“Just spoke to …”: The types and directionality of intertextuality in professional discourse

E-mail communication in business and professional contexts has been analysed with a focus on textual and communicative complexity, stylistic conventions, and the relation between e-mails and professional culture. The purpose of the present study is to compare the professional literacy in two professions by studying the use of intertextuality in the e-mail messages two professionals read or wrote in a number of discourse flows. Intertextuality is examined in terms of types and directionality of use. The findings show that while the use of intertextuality is prevalent across all of the e-mails, the types of intertextuality, and their relative frequencies of use, and the directionality of intertextuality are influenced by profession-specific communicative contexts and goals.

► The types and directionality of intertextuality in e-mails are analysed. ► The e-mails are read or written by two professionals in different professions. ► The e-mails are compiled into discourse flows. ► The types and directionality intertextuality are described and quantified. ► The uses of intertextuality, and its manifestations, are compared.