourse without capital “D” is connected stretches of language that makes sense and therefore is different to Discourse with capital “D” in linguistics (Gee 5). I agree with Gees contention that some conflict and tension will always be present between the various discourses. This is because there is always a conflict in the values, beliefs, attitudes, interaction styles and the uses of language and this is known to bring a lot of conflicts in the way human beings interact with one another. This brings inconsistency in their cognitive or social viewpoint. The upbringing also contributes to the variety of discourses acquired by different people since it instills in them a discourse with is different from one child to the other. The primary discourse acquired when one grow up largely depends with the environment and since environment differs from one place to another, most people have different discourse and this is the source of conflict between them. The acquisition of the primary discourse is never liberating due environment one is exposed to which changes everything in due to unavoidable peer pressure which in turn controls the nature of his perception. When one grows up, he moves from one place to another like churches, schools and other social institutions which also instill in them different values depending on the environment. In these places, one forms peer groups which in turn commands and demands from them leading to change of discourse. Secondary discourse allows one to think critically about the primary discourse due to the interference in between them. Primary discourse can also be transferred to secondary discourse leading to further interference between them. A good example is the primary discourse of middle class homes which has been greatly influence by secondary discourse like those in schools and business hence bringing interference between them. Lack of mastery of a particular secondary discourse, several things can happen which resemble what can happen when one fails to master a second language in his life. Primary discourses can never be liberating literacies since it lack the discourse it is going to critique and the set of meta-elements like language, words and attitudes (Gee 6). This limits the manner in which analysis and criticism can be carried out during interaction between one another. The primary discourses are initial, and contain only themselves hence limiting their ability to liberate like the secondary discourse. They can be embedded in the later discourses and critiqued but can never serve a meta-language in the manner in which a secondary critique does further limiting their liberating capabilities. Primary discourses cannot carry out authentic criticism since they cannot verbalize words, acts and values hence lack the ability to mobilize explicit meta-knowledge in their nature. “Mushfake” knowledge is the knowledge acquired through culture of making things happen from unrealities like the prison cultures (Gee 9). A good example of mushfake Discourse is when prison inmates make hats form the underwear to protect them from lice which in the real life situation, is not logical. This is the partial acquisition of knowledge coupled with meta-knowledge and strategies to make strange things possible even in the circumstances which does not favour them. “Mushfake” resistance and meta-knowledge is a good combination for successful students since it incorporates ding and valuing character in them due to their meta-knowledge (Gee 9). There are several features that might constitute the identity kit valued at my discipline depending on various circumstances. Costumes and instructions on how to eat, talk and write influences a particular role in which other think, recognize and react in return to your behavior in the society. Costumes and instructions on how to eat, talk and write influences a particular role in which other think, recognize and react in return to your behavior in the society. The ability to be trained is important in linguistics since you learn to speak, think and act in accordance to the training which in turn influences how others view and recognize you. Work Cited Gee, Paul. Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics: Introduction. Journal of Education, Vol, 171. No.1. (1989). 5-14. Read More