Look at the types of text listed 1 to 9 below and try to identify:
(a) the primary relationship between the readers and the writer;
(b) the purpose of the text;
(c) whether the readers are known to the writer and whether they are ‘insiders’ or ‘outsiders’ in the business situation.
- A notice in a hotel bedroom telling guests about the facilities available in the hotel.
- A welcome message in a pack of information for a group of university graduates touring a company as potential new recruits.
- A job vacancy advertisement.
- An advertisement for a company’s products.
- A press release about changes in a company’s management.
- The news article that appeared as a result of (5) in the relevant trade journal.
- A brochure describing the services of a bank.
- A flyer (a sheet given out to passers-by in the street) about a new gym in the local area.
- A leaflet/letter describing the motor insurance cover offered by an insurance company
Key
1 (a) The primary relationship is that of service provider and client.
(b) The purpose of the text is to provide information.
(c) Although the people are guests of the hotel, they are not known to the writer because the readership will be very wide and, at the time of writing, completely unknown to the writer. The readers are ‘outsiders’ to the company.
2 (a) The primary relationship is that of employer and potential employee.
(b) The purpose of the text is to provide information, possibly to express the potential employers’ sentiments towards the readers.
(c) The readership is quite specific and limited; the readers are either specifically known to the writer or known in a general sense. They are ‘insiders’ to the company.
3 (a) The primary relationship is that of employer and potential employee.
(b) The purpose of the text is both to make the company attractive to the readers, i.e. to promote the company and to give information about the vacancy.
(c) The readership is usually wide and unknown to the writer.
4 (a) The primary relationship is that of supplier and potential customer.
(b) The purpose of the text is to make the readers want to buy the product and, therefore, to promote the company.
(c) The readership is wide and unknown to the writer.
5 (a) The primary relationship is that of company and news provider (ie journalist).
(b) The purpose of the press release is to provide information.
(c) The readership may be wide and is personally unknown to the writer. It will, however, consist of other professional news providers.
6 (a) The primary relationship is that of news provider (ie journalist) and news customer.
(b) The purpose of the article is to provide information (the same as (5).
(c) The readership is wide and unknown to the writer.
7 (a) The primary relationship is that of service provider and potential client.
(b) The purpose of the text is to make the services of the bank desirable and, therefore, to promote the bank.
(c) The readership is wide and unknown to the writer.
8 (a) The primary relationship is that of service provider and potential client.
(b) The purpose of the text is to make the readers want to join the gym and, therefore, to promote it.
(c) The readership is wide and unknown to the writer.
9 (a) The primary relationship is that of service provider and potential client.
(b) The purpose of the text is to make the readers want to take up the insurance cover and, therefore, to promote the company.
(c) The readership is wide and unknown to the writer