Discourse Genres and Language Functions
Literary Genres
Story
(Poetic, Narrative): A fictional narrative prose set in a certain place and time, leading to a resolution.
Novel
(Poetic, Narrative): More extensive than the story, containing more action and characters, encompassing a broader narrative world.
Theater
(Poetic, Conversational): Divided into acts (marked by the fall of the curtain) and scenes (entrance and exit of characters). Includes stage directions (setting, gestures, posture, voice type).
Poem
(Poetic, Descriptive, Narrative, Conversational, Argumentative): Verse enhances the musicality of poetry and expresses the author’s emotional states.
Fable
(Poetic, Narrative): Prose or verse that conveys a moral lesson, often featuring animals, plants, and inanimate objects.
Myth
(Poetic, Narrative): Explains the origin of something for which humans lack an explanation, often linked to religion.
Legend
(Poetic, Narrative): Linked to superstition, based on actual events that have been transmitted orally, often losing their original meaning over time.
Newspaper Genres
Front Page
(Informative, Expository): Presents the newspaper’s main content, highlighting significant news.
News
(Informative, Narrative): Transmission of information with a specific structure: headline, lead, body, and conclusion.
Chronicle
(Informative, Narrative): Narrates and describes an event in detail, often using the inverted pyramid structure.
Editorial
(Informative, Argumentative): The newspaper or magazine expresses its opinion on a particular topic.
Interview
(Informative, Conversational): A public conversation intended for an audience.
Survey
(Informative): Consultation with the public to identify problems and gather people’s opinions.
Letter to the Readers
(Appealing, Argumentative): A complaint or opinion on a topical issue.
Classified Ad
(Appealing, Descriptive): Aims to attract the reader’s attention to buy or sell something.
Scientific Genres
Definition
(Informative): Describes the most relevant features of an object or concept.
Free Note
(Informative, Expository): Broader and more detailed than a definition, providing objective and accurate information.
Experiment Report
(Informative): Documents the process of investigating a question that cannot be answered through simple observation.
Historical Narrative
(Informative): Reinterpretation of past events by historians based on documentary sources.
Monograph
(Informative): Organizes and analyzes data collected from various sources to review or confirm a hypothesis.
Humorous Genres
Joke
(Poetic, Narrative): A short, humorous text that often uses wordplay.
Graffiti
(Expressive, Argumentative):
Advertising Genres
Notice
(Appealing, Argumentative): Aims to sell a product or service, often using word games, repetition, hyperbole, etc.
Poster
(Appealing, Descriptive): Promotes a place, product, activity, or character.
Brochure
(Appealing, Expository): Contains pictures, information, and descriptions of what is being promoted.
Instructional Genres
Slogan
(Appealing, Descriptive): Short, concise, and direct text.
Recipe
(Appealing, Descriptive): Provides clear information for completing a task without errors.
Instructional
(Descriptive, Appealing): Instructions for organizing a game, conducting an experiment, building something, or operating a device.
Telephone Guide
(Informative, Descriptive):
Epistolary Genres
Family Letter
(Informative, Narrative): Shares life events with friends and family.
Application
(Appealing, Argumentative): A formal request made to an authority, written in the first or third person.
Card
(Informative, Narrative): Can be personal or a greeting card.
Instrumental Genres
Organizational Chart
(Informative, Expository): Represents the relationships within an organization or institution in a hierarchical way.
Diagram
(Informative, Expository): Shows relationships between words or short phrases, often in a way that is easy to remember.
Chart
(Informative, Expository): Represents data through drawings that offer information.
Minutes
(Informative, Expository): Records what was discussed and resolved at a meeting.
Commercial Document
(Informative): Checks, invoices, bills, etc.
Media Genres
TV
(All functions):
Radio
(All functions, Poetic):
Film
(Narrative):
Functions of Language
Expressive or Emotional
Expresses the speaker’s feelings.
Poetic
Produces aesthetic pleasure through language.
Informative, Referential, or Representational
Transmits objective information about reality.
Appealing or Conative
Focuses on the receiver, aiming to provoke a reaction.
Textual Patterns
Conversational
Direct dialogue between speakers.
Narrative
Presents events or actions in a temporal and causal sequence.
Descriptive
Specifies characteristics of objects, people, or processes.
Argumentative
Provides arguments or reasons to persuade or dissuade.
Expository
Explains a topic or concept.
Social Discourse Genres
Literary
Produces aesthetic pleasure through language.
Journalistic
Informs and shapes opinion on current events.
Scientific
Reports on reality based on scientific principles.
Humorous
Causes amusement through language and images.
Advertising
Promotes the sale of a product or service.
Epistolary
Communicates a written message.
Instructional
Guides the reader on how to perform activities.
Instrumental
Organizes intellectual and administrative activities.