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Yolanna Lu

Mario Tumen

Writing 2

10 August 2022

WP 1 Explication Essay

When deciding a topic to conduct research on for my genre translation, I wanted to

choose an academic article that aligned with my passions in veterinary medicine—not only

because I would be more familiar with the information provided, but since I would also enjoy the

overall process more. Having had countless experiences working in the veterinary field, I had a

lot of personal opinions and anecdotes I wanted to incorporate into my translation. One instance

that stood out to me occurred when I was recently on a veterinary internship in Thailand, where

their cultural beliefs prohibited Thai veterinarians to practice euthanasia. Since euthanasia is

such a common procedure in the US, I was fascinated that there was such a disparity in the

philosophy and ethics that guided these distinct cultures. As a result, I found an article that

discussed this controversy, taking into consideration laws and guidelines, personal moral

attitudes and professional expectations, practical context and constraints, cultural values, and

more. Since euthanasia is quite a heavy topic, I wanted my new genre to be more light-hearted

and easy to absorb without compromising the integrity of the academic text and its intent to

educate the audience. Simultaneously, I wanted the content to have a subjective aspect as well,

giving me an opportunity to share my own opinions and experiences that would not only bolster

the message I intended to convey but also potentially be valuable for people interested in

pursuing the field. After examining various options, I decided to translate my academic text into

a podcast. As an avid podcast listener myself, I refamiliarized myself with the genre: “It’s like
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doing field work: you bring your wits and your gear and you figure it out by observing and

jumping in.” (Bickmore 1) Analyzing popular podcasts like “Crime Junkie” and “Anything Goes

by Emma Chamberlain”, I was able to gain insight into the vast spectrum of audiences and

demographics targeted. While “Crime Junkie” documents various true crime cases, delving into

graphic detail about the process, results, and people involved in the crime, “Anything Goes”

tackles more lighthearted topics like relationships, parties, fashion for teens looking for a

humorous pastime. Instead of listening as a consumer for entertainment or leisure, I assumed the

role of the podcast host, deliberately studying each technique and its desired effect. According to

“How To Read Like a Writer: “When we read like writers we understand and participate in the

writing. We see the choices the writer has made, and we see how the writer has coped with the

consequences of those choices.” (Bunn 73) Putting this into effect, I determined what

information I wanted to add or remove, keeping in mind my targeted demographic: “What

features, I asked myself, should go into this essay? How personal could I get? What rhetorical

moves might I use, effectively or ineffectively?” (Dirk 250) While the research journal employs

complex language and advanced concepts, its audience consists of experienced professionals in

the veterinary field, while my podcast aims to focus on people just beginning to become

immersed in the field or those merely interested in animal welfare. To effectively target my

intended audience, I implemented a more conversational tone, integrated my own anecdotes, as

well as added features like ads and interactive comments.

While the academic article follows a formal and professional structure, the podcast genre

harnesses a more informal tone. Bunn states: “Depending on the subject matter and the intended

audience, it may make sense to be more or less formal in terms of language” (Bunn 80).

Especially since my podcast is targeted towards people who are less familiar with the field,
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presenting the information in this manner allows it to be easily digestible and more engaging for

the audience. Additionally, since euthanasia is an inherently drerary topic, adding elements like

humor and sarcasm that accentuate the host’s personality would improve the listening

experience. For example, when mentioning the ambiguous nature of laws and guidelines that

certain countries required a legally “good reason” to euthanize animals, I sarcastically exclaim:

“Woo, we’re right back to where we started.” This is juxtaposed with the objective diction and

third person point of view of the scientific journal: “Furthermore, most of the legal provisions

present a great scope for interpretation as they lack precise definitions of criteria for decisions

(“good welfare”, “prolonged death”, “compromised welfare”,“the animal’s best interest”, etc.) in

many cases” (Persson 8). Therefore, making the podcast more informal and lighthearted allows

listeners to feel like they are having a casual conversation with a friend, following and retaining

the content more effectively..

Furthermore, I strove to incorporate my personal experiences and opinions in the podcast,

intending to pique more credibility and interest from listeners. For example, I recount my lessons

learned in Thailand, where I discovered that Buddhist cultures do not believe in euthanasia

practices due to their committment to karma. By providing real-encounters with the subject, it

strengthens my argument and gives the listener a breath of fresh air from monotone facts and

research. Also, later on in the podcast, I pose a case study scenario to the audience and

subsequently proceed to describe how I would approach the ethical dilemma. This interactive

activity not only engages the listener but also offers recommendations and advice for individuals

newer to the field. While I did want to add my own thoughts to the discussion, my biggest

concern was doing so while remaining impartial and not imposing too much of my own

perspective. Therefore, I emphasized that everyone has their own beliefs: “And I want to remind
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you, there’s no right or wrong answer. Different vets have their own philosophy, so at the end of

the day, if you’re practicing in the US, you can really do whatever you want.”

To fully encapsulate the podcast genre, I added a few defining features, such as ads, an

intro jingle, and several invites for the audience to participate. Since podcast media has grown

exponentially in popularity over the past few years, advertising is extremely common, as it not

only generates greater brand awareness, but also benefits the creator when landing sponsorships.

These ads are usually aligned with the podcast and the demographic it is intended for, which is

why my ads, Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets and Nexgard Flea and Tick Prevention, targets pet

owners or people interested in animal welfare. Additionally, consistent references to the

comments and live chat are quintessential characteristics, as they invite listeners to stay more

engaged along with fostering a greater sense of community among like-minded individuals. The

addition of an intro jingle is also distinguishing quality in many podcasts, immediately hooking

the audience and convincing them to stay longer.

While certain elements were added to the translation, many were also removed from the

academic text. While these different definitions of the term “euthanasia” is necessary to

maintain the integrity of the text, the extra detail delving into each individual account of the

meanings behind death and welfare is specific to the scientific journal. For example, the author

examines the pros and cons of narrow hedonism and broad hedonism when debating what

constitutes a good quality of life for an animal, alluding to other texts for evidence and

encouraging the reader to seek out more information. This can be seen multiple times throughout

the text: “For a more comprising discussion, see, for example, Harman [27]... For criticism of

this view, see, for example, Višak [29]” (Persson 5-6). Therefore, by expanding upon every
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minute proposal and going into relentless detail, the genre integrates an incredibly

comprehensive and intricate examination of its subject at hand.

Ultimately, genres are “recurring text types” that respond to recurring situations

(Rosenberg 34). After researching and analyzing this recurrence, I was able to effectively and

accurately replicate the podcast genre by incorporating informal tone, personal anecdotes and

defining features to my translation.

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Citations

Buck, David. “Genre in the Wild: Understanding Genre within Rhetorical (Eco)Systems.”

Essentials for ENGL121, Howard Community College, 1 July 2020,

pressbooks.howardcc.edu/essentials/chapter/genre-in-the-wild-understanding-genre-within-rheto

rical-ecosystems/.

Bunn, Mike. “How to Read Like a Writer.” Writing Spaces Readings on Writing, vol. 2, Parlor

Press, 2020.

Dirk, Kerry. “Navigating Genres.” Writing Spaces Readings on Writing, q, Parlor Press, 2020.

Persson, Kirsten, et al. “Philosophy of a ‘Good Death’ in Small Animals and Consequences for

Euthanasia in Animal Law and Veterinary Practice.” Animals, vol. 10, no. 1, 2020, p. 124.,

doi:10.3390/ani10010124.

Wardle, Elizabeth and Downs, Doug. Writing about Writing, University of California Santa

Barbara (4th ed.). Bedford/St. Martin's, 2020.