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Generic Variation & Private Intention: A Multi-Dimensional Exploration of Book Reviews and Prefaces

Abstract Based on Bhatia’s multi-dimensional analytical framework for discourse analysis, we explore key issues involved in genres construction such as private intention, manipulation of generic value and interdiscursive strategies. Two prefaces and two book reviews by expert linguists were collected and analyzed at great length from both text-internal and text-external perspectives. Meanwhile, four professionals from relevant disciplines were interviewed for their insights into the issues investigated. Through examining textual features, covert interdiscursivity and narrative accounts of the professional writers, the following findings are generated. 1) Generic variation occurs within and between the two genres due to expert writers’ intentional manipulation of generic value. 2) Interdiscursive strategies like “genre embedding”, “genre bending” and “genre mixing” are exploited by expert writers to achieve their particular private intention. Specifically, preface genre can be presented, to some extent, as a research article mixed with some promotional flavor, and features of research article genre, promotional genre and introductory genre are found mixed in the review genre. 3) Representations of the preface and book review genres such as linguistic feature, move structure and interdiscursivity are ultimately affected by generic value, authors’ private intention, professional practice and disciplinary culture. The findings have important implications for ESP/EAP writing practitioners and learners.