Research Journal 18

From Mirabelli, the concept of multiliteracies is introduced. This is the idea that literacy goes far beyond just what we read or write but also involves “various modes of communication” (146). The book looks into the common notion believed by the majority of people that waiter and waitresses are low-class, ignorant, and stupid.  To disprove this Mirabelli looks at his own interactions as being a waiter and also the interactions of the other waiters. In the analysis, Mirabelli finds that in this community, menus are the most important genre used and that it also facilitates most if not all of the communication that occurs in a restaurant; whether it’s between waiters and customers, waiters and cooks, etc. The waiter must have a working knowledge of not only the contents of the menu, but they must also be aware of the meaning of the words used in the menus. Mirabelli goes on to describe how the waiter’s in depth knowledge of the inner-workings of the restaurant help contribute to the overall well-being of the restaurant. An example of this is when Harvey (one of the waiters Mirabelli worked with) can to ask what pesto was, and because he did not have an answer for a customer they did not order the dish that contained it. After looking over my data collection report, one multiliteracy that I discovered was the manuscript. This genre is one that does require various modes of communication for its interpretation. Those who truly understand the significance of the data presented in the manuscript have actually had to have experience in doing research and conducting experiments in order to have a true appreciation and also understanding of the material presented.