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Chapter 10. Between pragmatics and sociolinguistics

Where does pragmatic variation fit in?
  • Marina Terkourafi
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Pragmatic Variation in First and Second Language Contexts
This chapter is in the book Pragmatic Variation in First and Second Language Contexts

Abstract

Among recent studies of pragmatic variation, two directions stand out. One locates variation in the distribution of pragmatic meanings across macro-social dimensions (gender, ethnicity, region) and seeks ways to study it (Schneider & Barron 2008). Another adopts a variationist methodology to propose pragmatic explanations for morphosyntactic variation (Cameron & Schwenter forthcoming). As their proponents admit, these are two different projects: they use different methodologies and consider different types of variation. Nevertheless, both face difficulties stemming from their ambivalent understanding of pragmatic variation as closer to either pragmatics or sociolinguistics, respectively. I discuss these difficulties and propose some methodological steps that can help us move beyond them by remaining true to the pragmatic and social categories that emerge from the data itself.

Abstract

Among recent studies of pragmatic variation, two directions stand out. One locates variation in the distribution of pragmatic meanings across macro-social dimensions (gender, ethnicity, region) and seeks ways to study it (Schneider & Barron 2008). Another adopts a variationist methodology to propose pragmatic explanations for morphosyntactic variation (Cameron & Schwenter forthcoming). As their proponents admit, these are two different projects: they use different methodologies and consider different types of variation. Nevertheless, both face difficulties stemming from their ambivalent understanding of pragmatic variation as closer to either pragmatics or sociolinguistics, respectively. I discuss these difficulties and propose some methodological steps that can help us move beyond them by remaining true to the pragmatic and social categories that emerge from the data itself.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements vii
  4. Notes on contributors ix
  5. Introduction 1
  6. Chapter 1. Pragmatic variation by gender in market service encounters in Mexico 17
  7. Chapter 2. Cross-cultural stances in online discussions 49
  8. Chapter 3. Pragmatic variation in therapeutic discourse 81
  9. Chapter 4. Disagreement and sociolinguistic variables 113
  10. Chapter 5. Variation in the pragmatic use of conventional expressions 141
  11. Chapter 6. Variation in NS-learner interactions 175
  12. Pragmatic variation in learner perception 209
  13. Chapter 8. Variationist sociolinguistics, L2 sociopragmatic competence, and corpus analysis of classroom-based synchronous computer-mediated discourse 239
  14. Research methods for describing variation in intercultural pragmatics for cultures in contact and conflict 271
  15. Chapter 10. Between pragmatics and sociolinguistics 295
  16. Chapter 11. Conclusions 319
  17. Index 337
https://doi.org/10.1075/impact.31.11ter

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements vii
  4. Notes on contributors ix
  5. Introduction 1
  6. Chapter 1. Pragmatic variation by gender in market service encounters in Mexico 17
  7. Chapter 2. Cross-cultural stances in online discussions 49
  8. Chapter 3. Pragmatic variation in therapeutic discourse 81
  9. Chapter 4. Disagreement and sociolinguistic variables 113
  10. Chapter 5. Variation in the pragmatic use of conventional expressions 141
  11. Chapter 6. Variation in NS-learner interactions 175
  12. Pragmatic variation in learner perception 209
  13. Chapter 8. Variationist sociolinguistics, L2 sociopragmatic competence, and corpus analysis of classroom-based synchronous computer-mediated discourse 239
  14. Research methods for describing variation in intercultural pragmatics for cultures in contact and conflict 271
  15. Chapter 10. Between pragmatics and sociolinguistics 295
  16. Chapter 11. Conclusions 319
  17. Index 337
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