WEBVTT

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[rock music intro]

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[intro ends]

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For your first writing assignment,

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you have been asked
to write a genre analysis.

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The basic assignment
asks you to choose a topic,

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and then select two different genres
that discuss that topic.

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What you want to analyze
is how the change in genre

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affects how the discourse is shaped.

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From the assignment sheet,

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there are four sections
you will need to deal with:

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audience and purpose,

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rhetorical issues,

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structure,

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and style and language.

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You will need to identify

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who created these genres
and where they come from.

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So make sure to provide
titles and authors and creators' names

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when applicable.

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In order to understand this better,

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the following information

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can help you with your analysis
of your own genres.

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For our purposes here,

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we will use the topic of immigration

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and show you
how to be thinking about the analysis

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using the genre of a street sign.

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Some of the key analysis points
to consider

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is that this is the genre
that has to shape its information

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based on the size of the sign

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and the fact that drivers
are passing by it very quickly.

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Let's start though
with audience and purpose.

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The audience
will already view this genre

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with prior knowledge.

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They will be familiar
with street-crossing signs of this nature

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from places like school zones.

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This genre is intended for two audiences:

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American citizens
who are driving

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and illegal immigrants
who may be crossing.

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There is an assumption
that these immigrants

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are Mexican as well.

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We can make this kind
of specific distinction

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because of the use of language

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and who the English text is meant for

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and who the Spanish text is meant for.

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From this language,

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we can even identify
the audience's geographical location.

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It wouldn't be found
near the Canadian border, would it?

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It will have to be in an area

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where the majority of illegal immigrants

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are assumed to be Mexican,

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so the Southwest
is probably where this would be located.

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The purpose
of the communication on the sign

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is also twofold:
to inform and persuade

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by presenting a warning.

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It is informing both audiences
to be aware.

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However, the persuasion is different
for each audience.

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One is "Be careful.
Illegal immigrants cross here.

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You might hit them."

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And the other is a warning

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that crossing
without appropriate documentation

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is illegal.

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Now let's look at the rhetorical issues.

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This sign has ethos or credibility,

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because it's a government-created sign.

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So there's authority behind it.

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We can even say

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that because the material of the sign
is metal

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that this goes in authority too

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simply because it's meant
to be a permanent, official fixture.

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This wouldn't be the same
if it had been made of cardboard.

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In terms of pathos,

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the emotions evoked
will depend on the audience.

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If you are an American driver,

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it may be caution or concern.

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And actually the same might be said

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for those who may be crossing too.

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One part of the audience
may even find offense with the sign,

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because of the connection of this sign

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to the other familiar
animal-crossing signs.

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For logos or evidence,

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the sign relies on the picture
to convey the danger

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of the family crossing.

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There can't be much evidence
of what the consequences might be.

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The genre just doesn't allow it,

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because of the space and time
spent viewing it.

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It has to rely
on the audience's prior knowledge

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regarding this.

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Next, we can consider the structure
of the genre

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and its affect on communication.

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As noted before,
this genre is limited by space.

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It can't have a lot of text

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and has to be able
to communicate effectively

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based on its use of iconography.

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The structure of the sign
also facilitates its message.

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It will be an appropriate size

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so that the driver
and the person crossing

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would be aware of its presence

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and also be able
to understand its message.

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That's a lot to do and it does it well.

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Finally, we have style and language.

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There's not a lot of language used,

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but what is there is important.

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As we noted before,
it helps us to identify the audiences.

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Beyond the text though,

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we can also analyze the use of colors.

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It's a bright color
so that it can be seen at night

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and a familiar color, orange,

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that symbolizes caution.

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The fact that the people in the image
are colored in black

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also serves to reiterate
the importance of the message.

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We associate the color black
with death.

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The use of the color grey
and the word prohibido

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is also important.

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It is not distracting,
meant to look official,

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and perhaps subconsciously,
this will even remind us of jail.

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This has been an example

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of what kind of analysis you need to do
with this essay.

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The difference is
you need a second different genre

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to also work with,

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and you also need
to start thinking comparatively.

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Thank you for listening,
and if you have questions,

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don't hesitate to ask your professor.

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[rock music outro]

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[outro ends]