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Learning the Language to Write for Publication: The Nexus Between the Linguistic Approach and the Genre Approach

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Abstract

This chapter explores the nexus of two current approaches possibly informing multilingual novice writers learning the language to write for publication. Reviewing strengths and weaknesses of the linguistic approach and the genre approach, the chapter discusses how both might lead to the writer perception of linguistic disadvantage. Highlighting a hidden yet shared view of language in the two approaches, i.e., viewing language as both analytical and holistic, it is proposed that the genre approach incorporate holistic methods of language acquisition to help writers achieve a fluent and idiomatic control of language, thereby overcoming its last mile problem. Drawing on a case study of a linguist learning to write for publication, the chapter illustrates how memorization strategy ultimately facilitates his academic genre acquisition and complexities involved.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The English Department, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China

    Fang Xu

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  1. Fang Xu
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Correspondence to Fang Xu .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

    Pejman Habibie

  2. School of Education and Lifelong Learning, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK

    Ken Hyland

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Xu, F. (2019). Learning the Language to Write for Publication: The Nexus Between the Linguistic Approach and the Genre Approach. In: Habibie, P., Hyland, K. (eds) Novice Writers and Scholarly Publication. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95333-5_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95333-5_7

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-95332-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-95333-5

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

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