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Register, genre, and style

Article  in  International Journal of Language Studies · January 2014

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International Journal of Language Studies
Volume 8, Number 4, October 2014, pp. 175-180

Book Review1

Biber, D., & Conrad, S. (2009). Register, genre, and style. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press. [344 pp; ISBN-13: 978-0-521-67789-9]

Register, Genre, and Style introduces three analytical approaches and

describes texts and their varieties from the perspectives of register, genre,
and style. The primary focus of the book is on the register perspective. The
authors believe that registers can be used to analyze and describe all text
varieties of any type because they are more specialized. Therefore, genre and
style receive less attention throughout the book. However, it is suggested that
the methodological techniques used for register can be applied to genre and
style. The book covers the concepts of genre and register by comparing the
two. Although it is claimed that “the two terms genre and register are the
most confusing, and are often used interchangeably, mainly because they
overlap to some degree” (Lee, 2001, p. 41), the authors of the book believe
that in some fields of research a theoretical distinction has been made
between the two terms (cf., Salmani Nodoushan, 2011). They also claim that
register, genre and style are different approaches for analyzing text varieties,
but the same texts can be analyzed from different perspectives.
The book has been shaped over a period of time, influenced by authors’
experiences in teaching several courses on registers and genres. It contains
three main parts which cover a variety of topics including analytical
frameworks, descriptions of registers, genres, and styles as well as major
theoretical issues. The parts are divided into nine coherent chapters on
different topics. The chapters provide information on methodological tools
needed to analyze text varieties, and also give descriptions of registers,
genres, and styles in English. The book begins with an introductory chapter
followed by three main parts encompassing the other eight chapters. Chapter
One, “Registers, genres, and styles: Fundamental varieties of language” starts
with varieties of texts one may encounter on a normal day in a particular

1 A different review of the same book (Rahimi, 2012) was published in International
Journal of Language Studies, Vol. 6 No. 2, (pp. 151-154).

ISSN: 2157-4898; EISSN: 2157-4901

© 2014 IJLS; Printed in the USA by Lulu Press Inc.
176 A. Chalak

setting. It defines the meaning of register, genre, and style by elaborating on

these perspectives for analyzing texts. It compares registers and dialects and
their variations. It also compares register and genre from different views. It
reviews the similarities and differences between these perspectives. The
register perspective combines the analysis of linguistic characteristics with
the analysis of the situation of use of the variety. The genre perspective
focuses on the conventional structures used to construct a complete text
within the variety. It is “a useful concept to begin to understand the
specialized communicative needs that go beyond the traditional bounds of
literacy education” (Bazerman, Bonini & Figueiredo, 2009, p. X), and the style
perspective reflects aesthetic preferences associated with particular authors
or historical periods. The three perspectives differ in four major points: (a)
the texts, (b) linguistic characteristics, (c) distribution of the linguistic
characteristics, and (d) interpretation of linguistic differences. The opening
chapter also covers basic issues related to the study of text varieties as well as
their role in language and society. It discusses why it is important to analyze
text varieties and provides the needed information to analyze and understand
the differences among text varieties. Martin (1992, P. 318) believes that
“genres are social processes and thus dynamic, realized in different registers”,
while the authors claim that “register/genre variation is universal because all
cultures use language in different situations for different communicative
purposes” (p. 24).
Part I, “Analytical Framework,” consists of two chapters for studying
registers, genre conventions, and styles. Chapter Two analyzes three main
components: situational analysis, linguistic analysis, and functional analysis.
The chapter discusses how text varieties can be described at different levels
of generality. It also elaborates on cultural distinctions among registers or
genres. Then, it provides a framework for analyzing situational characteristics
that can be used for examining register or genre based on a survey of
previous theoretical frameworks. The framework has seven components
including: (a) participants, (b) relations among participants, (c) channel, (d)
production circumstances; real time/planned/scripted/revised and edited,
(e) setting, and (f) communicative purposes, and (g) topic. The chapter ends
with an application of the framework in a register study. Chapter Three
begins with justifying the need for a comparative approach, quantitative
analysis, and representative samples. Then, it provides information on
conducting quantitative analyses, selecting linguistic features, and
undertaking a functional interpretation that incorporates linguistic and
situational information together. The authors claim that “the key differences
among register features, register markers, genre markers, and style features
parallel the differences among the register, genre, and style analytical” (p. 54).
The chapter also discusses embedded registers and genres, and compares
 International Journal of Language Studies, 8(4), 175-180 177

