[Jennifer Sears]

Write two paragraphs (3-5 sentences each) about a discourse community in which you or someone else did not belong. What kind of community was it? What was the cause for one person not belonging and (important) how was that not-belonging communicated?

Full instructions are here: ENG 1121, Session 2 (Jan. 31): Follow Up Notes and Homework

[Brianna Brand]

People who aren’t in my discourse community won’t understand the passion I have for photography, so there won’t be a connection to have with someone else in a different discourse community than me. I tried finding other career paths to branch out with other people in that field for example (general nursing) but I knew that I’d be better off in the COMD department because it’s what I know, I’ve been in the major since high school.

I found my discourse community a while ago and it just keeps on getting bigger wherever I go.

-Brianna Brand

[Brianna Brand]

People who aren’t in my discourse community won’t understand the passion I have for photography, so there won’t be a connection to have with someone else in a different discourse community than me. I tried finding other career paths to branch out with other people in that field for example (general nursing) but I knew that I’d be better off in the COMD department because it’s what I know, I’ve been in the major since high school.

I found my discourse community a while ago and it just keeps on getting bigger wherever I go.

-Brianna Brand

[Ambrielle]

The love for animals is a discourse community that I am apart of, a community that everyone wouldn’t understand. I have a huge soft spot for animals and at any given day I would take time out of my day to feed the cats on the street, there was also a time I rescued a dog off of the streets. The animals that come into my home are always looked at as family instead of just a pet, while some get these animals for the cuteness of it then treat them wrong later on. The main reason for people not belonging in this community, is the abuse and mistreatment of animals. The difference in the way you treat your animal is enough communication to determine if you belong or not. For example I celebrate my dog birthday, some might think its cute while other’s feel its too much for a dog and that they don’t understand it, so what’s the point.

[David S]

Theres a community that know how to talk about Cars. No, I don’t mean the Lightning McQueen movie, I mean actual cars out there with their BIG name brands. This is a community I don’t belong and that I don’t even care on belonging. They talk about the cars Horsepower and their brand names with what year they are and stuff. I don’t try to belong, but I do enjoy mimicking the way they talk about these cars.

When I realized that I have entered this discourse community, which it’ll be when I’m with friends or family, I like to say things like “Woah look at that four wheeler car”. I would add some nonsense like a made up year and then combining the names of two different brands. For example, something like “ChevyHonda 2067”, easy as that. I don’t belong, but then again I don’t try to because I am not interested in knowing much about a cars stats. Not saying they shouldn’t either, I’m just saying that it isn’t for me, that’s all.

[Genesis]

From the conversation I had with my classmates at the beginning of class, I couldn’t relate myself with any of their communities. One community that was mentioned was a photography group that Brianna was part of. I don’t belong to this community because first of all, to be part of it I need to have experience in how to take pictures, what lenses to use, what angle is the best for each picture, etc. I also would have to love taking pictures, it should be a passion of mine, but it isn’t.

If I decided that I wanted to belong, it would take time for me to learn the language they use because their terminology is different from mine. Maybe when they speak they have their own concepts for certain things that involve photography that I might not understand. I would have to value the art and the effort of photography, which I do. I admire it, but it’s just not something I see myself doing. I do love taking pictures of my dog, when i’m with my family etc. However, photography is way more than just taking a picture, it requires love, time, and effort, and I personally don’t think I could be a part of it.

• This reply was modified 4 months ago by Genesis.

[Jaden]

I’ve had a lot of passion for sports since a child. I was born into a household where multiple sports were watched and celebrated. The teams I support were passed down to me from family. But someone who doesn’t care for sports wouldn’t feel like they belong. I had a friend who wasn’t really a sports fan and didn’t belong in the sports community. However, he was always willing to listen.

I’m similar to him in that way. I have another friend who is a lash tech. She’s always telling me stuff about it and asking me to help. I don’t really understand or belong in that community, but I’m always willing to listen and help her.

[Jasmine Friday]

I believe I fit into a couple discourse communities, a few of them being cooking and fitness. For example, boxing and running track has always been one of my favorite ways to work out since being in middle school. Therefore, the fitness group/sports have always been a community where I feel safe in and can relate to those around me that are interested and passionate about the same thing, I’m in. Some may not relate to sports or fitness which is why they may feel uncomfortable in this community.  Also, another discourse community I fit well in is cooking and being creative in the kitchen. Some would rather enjoy their meals other spending time to cook them. While there is nothing wrong with that, I personally would rather spend time cooking instead of takeout food most of the time. With that being said, I believe I fit in this community of people as well due to their love for cooking, being creative, and enjoy learning new recipes along the way.

