Supportive genres: the language of advice columns

The aim of this study is to investigate supportive genres in advice columns as these columns have specific language use in encouraging or persuading people who are facing serious problems in their lives. In order to reveal how this discourse works, the features of advice columns, such as register and structural types: themes and mood selection, potential genres, and also appraisal system are analysed. The data are gathered from both medical and psychological advice columns that published in weekly newspapers and magazines in Australia (during the year of 1998 to 1999) and from the Internet sites. In total, there are 150 texts, which are selected with certain criteria (such as that raised questions should carry serious problem to be solved rather than that of question asking definition of things). Ten texts are selected from each column by purposive random sampling as data of this present study. As this study intends to describe genre including the language use in advice columns, a descriptive method is employed; and it is qualitative rather that quantitative research. Simple statistic, however, is applied to count the frequency. if needed. Bhatia (1993), and Martin’s procedure of data analysis (1999) is employed to reveal the research findings. This present study proposes research focus of: a) the schematic structure of supportive genres, includes problem construction that is formulated by support seekers through advice columns; and support construction that is formulated by support givers through advice columns, b) interaction management between support seekers and support givers due to their asymmetric positions as seekers and givers, and c) appraisal values that are represented in supportive genres. The results show that both medical and psychological advice columns share similarities in generic steps with small differences in variation of generic substeps. They are, therefore, is suggested under the same genre membership, while advice columns can be categorised as problem — solution text type. Whether complete or incomplete, short or long text does not influence the essence of supportive communication as long as the obligatory element of text as a core of communication are employed in Question part of advice columns. In terms of language use, the result show consistent patterns in the application of speech functions and structural conjunctions, while even though the use of modality and grammar of experience show consistent pattern but more data is needed to confirm the findings. Findings of Appraisal show consistent patterns of Attitude values that Appreciation most appear in medical advice columns texts while Judgement most appear in psychological advice column texts. Field is suspected influence both of generic steps that emerge in advice columns and Attitudes values. This study suggests that candida es of medical and psychological practitioners to acquire genre knowledge including its language use and Appraisal network to provide their professional support to the society as advice columns are existed in mass media. Experts on genre studies are expected to facilitate teaching materials as well as teaching strategy of supportive genres as independence course in schools that need these skills. Similar materials in websites will be worthwhile for self—access learning instead of the independence course. Moreover, a comparative study on advice columns with various settings is suggested in order to enhance some findings of this study as well as development of genre and appraisal theories