In our daily lives, in contact with other people and with the various information we receive, we are exposed to various communicative situations, each one located in its proper context. In writing and speaking there are some standardized structures that are called textual genres.
In the simple act of opening a newspaper or a magazine, we are already exposed to different textual genres: in these two media it is possible to find articles, readers' letters, opinion articles, news, reports, cartoons, comic strips, essays, e-mails and so many other texts that fit the needs of those who write them, presenting distinct and defined purposes. That's how genres are, they exist in large numbers precisely because socio-communicative practices are dynamic and variable.
Unlike what happens with the text types, limited to a predetermined quantity, the genres are countless, even because the linguistic needs cannot be measured or limited. For example, in the past, when there was a need to communicate with someone who lived far away, it was essential to send a letter. Later, the telegram was invented so that the waiting time for news was reduced, and with it a very peculiar language was also invented. Today, when we need to get in touch with someone who is far away, we call or even send an email, whose receipt is instantaneous, not to mention social networks and the type of language used by millions of users. Therefore, it is impossible to define the exact number of textual genres.
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In addition to those mentioned at the beginning of this article, check out other examples of textual genres:
Summary;
Review;
Biography;
Diary;
Travel report;
Fable;
Fairy tale;
Editorial;
Report;
Craft;
Recipes;
Manuals.
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Summarizing: → Genres are stable types of utterances, that is, they present a form of composition (structure); → Thematic content and style are important elements in defining textual genre; → In terms of verbal communication, the speakers' enunciative will is focused on the genres, that is, the speaker's intention is fundamental for the definition of the genre; → Textual genres combine thematic content, communicative purpose, style and composition. |
By Luana Castro
Graduated in Letters
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
PEREZ, Luana Castro Alves. "Textual genres"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/redacao/conceito-generos-textuais.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
