New Directions 1.doc

New Directions 1 NEW DIRECTIONS IN CONTRASTIVE RHETORIC Soon to be published in TESOL Quarterly Ulla Connor Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis New Directions 2 New Directions in Contrastive Rhetoric Abstract Contrastive rhetoric examines differences and similarities in writing across cultures. Although mainly concerned in its first thirty years with student essay writing, the field of study today contributes to knowledge about preferred patterns of writing in many English- for-specific-purposes situations. This article discusses some of the new directions contrastive rhetoric has taken. First, the goals, methods, and accomplishments of research in contrastive rhetoric during the past thirty years will be briefly reviewed. Secondly, the paper will discuss how contrastive rhetoric has been pursued with varying aims and methods in a variety of EFL situations involving academic and professional writing. Finally, recent criticisms of contrastive rhetoric and their effects on changing directions in the field will be surveyed. New Directions 3 Introduction Contrastive rhetoric examines differences and similarities in ESL and EFL writing across languages and cultures, as well as across such different contexts as education and commerce. Hence, it considers texts not merely as static products but as functional parts of dynamic cultural contexts. Although largely restricted thru much of its first 30 years to a fairly rigid form, student essay writing, the field today contributes to knowledge about preferred patterns of writing in many English-for-specific-purposes situations. Undeniably, it has had an appreciable impact on our understanding of cultural differences in writing; and it has had, and will continue to have, an effect on the teaching of ESL and EFL writing. Despite many developments in contrastive rhetoric in the past 30 years, and despite their contributions to ESL and EFL teaching, the field has become the target of negative criticisms by researchers