Public Information Messages
A contrastive genre analysis of state-citizen communication
Leuphana University of Lüneburg
Public information messages are an important means of state-citizen communication in today’s societies. Using this genre, citizens are directed to “never ever drink and drive”, to “slow down” and to “learn to say no”. Yet, this book presents the first in-depth analysis of public information messages from a linguistic perspective, and indeed also from a cross-cultural perspective. Specifically, the study, adopting genre analysis, contrasts a corpus of state-run national public information campaigns in Germany and Ireland. A taxonomy of moves is developed inductively and the interactional features of the genre are analysed and related to the context of use. The comprehensive discussion of theoretical and methodological issues, the in-depth analysis and the extensive bibliography make this book of interest to researchers and students in (contrastive) discourse analysis, (cross-cultural) pragmatics, contrastive rhetoric, advertising, social psychology, mass communication and media studies. Copy-writers will also profit from the insights gained, particularly within the context of an increase in Europe-wide public information campaigns.
[Pragmatics & Beyond New Series, 222]
2012.
xix, 340 pp.
Publishing status: Available
Hardbound – Available
ISBN
9789027256270
|
EUR
99.00
|
USD
149.00
e-Book – Sold by e-book platforms
ISBN
9789027273406
|
EUR
99.00
|
USD
149.00
Table of Contents
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List of figures
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ix
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List of tables
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xi–xiv
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List of transcripts
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xv
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List of abbreviations
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xvii
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Acknowledgements
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xix
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1. Introduction
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1–5
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2. Genre analysis
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7–45
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3. A genre perspective on public information messages
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47–81
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4. Methodology
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83–108
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5. Move structure and move register
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109–170
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6. Personalising the impersonal: A micro-textual analysis
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171–248
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7. Public information messages: A contrastive focus
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249–279
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8. Conclusion
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281–288
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Bibliography
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289–317
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Appendix
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319–329
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Index
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Quotes
“This monograph is a valuable resource for students, researchers, and professionals in fields concerned with discourse analysis, pragmatics, contrastive rhetoric, mass communication, and media studies. A total of 86 well-designed tables provide readers wth excellent clarification of the textual content.”
Guofeng Wang, Zhejiang University, Language in Society (2012)
“This study represents a very innovative discourse/genre analytic approach to the study of public information messages from a cross-cultural perspective. The study is likely to be of value to researchers, students and professionals in a range of fields concerned with communication, broadly defined. It is to be highly recommended.”
John Flowerdew, City University of Hong Kong
“From a linguistic point of view little is known about the conventions of public information messages. Adopting applied genre analysis as the theoretical framework, the present study takes the lead in the investigation of this research area. The volume clearly analyses public information messages developed by or supported by government ministries or agencies in Germany and Ireland with the purpose of establishing the norms of language use employed. Moreover, by exploring cross-cultural differences, this well-composed study offers new perspectives on contrastive genre analysis.”
Maurizio Gotti, Università di Bergamo, Italy
“This is an exemplary cross-cultural genre study. It is thorough, both theoretically and methodologically, and the analysis of the data is both finely-grained and extensive. Anne Barron’s book is essential reading for anyone with an interest in this kind of study.”
Brian Paltridge, University of Sydney
Subjects
Benjamins Subject classification
Communication Studies
Linguistics
BIC Subject
CFG: Semantics, Pragmatics, Discourse Analysis
BISAC Subject
LAN009000: LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Linguistics
U.S. Library of Congress Control Number: 2012022407