small-scale versus large-scale register analyses. A small-scale study is based

on the analysis of a small number of texts from a given register. The analysis
process is carried out without the aid of computers, but a large-scale
comprehensive register analysis uses the techniques of corpus linguistics
with a principled corpus of texts designed to represent the registers with a
large number of texts. The chapter ends with a list of linguistic features that
might be investigated in a register analysis.
Part II of the book, “Detailed descriptions of registers, genres, and styles,”
consists of four chapters on detailed descriptions of registers, genres, and
styles. Chapter Four covers spoken registers including everyday face-to-face
conversation, university office hour meetings between faculty and students,
and service encounters. Although directly interactive, these three registers
differ in their situational contexts and as a result, they have linguistic
differences. The chapter introduces conversation as the most basic register of
human language and as a general register category with some subregisters
such as workplace or telephone conversations. It discusses situational
characteristics and linguistic features that identify conversation as a register.
It also compares conversation with face-to-face and service encounters
through some text samples and examples. Chapter Five focuses on general
written registers including newspaper writing, academic prose, and fiction. It
covers the differences between spoken registers and written registers—
writing and conversation. The chapter also discusses situational
characteristics of newspaper writing and academic prose through seven
features: (a) participants, (b) relations among participants, (c) channel, (d)
production circumstances, (e) setting, and (f) communicative purposes, and
(g) topic and linguistic features. Then, it covers 15 linguistic characteristics of
newspaper writing and academic prose under five main categories including:
(a) nominal features, (b), verb characteristics, (c) circumstance adverbials of
time and place, (d) linking adverbials, and (e) other features. The chapter
provides different text samples to present the differences between editorials
and newspaper report. It also presents text samples to show the differences
between research articles and textbooks. The chapter finishes with the
analysis of fiction clarifying how style choices (rather than the factors that
define register differences) influence linguistic variation. Chapter Six presents
some case studies. It starts with a discussion of the fictional novel, showing
how it has been identifiable as the same general register over centuries. It
discusses how the same text varieties can be approached from a historical
perspective, how registers, genres, and literary styles have evolved over time,
and how linguistic changes help one distinguish typical linguistics changes in
the past from their modern equivalents. The chapter covers the historical
changes and stylistic differences that have evolved gradually in the fictional
novels, scientific research articles, and in the patterns of register variations
178 A. Chalak

over time. It provides different text samples to present changes in verb, voice,
style, noun phrases, diversification in the use of stance features, etc. Chapter
Seven discusses new registers as the result of new technology because with
the development of new types of communication, new registers arise in
response to the situational characteristics of the communication types. The
chapter describes the characteristics of several emerging electronic registers
including email, e-forum postings, and text messages. It compares situational
characteristics and linguistic features of electronic registers with traditional
registers using similarities and differences. The chapter also provides many
examples and text samples through some case studies to elaborate on the
differences. According to the authors, all three registers described in this
chapter “are similar in that they are instances of electronic communication”
(p. 208). The section also elaborates on the differences among the three
registers concluding that the situational characteristics of these electronic
registers have influenced their associated linguistic characteristics. The
nature of Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) has developed new
registers and genres. As Chalak (2012) stated “CMC, new communicative
media and the Internet have got important roles in people’s lives and have
increased their awareness of the need to communicate, read, and write in
different forms” (p. 127).
Part III of the book entitled “Larger theoretical issues,” consists of two
chapters on descriptions of register variation in a language and emphasizes
the need to analyze new registers based on more advanced analytical
techniques. It presents advanced analytical approaches employing corpora. It
also discusses theoretical concerns including the place of register studies in
linguistics as well as practical applications of register analysis. Chapter Eight
focuses on comprehensive descriptions of register variation through
linguistic features. Using linguistic characteristics, the chapter compares five
registers: conversation, e-mails, text messages, classroom teaching, and
textbooks. The linguistics features across the registers are listed as (a) verbs,
(b) nouns, (c) adjectives, (d) 1st person pronouns, (e) 2nd person pronouns,
and (f) 3rd person pronouns. The chapter also compares these five registers
based on adverbial, complement, and relative clauses. The chapter, then,
introduces Multidimensional (MD) analysis as a quantitative approach that
lets researchers compare different registers, with respect to different
linguistics dimensions or parameters following some methodological steps. It
views factor analysis as the statistical technique suitable for identifying
linguistic co-occurrence patterns. Using the MD approach, through four
dimensions, the chapter provides examples to pinpoint the differences
between spoken and written registers that occur in American universities.
Similar to the other chapters, this very chapter also shares text samples to
elaborate on different dimensions. Chapter Nine focuses on issues such as the
 International Journal of Language Studies, 8(4), 175-180 179

