Genre Theory

Ancient Origins of Genre Theory

Genre theory is derived from ancient Greek advice on public speaking in the 4th and 5th centuries BCE. Aristotle is often credited with standardizing and organizing the study of genre. He held that there are three basic speech genres: deliberative, or political speaking; forensic, or legal speaking; and epideictic, or speaking at celebrations, funerals, and other meetings in which a community is honored. Aristotle observed that over time, each genre of speaking developed a series of expectations that constrained what a given speaker could say. For example, at a funeral, audiences expect to hear a speaker praise the life of the deceased. If a speaker insulted the deceased at a funeral, the speaker would violate a generic norm and risk upsetting those in attendance. Aristotle argued that good speakers may creatively challenge expectations but ultimately must work within them to satisfy audiences.

Genre in Rhetoric and Oratory

In the contemporary world, genre is of special interest to scholars who study public speaking and writing, especially that of politicians and public officials. For example, rhetorical scholars in the United States have been interested in studying the generic norms of presidential inaugural addresses. Campbell and Jamieson have argued that when a new president takes office, he or she delivers an inaugural speech that is constrained by five expectations: (1) an attempt to unify the audience as a people; (2) a restatement of commonly shared values; (3) a list of the principles that will guide the new administration; (4) a recognition of the powers and limits of the office of the presidency; and (5) a recognition of the present moment in a mood of contemplation, not immediate action. A presidential speaker may meet these expectations in novel and creative ways; however, all five must be addressed, or the president will likely be criticized.

In addition to political speeches, communication scholars study genres in written forms of communication in a variety of contexts. For example, in the context of business communication, scholars have studied how genre enables and constrains a variety of writing strategies in the workplace. Public relations briefs, memos, and news releases intended for the mass media tend to follow predictable, generic patterns.

Although genres tend to be associated with forms of discourse (speech or writing), generic patterns are not limited to discourse. Scholars studying interpersonal communication have noted behavioral patterns that function generically; for example, some scholars have argued groups working on a common goal sometimes develop a story or fantasy theme about their relationship to each other and the goal. Other scholars have found that individuals develop certain attachment styles in dieir interpersonal relationships. Yet other scholars study the nondiscursive features of artifacts—buildings, memorials, photographs, game shows—to [Page 443]understand how the generic characteristics function to meet certain rhetorical objectives.

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