Educational websites for children are becoming more and more popular as sophisticated sources of specialised content dissemination. Kids in the House, the website for children created and run by the U.S. House of Representatives, is an interesting example as it is distributed in four different versions targeting preschoolers, grade schoolers, middle schoolers and high schoolers. This contribution aims to analyse quantitatively, qualitatively and comparatively some of the most recurring linguistic features that characterise the four website versions, by concentrating on verbal, and occasionally nonverbal, popularising strategies. The analysis reveals that there are marked differences among the website versions both in terms of lexical complexity and discourse. Also, verbal and nonverbal popularising devices seem to closely reflect the needs and tastes of the target audiences.
Kids in the House: How the U.S. House of Representatives addresses youngsters
Gianmarco Vignozzi
2022-01-01
Abstract
Educational websites for children are becoming more and more popular as sophisticated sources of specialised content dissemination. Kids in the House, the website for children created and run by the U.S. House of Representatives, is an interesting example as it is distributed in four different versions targeting preschoolers, grade schoolers, middle schoolers and high schoolers. This contribution aims to analyse quantitatively, qualitatively and comparatively some of the most recurring linguistic features that characterise the four website versions, by concentrating on verbal, and occasionally nonverbal, popularising strategies. The analysis reveals that there are marked differences among the website versions both in terms of lexical complexity and discourse. Also, verbal and nonverbal popularising devices seem to closely reflect the needs and tastes of the target audiences.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
