The Message is the Massage

Abstract

This essay reappraises conventional distinctions between oral-like and literate-like discourse, particularly Tannen's (1985) distinction between involvement focus and message focus. Rather than seeing message in tension with involvement, this query treats message as an embodiment of involvement. Cohesion particularly is treated as an aspect of a developing writer-reader relationship, an outgrowth of a thickening commitment to a mutual orientation. Speculations are offered for rethinking what is called “literate orientation.”

Journal
Written Communication
Published
1989-01-01
DOI
10.1177/0741088389006001003
Open Access
Closed
Topics

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (3)

  1. Computers and Composition
  2. Written Communication
  3. Written Communication

Cites in this index (3)

  1. Rhetoric Review
  2. Written Communication
  3. Written Communication
Also cites 3 works outside this index ↓
  1. 10.2307/356600
  2. The structure of written communication
  3. 10.2307/357609
CrossRef global citation count: 8 View in citation network →