A cross-cultural comparison of the functions and sociolinguistic distribution of English and German tag questions and discourse markers in academic speech
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Erik Schleef
Abstract
This article investigates the speech of Humanities and Natural Science instructors and students in 32 German and 32 American lectures and interactional classes. It examines how English and German structural markers and question tags contribute to variations of style in response to social and contextual factors in academic discourse. The data analysis couples qualitative, discourse-analytic methods with a quantitative sociolinguistic analysis. Among instructors and students in both cultures the factors of conversational role, academic discipline, and conversational mode – not gender – are most influential in the use of structures investigated. It is argued that these results arise from discourse restrictions in academic speech, such as turn type pre-allocation, speech length restrictions, as well as varying knowledge building and teaching strategies. A cross-cultural comparison shows remarkable similarities when it comes to a link of several structures to conversational role and discipline. Differences are primarily frequency of use of some of the structures investigated.
Abstract
This article investigates the speech of Humanities and Natural Science instructors and students in 32 German and 32 American lectures and interactional classes. It examines how English and German structural markers and question tags contribute to variations of style in response to social and contextual factors in academic discourse. The data analysis couples qualitative, discourse-analytic methods with a quantitative sociolinguistic analysis. Among instructors and students in both cultures the factors of conversational role, academic discipline, and conversational mode – not gender – are most influential in the use of structures investigated. It is argued that these results arise from discourse restrictions in academic speech, such as turn type pre-allocation, speech length restrictions, as well as varying knowledge building and teaching strategies. A cross-cultural comparison shows remarkable similarities when it comes to a link of several structures to conversational role and discipline. Differences are primarily frequency of use of some of the structures investigated.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
- As academics we are not disposed to say “I know the world is round...” 19
- Certainty and commitment in the construction of academic knowledge in the humanities 33
- Citation in business management research articles 49
- A cross-cultural comparison of the functions and sociolinguistic distribution of English and German tag questions and discourse markers in academic speech 61
- Polyphony in academic discourse 83
- Academic voices in the research article 109
- Author identity in economics and linguistics abstracts 123
- Exploring the polyphonic dimension of academic book review articles in the discourse of linguistics 135
- Notes on notes 151
- The use of contrastive strategies in a sociology research paper 165
- Different worlds, different audiences 187
- Spoken rhetoric 199
- Argumentative strategies in conference discussions sessions 219
- Clash of the Titans 243
- Semantic and discursive construction of the “Europe of knowledge” 275
- Magna Charta Universitatum 294
- Index 297
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
- As academics we are not disposed to say “I know the world is round...” 19
- Certainty and commitment in the construction of academic knowledge in the humanities 33
- Citation in business management research articles 49
- A cross-cultural comparison of the functions and sociolinguistic distribution of English and German tag questions and discourse markers in academic speech 61
- Polyphony in academic discourse 83
- Academic voices in the research article 109
- Author identity in economics and linguistics abstracts 123
- Exploring the polyphonic dimension of academic book review articles in the discourse of linguistics 135
- Notes on notes 151
- The use of contrastive strategies in a sociology research paper 165
- Different worlds, different audiences 187
- Spoken rhetoric 199
- Argumentative strategies in conference discussions sessions 219
- Clash of the Titans 243
- Semantic and discursive construction of the “Europe of knowledge” 275
- Magna Charta Universitatum 294
- Index 297
