Re: textbooks, textoids, and genre
Jay Lemke (jllbc who-is-at cunyvm.cuny.edu)
Thu, 25 Sep 1997 00:34:19 -0400
Ania Lian makes a good point: the point of view of the user is always
relevant to the use made of any text. But then so also is the point of view
of the producer, and not just p-o-v regarding the subject matter, but also
p-o-v regarding the expected audience and 'intended' use. The textbook
writer and the reference book writer systematically write differently: in
selection of material, in organization, in style, etc. Every text thus
implies or tries to construct or project its ideal users and uses. Just as
a supermarket, as a consumer capitalist setting-genre, projects (and tries
to construct) its ideal consumer shoppers (and managers, clerks, etc. --
the analogy works well if you take all the features you think supermarkets
have that texts don't and realize that texts do have analogues for these as
well). We can make what we like of a text, but the text is also trying to
make something of us. JAY.
---------------------------
JAY L. LEMKE
CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
JLLBC who-is-at CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
---------------------------