Veterinary Discourse

Natalie Rangel
Rws

Depending on a certain environment there will be a specific type of discourse community to go

along with it. The group must have a set goal or goals and use communication to achieve these

goals. A discourse community that I will be discussing is one that deals with animals specifically

an animal clinic. The reason for why I chose to discuss an animal related discourse community is

because since I am studying the field of biology my mine goal is to become a veterinarian or a

marine biologist, and since both must deal with biology an animal related discourse community

would fit me best. Some things that I will be discussing about this discourse community are

things like the communities shared goal or goals, why the community exist, the different types

of mechanisms used within the community, what criteria is needed to join the community and

what genres they use to promote their communitys goal. Since I have done an internship

myself at an animal clinic I already know some of the terminology and mechanisms used within

the environment. Analyzing this environment will inform you a better understanding on what

their community is all about.

There is a significant difference between a speech community and a discourse community.

Swales defines a discourse community as groups that have goals or purposes, and use

communication to achieve these goals. A speech community can be defined as a community

that is open to discussion with only a certain type of language taking place. In Swales reading

he discusses what components make up a functioning discourse community and the purpose of

having a discourse community. According to Swales there are eight components that make up a

working discourse community. The eight components are 1. The group has a broad set of

common public goals. 2. The group has mechanisms of intercommunication among the
Veterinary Discourse
Natalie Rangel
Rws

members. 3. The group uses the mechanisms to provide information and feedback. 4. The

group uses one or more genres in the communicative furtherance. 5. The group in addition to

owning genres, has acquired some specific lexis. 6. The group must have members that have a

suitable degree of relevant content and discourse expertise. 7. The group develops a sense of

silently relations, and lastly the group develops horizons of expectation. With all these

components taking place in the discourse community I believe that a veterinary office is a good

environment that has all the components that make up a good discourse community.

I have read two articles that both take place in the veterinary environment, one by UC

Davis Veterinary Medicine and other by Science Daily. Both articles bring up the concept of

caner within dogs. The article by UC Davis Veterinary Median disuses how scientists in Japan

are finding ways that they can use rat proteins to make cancer treatments that dont have

negative effects on the dog but reduce the chances of the cancer progressing. The other article

by Science Daily discusses how genetics in only certain types of dogs are more likely to produce

brain tumors. Both articles show how a certain discourse is taking place within the community

by using veterinary terminology and discussing medical issues that doctors or animal specialist

would know. The articles discuss about professionals within the community, a goal wanting to

be reached, and ways on how they make this goal happen, thus making both articles relevant to

a discourse community.

I myself have had experience in an animal clinic and I have become a member of a discourse

community at a veterinary office. I have done an internship at El Paso Animal Emergency and

Veterinary Specialty Center have been able to witness and take part of a working community
Veterinary Discourse
Natalie Rangel
Rws

that has the main goal of helping the overall wellbeing of animals. There are certain credentials

that it takes for someone to become part of this type of community. One must have the

expertise related to the animal science profession whether it be a receptionist, veterinary

assistant, veterinary technician, or a veterinarian. All members of the veterinary office have had

experience with dealing with animals and caring for them as well. Within the veterinary

medicine community, the main goal that all members share is to help the overall wellbeing of

animals. The group exist because the community needed a clinic that would be willing to take in

animal emergencies at any time. Some mechanisms that are used to achieve this goal are things

like surgeries, vaccinations, x-rays, regular checkups, and critical care transferring. All these

mechanisms help improve or restore the health of an animal by catering to each animals

specific needs. Some genres that the veterinary office uses are documents to hold important

information about the clients, websites to accesses public information, textbooks to follow up

on veterinary medicine tactics, and posters to promote animal health awareness. Some

specialized languages that the community uses would be veterinary medical terminology and

professional business terminology. Some medical veterinary terminology could be parts of the

body as in head would be cranium, neck would be cervical and stomach would be abdomen.

Some business terminology could be data as in information, network as in many other clinics,

and content as in the topics being performed. Some new comers that could be entering the

discourse community could range from new patients to new veterinarians. The ways that new

comers can learn about the environment would be for them to discourse with others who have

already became familiar with the content and understanding the goal and language of the
Veterinary Discourse
Natalie Rangel
Rws

community. The finding about this clinic seem to fit all the necessary components of a working

discourse community in other readings.

Overall as being part of a discourse community, I have found some very interesting key

points about the community itself. I now have a greater understanding of the natural flow of

communication that takes place in a veterinary office. The very nature of the communication is

what keeps the community a working and productive place. As being part of the community

within the veterinary office I have become more knowledgeable about the terminology and

process of things within the veterinary profession. Since my main goal is to become a

veterinarian and help the overall wellbeing of animals I found that this discourse community

was a very helpful experience to further my studies in my career path of veterinary medicine. A

veterinary office is an excellent example of a working, fulling functioning discourse community

with different tiers of terminology involve within it.

Article Resources

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/08/170825090640.htm

http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/whatsnew/pdfs/VM_CCAH_tearoffs_Gliomas.pdf