-Jasmine Friday

[Eshal]

One discourse community that I felt as though I didn’t belong in is family gatherings because most of my cousins who are my age are back home. Instead of the family gatherings/events being surrounded by people my age the entire place was filled with elders or middle aged people. I felt really out of place and bored out of my mind. When talking I had to be mindful on how I was talking and what my mannerisms were like instead of being able to be myself. it felt as though I was walking on edge in these events and eventually started to hate attending them all together. I avoid this discourse community at all cost.

[CharlieU]

<p dir=”ltr” style=”line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;”><span style=”font-size: 13pt; font-family: ‘Times New Roman’, serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Growing up I’ve always been into soccer. Its always a passion and something I enjoy playing and watching. I’ve always surrounded myself with people in the same discourse community, so I got comfortable interacting with them. When I’m at a social event and have to interact with people in a different discourse community I feel uncomfortable because all I talk about is soccer so talking about anything else is weird. I don’t belong when I don’t have great conversion starters but even though they might be in a different discourse community I treat everyone with respect.</span><span id=”docs-internal-guid-816184db-7fff-6500-2236-291779ab09f5″ style=”caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;”></span></p>

[Tanaiya]

One discourse community that I don’t belong to is the field of computer technology.  This feeling of not belonging was communicated through my lack of understanding certain terminologies.  For one of my courses, my classmates and I had to do a practice interview where you would question the other person based on a job they wanted in their career field. When I set up a few questions for my partner, their answers consisted of vocabulary and processes that a computer technologist or the real interviewer would easily understand and that I didn’t.

[Anecia]

A discourse community that I feel that I didn’t belong in would be musical groups. Musical groups referring to musicians. For example I have a friend who is a drummer and I tend to hang around him very often, in doing so I often hear him use terms too describe things or refer to an item that i’m unfamiliar with such as Hd4s,BPM,bass line as well as many other unusual terms. Whenever I accompany my friend to Guitar center or any other musical store he tends to test out the drum sticks before he buys them and he also only buys a certain brand and type of drum stick. When I was first introduced to this community it all felt really new to me and unusual I had no idea what was going on nor did I understand the terms. Now that I am a bit accustomed  to the community I realize that I still have so much to learn however I wouldn’t mind expanding my knowledge of the community as well as being introduced to more aspects of the community.

[Letisia Ramirez]

A Discourse community that I did not belong in would be my major. In the beginning I would encounter people from my major and they would talk about things that I couldn’t process in my head, especially when they would answer questions that I couldn’t answer. It was at that moment that i realized that i still have so much to learn however that just made me want to work harder to understand the language they use in my major and to expand my knowledge.

[AndyT]

A Discourse community I didn’t find myself fitting into was with a group of friends a friend of mine had tried introducing me to. They came from a more art focused high school from inside the cityso them all studying to become artists of some sort thats what centered around them most of time. I felt I was out of the loop whenever I hung around them, art as a subject would always be brought up but the attitude around it and mostly around me was that I always had less knowledge than they would. To be fair I wasn’t as well versed in the history nor the practice but it always came off as if they had a holier than thou attituide talking to me, which was very off putting.

So often I’d just tag along in silence, not really chiming in the conversation until I’d just excuse myself to leave. Which then I’d stop hanging out with that group, Im still friends with that friend that tried to introduce me but I haven’t talk to their other friends since. Ive come to realize when it comes to topics or hobbies I enjoy I find it more fun and comfortable being able to easily discuss and learn with other people,rather than testing myself against someone else’s knowledge.

[Isiahm]

I can relate to Ehsal’s dilemma of not fitting in with my cousins back home in Trinidad when I visit. I feel as if I almost don’t fit in with them despite us being family because we were raised in such different environments. I’m still treated like family but our dialect is vastly different and I often get laughed at for the pronunciation of certain words or the way I speak in general. It’s not for spite my uncle always tells me not to take it to heart. We are still family at the end of the day and that’s all that matters.