Discourse Communities

Throughout a persons life, they are involved with many discourse communities. The discourse communites tell their life story, what a person likes to do or what they are interested in. These communities create a way for people to come together under an idea or topic and discuss it; they unite people. Three discourse communities that I am most involved in or the three most important "languages" I speak are Jesus, music, and sports.


The most important community for me, would have to be Jesus. Ever since I can remember i have been in church and been completely involved with it. My dad was raised Methodist and my mom Baptist. Specifically I have been raised Baptist and grown up in the Baptist church but instead of saying I belong to the Baptist community I must say I just belong to Jesus. So many times it is easy to get caught up in saying the right thing in church or being one way at church and another way at school or with friends. Many times I have tried to hide the fact that I speak Jesus because of what people might think. But over the years I have learned that I should not and can not be ashamed of sharing the gospel with people and that I should not be scared of what people may think of me. Jesus was brutally tortured for me, how can I even think of being ashamed of Him. He has redeemed me and set me free of my sin so I would not have to die, but I have hope that I will live with Him in heaven for eternity. He died for me, so i live for Him.

Another discourse community or language I speak is music. My father has been playing the piano since he was about five years old and has played in bands, for pagents, for churches, and pretty much anything else. His love and passion for music inspired me to begin taking piano when I was eight years old. Throughout the years of practicing and being forced to practice I began to dislike this instrument very much to the point of completely ending my lesson taking all together. This ended up being the best discision i made. After I stopped taking in about the eighth grade, my dad began to teach me and I taught myself as well. I learned more that way than all the years combined of taking lessons. This also taught me how to teach things to myself instead of someone else having to teach me, and this inspired me to learn how to play guitar. I have fallen in love with music and playing instruments, its a refuge for me when i get stressed or iritable. It has also allowed me to be in bands and now lead our youth band at church. I am very thankfull to speak this language, without it, I would be lost.

Sports is another language that I speak, not as well as I would like, but I still love it. I have grown up in the south all my life and college football is almost like a religion here. When football season starts, my Saturdays include nothing but the TV pretty much. My grandmother and mom are some of the biggest football fans I know. My grandmother's TV literally never goes off on Saturdays untill she decides to go to bed. When I meet someone I have to watch myself because one of my first questions sometimes is, "Are you an Alabama or Auburn fan?", just assuming that they are on one side or the other, and I am shocked when they ask "Who is that?'. This discourse community is one of the biggest communites that can bring people together. The huge stadiums filled with people, bars and restaurants filled with people, and homes filled with family and friends yelling at the team through the TV screen. When my family and I begin speaking this language or enter this community we become sometimes completely different people. Anger is very prevelent among us when the game begins, from start to finish someone is yelling. This community probably has one of the fastest mood changes; from anger to rejoicing all in about a minute. But, that is one thing that makes this community enjoyable.

Discourse communities a represented in everyones life. Everyone is part of some kind of community and speaks different kinds of languages. These are essential to our lives because this is what brings us together with other people and unites groups of people. The discourse communites I am involved with show what I am intersted in and gives a little insight into my life.