Liminality and Othering

Joseph Jeyaraj Baylor University

Abstract

Subject matter experts, under the influence of modernist notions of authorship, often view technical writers as mere grammar and punctuation specialists and marginalize them as their ignorant “other. ” Technical writers, on the other hand, as rhetoricians occupying a liminal space between different disciplines, can understand different disciplinary rhetorics. If subject matter experts, instead of marginalizing technical writers, would view them as liminal subjects who are knowledgeable in different disciplinary rhetorics, then technical writers, through liminal practice, may be able to use their knowledge of audience and rhetoric to improve the quality of documentation.

Journal
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published
2004-01-01
DOI
10.1177/1050651903257958
Open Access
Closed
Topics

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (7)

  1. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  2. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  3. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  4. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  5. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Show all 7 →
  1. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  2. Technical Communication Quarterly

Cites in this index (6)

  1. Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  3. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  4. Written Communication
  5. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Show all 6 →
  1. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Also cites 3 works outside this index ↓
  1. 10.1080/1015549032000128243
  2. 10.2307/357405
  3. Simons, H. W. (1990). Introduction: The rhetoric of inquiry as an intellectual movement. In H. W. Simons (Ed.…
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