Description
Book SynopsisThis volume brings together a series of studies on the nature of the dissemination of specialist knowledge in English, its various principles, conceptualizations, constructs and pragmatic dynamics, over a range of discourse genres: knowledge discourse is addressed to a number of audiences, expert and lay, in a variety of fields, legal, political, economic, institutional, academic, organizational and professional. The authors explore the use of language in the creation and diffusion of knowledge, in its transformation from being a mere repository of information, achieved through complex discursive processes. These processes use both general pragma-linguistic textual resources, and also derive from the communicative practices specific to the discourse communities in question. The studies as a whole demonstrate the multi-levels of knowledge, its very varied typology, and its dynamic nature in ongoing co-construction, maintenance and updating among heterogeneous audiences.
Trade Review«[...] the volume is a valuable resource for anyone who is interested in professional communication in the public sphere.»
(Zhengrui Han, Discourse Studies 19(2), 2017)
Table of ContentsContents: Rita Salvi: Re-contextualizing Specialized English: from Legislation to Business – Ersilia Incelli: Unbottling the Truth about Water: the Discursive Construction of Water as a «Strategic» Resource – Renzo Mocini: Evidential Devices in English Medical Journals – Chiara Prosperi Porta: On the State of Public Health: Discourse and Sharing Practices in Annual Medical Reports – Judith Turnbull: Online Knowledge Dissemination. How to Make the Dismal Science Less Dismal – Janet Bowker: Directive Acts and Narration in Corporate Training Events: Framing Structures and Processes through Language.
