Adan Hernandez

UWP 001, Section 006

March 20,2017

Word Count:2145

DISCOURSE COMMUNITY

In an adapting world where everyone is supposed to be treated the same and have the same

amount of opportunities as others; many different discourse communities are still being viewed

to be the same as other different communities. Some discourse communities that are viewed this

way the most is the Chicanx, Hispanic, Mexican, and the Mexican American communities that

have different beliefs and ideals than their surroundings and are viewed as inferior communities.

Each one is a different discourse communities themselves but for some reason, many people still

view them to be the same even though each one of the communities have their own culture or

have their own set of beliefs that arent comparable. However, American discourse communities

view these four communities to be the same, discriminating them as if they are all part of the

same community that share all ideals and beliefs. The Chicanx community isnt a race but is a

root idea that fights for social justice where anyone could be a Chicanx that fights against racial

discrimination inside our courts system. Whereas the Hispanic community consist of

combinations of traditions and customs of people with roots that connect to Latin America. In

which the Mexican community differs from the Hispanic community because the Mexican

culture is a combination of traditions and customs people with roots from Mexico by itself and

not Latin America as a whole. However, the Mexican American communication differs from

Mexican communication because the Mexican American community is a community that

consists of Americans of full or partial Mexican descent. Even with just a brief description of

what they each do, it is noticeable that they are they are their own discourse community and

differ from one another.

All discourse communities are different even though some may share some of the same ideas,

they are consisted of different type of beliefs and dont correlate to each other in any possible

way. In addition, discourse communities dont have the same meaning for people, discourse

communities are communities made by people that identify themselves to be apart of a

community that fits to their interests and beliefs. For example, in Literacy, Discourse,

Linguistics, Gee states that A discourse is a sort of identity kit which comes complete with

the appropriate costumes and instructions on how to act, talk, and often write, soas to take on a

particular role that others will recognize. Pointing out that almost everyone apart of a specific

community speak the same language, have the same beliefs as other, or acts the same way.

Which allows and helps other recognize what community you fall into and recognize the type of

person you are. However, some people dont feel like a community fully describes the type of

person they are or may not share the same beliefs as they do. In response, they find another

community where they can feel comfortable and are welcomed as the person that they truly are.

Chicanx discourse community is misunderstood to be a race such as Mexican, Hispanics, or

Mexican American but it actually isnt a race or ethnicity at all, but instead is the root idea to

fight for social justice. The idea of Chicanx was born to create some sort of urgency for equality

between all people from different races and different backgrounds. In addition, the ideas of

Chicanx are that one should have the same opportunity as any other community. One must also

realize that the Chicanx discourse community doesnt have a certain belief as such as religion
like the others but has a certain idea that everyone should hhave the same opportunity as the

others. Not saying that the other communities dont share that idea but the idea is the center idea

that was formed by the Chicanx discourse community. Whereas this idea is one that isnt the

main idea that the other communities follow like Chicanx discourse. The interaction between

Chicanx members isnt necessarily different like the others but it is mainly emphasized that

Chicanx people interact with one another mainly to see different viewpoints and to understand

why people are fighting for social justice and what they believe social justice is. Making me

really confused on why people view this discourse community that doesnt have a specific race

or ethnicity to be the same as the Mexican, Hispanic, Mexican American discourse that have a

specific race and belief.

In addition to what make the Hispanic discourse community different, the Hispanic discourse

community is one that follow specific traditions and customs that a rooted to come from Latin

America. Pointing out that one must be apart of a specific ethnicity to be apart of this discourse

community. People that consider themselves to be apart of the Hispanic discourse community are

usually people that come from a background that is from a culture that are involved in a place

like Espaa and other Spanish speaking communities. People think that the Hispanic discourse

community to be the same Mexican discourse because Mexico is one of the biggest Spanish

speaking countries and tend to forget that the Hispanic discourse is consisted of other countries

such as Puerto Rico, Cuba, Guatemala, etc.. Since the Hispanic discourse community is consisted

of all these different countries, there isnt a specific religion that all of them follow such as

Catholic, Christian, and any other religion. But within this community, they all celebrate some of

the same holidays and follow the same traditions such as Festivals and have the same customs
such as Quinceaneras. What makes the Hispanic discourse community different than the other

communities is that Hispanic discourse value specific objects or celebrations differently than the

others and may celebrate it different than other discourses. Exemplifying that that the Hispanic

community is its own community not only for its geographic placement but for its values.

Another point that makes the Hispanic community is a discourse community of its own is that

the Hispanic community speaks spanish and other forms of spanish. For example, the Hispanic

community speaks spanish, Guatemala, Puerto Rican, Cuban and many others. There are all

these different types of languages that are apart of the Hispanic community and many American

discourse communities view Hispanic discourse to be the same as Mexican discourse because

they speak the same language and share some of the same traditions and customs. Forgetting that

the Hispanic community is consisted of all these different countries and not only Mexico.

