Discourse communities, genres and English as an international language

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Abstract
The concept of discourse community is proposed as a more functional and goal‐directed grouping than either speech community or speech fellowship. Six criteria for the existence of a discourse community are outlined and then exemplified. Two claims are advanced: (1) genres are properties of discourse communities, and (2) strong levels of interpersonal relationship are not criterial for the creation of a discourse community. The second half of this paper examines, by way of application of the theoretical discussion, the genre of the reprint request, and discusses the discourse communities that either do or do not participate in the genre. It is argued that the reprint request possesses the full range of genre characteristics, and that the particular source of reprint request cards provides a different kind of evidence about the current status of English as as international language. Finally, the paucity of requests from the Third World is noted, and suggestions made with regard to consequences and remedies.