Critical Review of

Genre analysis, ESP and professional practice

By: Vijay K. Bhatia

Prepared for ;

Dr. Masputeriah Hamzah

English For Specific Purposes (MPB 1513)

Prepared by ;

Noor Shana Kamarundzaman (MP 101482)

 In this article, Bhatia wrote one of the major criticisms of teaching ESP is, although

students can handle the textual features of some of the professional genres (in the professional

settings), they are still unaware of the discursive realities of the professional world. In his view,

he said, it is because some teachers and discourse/genre analyst treat professional genres as

simple textual artifacts (Bhatia, 1993; Swales, 1990). This criticism should not happen because

communicative purposes play important role in the definition of genre. Genre is a recognizable

communicative event characterized by a set of communicative purposes identified and

mutually understood by the members of the professional members or community (Bhatia,

1993:13). Generally, communication means not only in verbal but as well as in written.

Therefore, the teachers need to understand the definition of genre before they can plan on the

contents of the syllabus. They need to go depth into the communicative event that the learners

will be facing and what type of text that they will be using as the mean of communication in

their discourse. Besides that one of the TESP characteristics is linguistic input, where the

learners should be exposed on the language that related and relevant to their community or

field of work. This is to prepare the learners not in understanding the language use but as well

as how and in what circumstance that the language will be use. From my view, this does not

mean teachers of ESP should just expose the related language, but they should take the

consideration of the communicative event (in which circumstance that the language will be use)

and other authentic material related to the language. Furthermore, genre analysis is mostly

focus on the linguistic and it is important as the mean of communication in any community. For

an example, the learners of computer programmer should not just know how to use the

language (IT terms) for programming but as well as how to interpret it in the simpler terms or
phrase, so that the user (of their program) could understand their system (either in the manual

book or during presentation). Besides that, they also need to know the communicative event

that they will face and the norm of the community. Therefore, if the ESP teachers really

understand and take consideration on this, the criticism (as mentioned above) will not arise.

However, in order for the ESP teachers to understand the community and linguistic that related

to them, they have to collect all the related text from all the sources.

Further in the article, Bhatia take a serious look at interdiscursivity which can be viewed

as appropriation of semiotic resources across genres, professional practices and disciplinary

cultures. Text-internal and interdiscursive factors are important in determine the

communicative purposes and in order to meet learners needs. This due to the factor that ESP

teachers are not expert in the professional field and not a part of the community. They need to

know what texts that are related and will be used by their learner in the professional

community. This is because in different community, the reports will be written in different way.

For an example, doctor and statistic analyst will come in two different way of writing their repot.

From the different terms that used to the style of writing. Here, I attach a medical report

(appendix 1) and we can see the style of writing is short and accurate, unlike the statistic

reports, the report will be present mostly in graph and diagrams. Besides that, the usage of the

word negative is used in different interpretation. For an example, take a look at the usage of the

word negative in the medical report as I attached, PAST SURGICAL HISTORY: Negative ; here

the word negative is to show that the patient had never undergo any surgery and the word

negative can be replace with never or none, but in the statistic, it will carry the meaning of

decreasing amount/level of any number. The ESP teachers need to be clear of the usage of the
term (negative) in the professional community and should not change it as it will affect the

report. Besides that, one needs to take consideration on the lexico-grammatical features, text

patterning and the structural interpretation of text-genre.

Therefore, all the text-internal or interdiscursive factors are necessary to give us the

overview of what are the learners’ need and to fulfill one of the absolute characteristics of ESP

“designed to meet the specified needs of learners”(Strevens, 1988:1-2). Moreover, Bhatia

emphasis on the use of multi-perspective and multidimensional in critical genre analytical

framework. He said, in order to develop a comprehensive and evidence base awareness, of the

motives of such disciplinary and professional practices, one needs to look closely at the multiple

discourses, actions and voices of both text-internal and text-external factors. I indeed agreed

with him. Text-external factors are related to the sociocultural of the community. They are

important to give the overview of how the texts and discursive are being used in the

professional context. Supported by the example given by Bhatia, I agreed text-external from the

professional practices need to be integrate with the text-internal in analyzing a genre. The

speech of community and the networking around the community are important and need to be

considered by the teachers of ESP so that; they will not touch on the sensitive issues and will

not change the norm of the community.

References

Hermes. 1997. ‘Genre Analysis – Step by Step’. Journal of Linguistic 19

Sources

"Patients and Medical Transcription" at http://www.mt-stuff.com

Appendix 1

Medical Report.

CHIEF COMPLAINT:
Colic.

HISTORY OF PRESENT ILLNESS:

This 6-week-old enters with colicky pain and increasing flatus and crampy
abdominal pain that she gets mostly at night. She is not constipated. She has
had no blood in her stool and normal urine and normal intake and no nausea or
vomiting. She has not had any fever.

PAST MEDICAL HISTORY:

Other than the above, symptoms is negative.

PAST SURGICAL HISTORY:

Negative.

SOCIAL HISTORY:
Negative. Both parents are present and appropriately concerned.

FAMILY HISTORY:
Negative.

REVIEW OF SYSTEMS:
The complete review of systems is essentially negative except for colicky
abdominal pain and increased flatus. The patient is on formula with iron and
does not use a gas decreasing bottle system. Has been on Gaviscon but has
gotten only one dose a night apparently. The rest of the review of systems is
negative.

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION:
VITAL SIGNS: Temperature 98.9. Pulse 130. Respirations 52. Pulse oximetry is
96% on room air.
GENERAL APPEARANCE: She is alert and is moving all extremities.
HEENT: The pharynx is wet. The tympanic membranes are normal. The fontanel is
soft and ballotable.
NECK: Supple. There is no induration of the throat and there is no adenopathy.
LUNGS: Clear. There is no dyspnea.
HEART: Shows a regular rhythm without murmurs.
ABDOMEN: Somewhat distended. She had some flatus several times, I might add,
and then it diminishes. It is totally nontender. She has good tone.
NEUROLOGIC: Intact for age including a positive Moro.
SKIN: She has no skin lesions, icterus, or jaundice, and the pulses are 2+ and
equal.

("Patients and Medical Transcription" at http://www.mt-stuff.com)