Combining insight from a variety of linguistic perspectives including Hallidayan functional linguistics and relevance theory, Tony Bex demonstrates how written texts operate within society to convey meaning. This book:

• looks at a wide variety of written genres - advertisments, letters, poetry and literature

• provides an accessible and comprehensive survey of genre theory

• proposes a challenging new way of analysing genre which emphasises communicative function

• unusually, considers the relevance of linguistic theories of genre to the study of literary texts.

• includes numerous exercises and annotated bibliographies

Variety in Written Discourse will be of interest to all students of language and communication. In addition, it will be an invaluable text for those interested in literature, as well as English for Specific Purposes.