relationship between register studies and other sub-disciplines of linguistics,

and the study of register variation in languages other than English (Spanish,
Korean, and Somali). It also covers the relationship between spoken and
written registers emphasizing on the linguistic potentials of the two modes
rather than their necessary linguistic characteristics. Moreover, it discusses
the study of variation in language and society (register variation and
sociolinguistics by covering two main varieties of language including dialects
and registers). Finally, it elaborates on the study of register in the broader
context of the world (discussion of how studies of register variation can be
applied in the real world). In other words, Chapter Nine discusses the place of
register studies in relation to other academic fields and in relation to real-
world applications.
Register, Genre, and Style, enjoying both adequate quantity and high quality,
not only covers three analytical approaches, but also describes different texts
from the perspectives of register, genre, and style. Although the primary focus
of the book is on the analysis of registers, it provides an overview of genre
and style as well. What is important about the book is that each chapter has
some activities including (a) reflection and review activities which reflects on
information covered in the chapter, (b) analysis practices which provide
practice with real data taken from previous research, and (c) project ideas
which provide suggestions for larger scale studies that focus on the texts or
topics covered in the chapter. It should be mentioned that not all the chapters
include all the three types of activities (Chapters One and Nine concentrate
only on reflection and review activities). The good point about the activities is
that they are suitable for the class and can be adapted to the needs of the
students. The book enjoys different elaborative comparative tables and text
samples taken from some major corpora. A variety of topics have been
included in the collection. The book also provides two appendixes containing
Annotation of major register/genre studies by Federica Barbieri (2005) and
Activity texts at the end of the book. This gives the teachers the opportunity to
make their own activities based on the text samples and help the students to
prepare their materials.
The book also enjoys a rich bibliography as well as lists of many sources on
register and genre studies which will definitely be helpful for the intended
researchers and readers. Register, Genre, and Style is recommended to all
those who are interested in pursuing further research on a particular topic in
the field.

Reviewed by Azizeh CHALAK

Islamic Azad University, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Isfahan, Iran
180 A. Chalak

The Author
Azizeh Chalak (Email: azizeh_chalak@yahoo.com) is an assistant professor of
TEFL at the English Department of Islamic Azad University, Isfahan Branch,
Isfahan, Iran. Her research interests include Discourse Analysis,
Sociolinguistics, Intercultural Communication, E-mail Communications,
Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), and Genre Studies in Electronic
Communication.

References

Barbieri, F. (2005). Quotative use in American English: a corpus-based, cross-

register comparison. Journal of English Linguistics 33(3), 222–256.

Bazerman, C., Bonini, A. & Figueiredo, D. (Eds.). (2009). Genre in a changing

world. Indiana: Parlor Press.

Chalak, A. (2012). Book review [Review of the book Genre in a changing

world, by C. Bazerman, A. Bonini, & D. Figueiredo (Eds.)]. International
Journal of Language Studies (IJLS), 6(3), 127-136.

Lee, D. Y.W. (2001). Genres, registers, text types and styles: clarifying the
concepts and navigating a path through the BNC Jungle’. Language
Learning and Technology, 5(3), 37-72. Retrieved from
http://http://llt.msu.edu/vol5num3/lee/default.html

Martin, J. R. (1992). English text: System and structure. Philadelphia: John

Benjamins.
Rahimi, F. (2012). Book review. International Journal of Language Studies,
6(2), 151-154.

Salmani Nodoushan , M. A. (2011). The place of genre analysis in international

communication. International Journal of Language Studies, 5(1), 63-74.

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