Re-reading {pp.5-7} : One thing I did notice in rereading pages 5-7 is that I understood the a paper a lot more strictly by knowing what a discourse was expected to be before reading it again. Another thing I noticed was the passage talking about discourses with a capital D and discourses with a lowercase d. The capital D is about the “doing-being-valuing-beleiving combinations. While the lower case d is stretches of language that eventually lead to the make up of the larger Discourse.

 

Using direct quotation and or paraphrase, explain the difference between primary and secondary Discourses. What are some examples (e.g. special ways of talking) of your own primary Discourse?  

“We acquire this primary Discourse, not by overt instruction, but by being a member of a primary socializing group{Family, clan, peer, group}. Further aspects and pieces of the primary Discourse become a “carrier” or “foundation” for Discourse acquired later in life.” Primary discourses are what we get basically after we are born. Our family and the ones we coe n contact first are going to be the first layer of the many discourses that are to come.

“After our initial socialization in our home community, each of us interacts with various non home based social institutions……Allowed apprenticeships within them. Such Discourses I call secondary discourses.” Secondary Discourses are the ones we acquire from our clubs our peers our activities. These are the ones we use to “fit in” in society, and we can pick and choose which ones we want.”

Examples: MY family and m values that won’t change, my work ethic and my quirky personality.

Gee divides secondary Discourses into “dominant” and “non-dominant Discourses” (8) and explains that our “mastery” or fluency in any Discourse depends on “the extent to which we are given access” to the institutions associated with them. What for Gee is at stake in our ability to master a dominant secondary Discourse?

Dominant secondary Discourse bring power money and goods, and that in itself is important because without the money, power and goods you can not make it very far in the world without money and power. unless you want to be homeless you need currency and some sort of social stance to make it very far.

Name 2-3 examples of a “Discourse” you could add to Gee’s examples that would illustrate this concept and its importance? (Consider the Discourses you might notice [or be a member of at UNE]).

1. Discourses that could be added to this is the different discourses as you further your college career for instance as a freshman you are placed in a lot of general classes which you will find a mixed group of people all here for different reasons. Some not caring while others care a lot. As you progress you will find the ones that actually care and are in the same major as you. A costume difference might be dressing in sweats and sandals to button down shirts and ties.
2. Another is just anyone at UNE this is more of a country town so there is a lot more carrhart and patagonia where back where I live in the city, there is a lot more polo and brands of that.
3. The discourse from high school and college is completely different people in college actually care. and you don’t have to be here. I think that is the difference. People want to be here and they actually care. They are more intelligent which is something that I like a lot.