Tinney 1

Dejah Tinney
Prof. Joy McDonald
English 101-05
September 16, 2016

Communication within my Communities

We are all a part of groups within our communities, you may call one group family on a
personal level and call another professor on a more professional level. Either way, you are in
some way, shape or form a part of a group of people who share common goals/purposes and uses
communication to achieve those goals, known as discourse communities.
Our communities shape us. We may not realize it but those around us play a huge role
when it comes to influencing us. We learn and grown from our surroundings. From hearing the
lingo/slang our peers so frequently use to watching how one acts when in a certain setting.
Overall, oral communication is the main source of communication used between communities.
We also use many types of written communication to communicate on a daily basis. Written
communication isnt always hand-written, it can also mean typed on a keyboard of a computer,
tablet or phone which is used more often in todays society than an actual letter sent through the
mail. The communication between communities differs depending on the relationship between
yourself and those within that group.
When with my family discourse community, the communication between my family
members and me may be formal or informal depending on those I am surrounded by and also,
the setting as well. By setting, I mean family events like a family reunion where all family
members would gather. In that case, I would speak formally out of respect for my older relatives.
For example, when greeting my grandmother I dont say wassup? and head nod like I do when

Tinney 2

greeting my cousins, I would respectively say Hello and hug her instead. Certain things I may
say to my cousins I would not say to my grandparents or great-grandparents. With my aunt our
way of communicating is a little more complicated. Because she lives all the way in Japan and
times are very different, I cant just send her a text or a call and expect a quick response. So we
communicate more through sending letters and UPS packages. The goals for this community are
to stay connected and support one another.
Within my friends discourse community, the only guidelines to follow in order to join are
loyalty and honesty so trust may be gained. The vibes are more relaxed so we often speak
informally whether its in person, through text messaging or social media like Snapchat,
Instagram and Twitter. When communicating we address one another with shortcuts or slang. For
instance, when texting instead of saying Where are you at? we say wya? When were bored
and need something to do, well text wtw? or Whats the word? which is another way of
saying whats going on or what is there to do? When a party or social event is fun we say Its
lit. If were dancing and having a good time we refer to that as being turnt or Td up. When
we communicate we talk about many topics like current events, everyday life, how we feel and
sometimes but not always gossip. The goal is to stay in touch as much as we possibly can.
Academic/college discourse communities are communities that should always be
addressed professionally and formally. From high school to college, the challenge begins. In
order to join this community, one must obtain good grades on their high school transcript
resulting to a high GPA. Depending on the college or university you plan on attending, a certain
SAT or ACT score has to be met. Many colleges/universities communicate through an online
source known as Blackboard where we are able to access our grades, assignments and syllabus.
We also communicate via e-mail which is the formal way to contact professors. While speaking

Tinney 3

to those in higher authority you must take a polite approach. For instance, when e-mailing my
professors, I first say Good morning/afternoon/evening then address them by their name.
Slang/shortcuts like u for you or nah for no is unacceptable. Disrespect is not tolerated
within the academic community. There are guidelines that are mandatory to meet in order to pass
that class and move on to the next level. The topics taught or discussed vary on the class or major
that you are enrolled in. The main goals for this community is to maintain a high GPA and to
graduate on time.
To become a part of Hampton Universitys Pep squad, one must sign up and get accepted
based on their application. The purpose and the main goal of the pep squad is to work with the
band and dancers to hype up the football team resulting in a win. Therefore, if you are a part of
the Pep squad attending games, practices and meetings are mandatory. We stay informed with
events and important information via social media and the GroupMe app which we use to
communicate. During meetings and practices we speak both formally and informally amongst
one another. Although, when speaking to the president and vice president of the organization
because they are a higher authority, it is much more polite to address them formally. Topics
discussed during meetings are important messages, game dates, fundraisers, chants and
choreography.
Communication is the most important quality to have. You must know when it is the
appropriate time to be formal or informal. When learning and understanding the basics of
communication it will be much easier to connect with the communities you are surrounded by.
Gaining skills to achieve a better understanding when it comes to writing is essential in todays
society.

Tinney 4

Everyday
life and
Joining:
feelings.
In order to join/be a part of this
community, you must be born or
married into the family. Not always
do you have to be blood related,
long--term friendships may result in
membership.
Conventions:
Depending on which member
of the family I am having a
conversation with the
conversations may be formal
or informal.
Genres:
Phone calls,
text
messages,
UPS packages

Family

Joining:
In order to join/be a
part of this
community, you
must be loyal and
honest to one
another so you can
Conventions:
Topics:
Very
Everyday life,
Informal.
feelings and
sometimes,
not always
gossip.
Genres:

Friends

Topics:

Joining:

Phone calls,
social media
and text
messages.

Joining:

In order to join/be a
part of this
community, you
must sign up, attend
practices and
Conventions:

Pep Squad

Polite and formal when

speaking to the president
and vice president of the
organization but informal
Genres: when addressing our
Topics:
GroupMe peers.
Game dates,
and social
fundraisers, chants
and choreography.

College
Student

In order to join/be a
part of this
community, you must
obtain good grades on
your high school
transcript, receive
high SAT or ACT
Conventions: scores, apply for the
Topics:
College/University
and
Very polite and formal
Depends on
when speaking to
the subject
professors and other
being
adults in higher authority.
Genres:
taught.
Blackboard and HU email.