In contrast to Hispanic discourse, Mexican discourse only involves the country of Mexico and

no other country like the Hispanic community. And to be a part of the Mexican discourse

community, one must have been born in Mexico and follow the beliefs and ideas that are

centered in between Mexican discourse. Mexican discourse follow the religion of Catholic and

,differing from how Hispanic discourse communities work, Mexican discourse communities

value and celebrate traditions differently than other communities. For example, the Mexican

discourse community celebrate the tradition of Dia De Los Muertos differently than any other

community such as Hispanics. The Mexican Discourse community value the true meaning of Dia

De Los Muertos differently than other communities and comprehend the meaning of the tradition

than others. Mexican discourses view Dia De Los Muertos as a day where they can celebrate the

family and friends they have lost in past years, but another community view Dia De Los Muertos
as a day where they celebrate living and living for the ones that cant live anymore. Two

different viewpoints and two different values between Mexican discourse and other communities

such as Hispanic communities. Leading to the way the Mexican discourse interact with one

another. Interactions within the Mexican discourse community is mainly spoken through Spanish

but the interactions between one another, it can also be other languages. When observing the way

the Mexican community interacts within one another in past visits to Mexico, I noticed that they

are all welcoming and willing to interact with one another even if they dont know each other.

Making people a part of the discourse community feel welcomed and comfortable. However,

what makes Mexican discourse different than the rest is that its a discourse community based

off one country, one idea, and one beliefs that everyone a part of the community must follow.

And if you were to think any different than the ways of the Mexican discourse community, you

are one that isnt considered to be a part of the community even if you just dont believe in the

religion of Catholic. Since this community is so specific as into what makes this community

different, many are drawn away from the discourse and find another community such as Mexican

American.

The discourse community of Mexican American groups that is a group of Americans of full or

partial Mexican descents. Meaning that at least one of their parents have some roots that come

from Mexico. The Mexican American discourse community believe in their own ideas that differ

from the Mexican community. For example, Mexican Americans are free to believe in whatever

religion they would like to believe in such as Christianity or Catholic if they would like to follow

their roots and believe in what the Mexican discourse believes. In addition, the Mexican

American discourse community is also a community where one can go to feel welcomed and
comfortable with who they are because they dont necessarily consider themselves to be more

Mexican than American. Making the discourse community of Mexican Americans a mixture of

people who dont consider themselves to be more Mexican than American and vicversa.

However, since this community is consisted of people that are partially Mexican or fully

Mexican, the Mexican discourse community in Mexico view Mexican Americans to be

Mexicans that have lost the true meaning of being Mexican even though they are to be

considered to have Mexican background. Making the creation of the Mexican American

discourse community where you arent viewed to be a specific community but viewed as a

person who is a part of their own community where they feel comfortable and welcomed to be

anyone they want. Allowing their interactions to be different and understanding between one

another. The interactions between Mexican Americans is interacted in a language like Spanglish,

where they forget how to say some words in Spanish and mix some English with their Spanish.

In addition, some Mexican Americans interact with one another differently. For example, some

interact with one another speaking English and some may interact with one another using other

forms of Spanish like Italian that have a lot of similarities as Spanish. Which also confuses me as

to how other American discourse view Mexican American to be the same as Chicanx who

doesnt consist of a specific race, or a community such as Hispanic discourse where it is

consisted of many different countries and different languages.

In conclusion, these four different discourse communities all believe in something different

than the others and they should be viewed as their own community and not be viewed to be the

same and confuse them to one another. American discourse communities shouldnt even

discriminate these communities and should definitely not discriminate all these communities as if
these discourse communities are all the same in every aspect. American discourse view these

discourse as inferior discourse because each of these discourses have different beliefs and ideas

than the American discourse. When you view all these different discourse communities as a

whole, they are viewed to be more inferior because it is being shown that each of these

communitys beliefs and ideas arent being viewed to be as much value as the other. Leading to

disrespect for these discourse communities because each of these discourse communities arent

being respected to be their own community and are being viewed to be less important than

another.For example, whenever people such as fully American people mix me up to being a part

of all these communities, I feel like my ideas arent being viewed to have as much importance as

theirs. Making me feel like they have no respect for the type of person I am and disrespect my

ideas that come from a Mexican American discourse community. In addition, each of these four

discourse communities mean something totally different than others and should be

acknowledged that they are different and arent inferior to American discourse. If American

discourse is be a discourse community, then each of these discourse communities should be

viewed as their own discourse.

Work Cited:

Hispanic discourse :

http://www.explore-hispanic-culture.com/hispanic-traditions.html

https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dch/programs/healthycommunitiesprogram/tools/pdf/hispanic_lati
nos_insight.pdf

Mexican discourse:
http://www.livescience.com/38647-mexican-culture.html

https://ethnomed.org/culture/hispanic-latino/mexican-cultural-profile

Mexican American discourse:

http://www.chicano.ucla.edu/files/PB21.pdf

Chicanx discourse:

http://depts.washington.edu/civilr/mecha_intro.htm