Examining the 6 Characteristics of a Discourse Community

Examining the 6 Characteristics of a Discourse Community
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Examining the 6 Characteristics of a Discourse Community
A group of people with an interest in a common area of knowledge is commonly known as a discourse community (UCF, 2015). Each area of knowledge consists of topics that have a wide variety of unique vocabulary that is only known by the members of that particular group. The vocabulary is only used by the discourse group when discussing various topics and any person that does not belong to the group may find it difficult to understand or in engaging in their discussions. In some instances, an ordinary person may not understand all the jargons and terminologies. As a result of these terminologies, the discourse community cannot be read or understood (UCF, 2015). This article will examine the 6 characteristics of a discourse community in relation to a civil engineering community. Civil engineering is one of the oldest engineering disciplines that specifically deals with the built environment and is also categorized as a discourse community. Civil engineers are involved in the design and construction of bridges, buildings, roads, airports, subway systems and other structural projects. The community of civil engineering is a professional association that can be categorized as a discourse community because of its distinct characteristics (Brett's Writing Portfolio, 2014). Civil engineers work together on different projects and therefore belong to a discourse community. The following are the six major characteristics of a discourse community as a civil engineering community:
Common Public Goals
A discourse community must have common public goals and in this case the civil engineering community has common goals (UCF, 2015). The major goal for civil engineers is to design and develop quality and sustainable infrastructure at affordable costs. The other important goal of this community is to participate in the formulation of public policies and codes of safety and the same time provide quality services to the public that meet the expected engineering standards and requirements (Brett's Writing Portfolio, 2014). Each member of the community is always trying their level best to achieve the common public goals set by the community. Civil engineers are very much involved in the development of public projects and roads and therefore most of their goals are designed to meet the needs of the public.
Information Exchange among Members
Civil engineering and other engineering disciplines require intercommunication and exchange of information when working on projects (UCF, 2015). Civil engineers work in teams and it is obvious that they exchange information from time to time. There are a variety of mechanisms of communication that the civil engineering discourse communities use when it comes to the exchange and sharing of information and some of these mechanisms include calling and texting through the phone, writing blogs and academic papers, meetings and gathering as well as sending and replying to emails. Civil engineers consult each other when working on complex projects and therefore need proper mechanisms of intercommunication (Brett's Writing Portfolio, 2014...