Exploring a new virtual genre

Hello everybody!!!

This week I am going to talk about a new textual genre: the website!!

Introduction

In the last few years there has appear on the web an endless number of websites of different nature; they can be classified for example as personal, institutional or informative; quite every company or institution has its own website. They deal with different topics, you can find useful information or entertainment; perhaps some of them can be very useful for improving people’s knowledge about a particular topic of interest. Some websites are also of social interest or utility, like those that me and my classmates have found out last week on del.icio.us and published on an online list which could be helpful for our English course.

A website is a new type of genre. It is an online text made up one or more peculiar elements: web pages and links. Moreover, the website has its own features which distinguish it from other types of online pages like blogs or written texts. These features include medium: the web page and links which make the online text dynamic and interactive, layout, language, register and targets. The particular arrangement of these elements contribute to make a website a new genre of text.

I have chosen two websites from the list on our class network in order to analyse how their language features are combined together. I will describe them and make a comparison by stressing analogies and differences.
The first website is: English club.com, while the second is English verb tenses; they both deal with the same content: English grammar.

Source of the picture: www.flickr.com

Brief description and characteristics

English club.com’s website
On the top of the homepage there is the title of the website “English club.com”, which is written in red bold, and a small picture of a school. The homepage contains an overview of all the topics and hyperlinks contained on the website. By looking at it the user/ reader will immediately notice that the website is very well organized and clear. On the homepage of English club you will find three columns; they are written in red bold in order to capture the interest of readers and deal with: “English Language Skills”, “Special Interest ESL”, “See also in the Clubhouse” and “What’s hot?”. The first group for example contains hyperlinks which deal with English grammar such as “English Grammar”, “English Pronunciation”, etc. In the second group you will find resources for Business English and other areas of English. The third group contains interactive games and pages like “ESL forum”. On the right there is a list of all the items contained on the website which facilitates the website’ user to reach directly what he is searching for.

English verb tenses’s website
This website deals with English grammar as well. It is different from the English club because it is taken from the website of the canadian University of Uottawa. It contains explanations of the English parts of speech. I choose for example the web page of English verb tenses. On this website you will find first of all the title of the part of speech analysed, then a short explanation of the grammar rules concerning that aspect. Then you will find some examples and exercises. This website is simpler that the first one and easier to use. However, the first one is more interesting for an English learner because besides the grammar rules, explanations and examples he can also find many interactive activities and articles, which stimulate his interest. Moreover, it contains also some advices on how to learn English or improve it.



Analysis

As far as similarities are concerned both websites are aimed at a target community: English learners and teachers. I think that the word ‘club’ sums it up very clearly. Both use a large number of hyperlinks.
As regards the register it is more formal on the first one, while informal in the second; the language is descriptive, simple, easy to understand and mainly made up of common words; verb tense is present. This is due to the fact that it is aimed at English learners, those level of English could be law. Moreover the purpose of both website is to convey clear explanation and make English learners improve their knowledge. Short sentences and simple words will for sure clear up their doubts or perhaps capture their interest or curiosity.
Both website contains a great deal of links which help the user to find out what he is searching for without any difficulties. Moreover, interactive exercises make English learners more adept at using English rules in a proper way.
As far as layout is concerned both websites are graphically well organized and the text is divided into short paragraphs; the information is well structured, explanations and exercises at the end of each unit are well organized.

As regards differences the first websites is structure in a different way. First of all the homepage delivers an overview of the content of the website. Moreover, it is also very helpful for users in order to decide for example what type of path they want to follow (for example from the “English grammar” or simple from the list of items on the right side of the homepage).
As far as the syntax is concerned in English club there is a large use of shorter sentences and infinitive structures, the register is informal. There are also a great deal of noun phrases, verbs ellipses and the style is more coincise. Moreover, there are many imperative sentences such as “study word and sentences stress”, “understand the sounds that your language doesn’t have”, interrogatives: “where do I start?”, “Why I want to learn English?”. The verbs used are mainly action verbs.
English club’s website contains also more interactive pages and hyperlinks.

In conclusion websites are simple, easy and fast tools to get information thanks to the large use of interactive pages and hyper textual links The language features of the analysed websites are combined in a successful way in order to enhance the desired purpose (informative, descriptive). The arrangement of layout and simple syntax involves web’s users, stimulates their interests and in this case is helpful for improving their language knowledge.


That's all for the moment
have a wonderful weekend
bye bye

Francesca