11. Discourse and topic
-
Elisabeth Fritz
Abstract
This chapter focuses on the question of how the characteristics of social media interactions influence topic management. These influences will be described on two levels: First, local strategies of topic development are appropriated by the users of social media from face-to-face practices to the particular online environment. Second, with a view to whole exchanges, participants develop larger patterns of divergence and convergence of sub-threads on topics which exhibit various degrees of relevance to the superordinate topics of the particular exchanges. The chapter starts with providing a preliminary survey of linguististic approaches to discourse topics and topic development. This is followed up by a discussion of the most prominent characteristics of social media interactions (viz., (a)synchronicity, polyloguicity and monotopicality), which challenge frameworks of interactional topic development drawn up for traditional (i.e., mostly dyadic and spontaneously evolving) face-to-face conversations. The discussion closes with an overview of existing research concerning strategies of topic initiations and local topic development as well as more global patterns across different forms of synchronous and asynchronous discourse.
Abstract
This chapter focuses on the question of how the characteristics of social media interactions influence topic management. These influences will be described on two levels: First, local strategies of topic development are appropriated by the users of social media from face-to-face practices to the particular online environment. Second, with a view to whole exchanges, participants develop larger patterns of divergence and convergence of sub-threads on topics which exhibit various degrees of relevance to the superordinate topics of the particular exchanges. The chapter starts with providing a preliminary survey of linguististic approaches to discourse topics and topic development. This is followed up by a discussion of the most prominent characteristics of social media interactions (viz., (a)synchronicity, polyloguicity and monotopicality), which challenge frameworks of interactional topic development drawn up for traditional (i.e., mostly dyadic and spontaneously evolving) face-to-face conversations. The discussion closes with an overview of existing research concerning strategies of topic initiations and local topic development as well as more global patterns across different forms of synchronous and asynchronous discourse.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter i
- Table of contents xi
- 1. Log in: Introducing the pragmatics of social media 1
- 2. Participation as user involvement 31
- 3. Participation as audience design 61
- 4. Publicness and privateness 83
- 5. Message boards 125
- 6. Blogs 151
- 7. YouTube 173
- 8. Twitter 201
- 9. Social Network Sites/Facebook 225
- 10. Discourse and organization 245
- 11. Discourse and topic 275
- 12. Discourse and cohesion 317
- 13. Discourse and cognition 345
- 14. Discourse and ideology 381
- 15. Facework and identity 407
- 16. Evaluation 435
- 17. Politeness and impoliteness 459
- 18. Flaming and trolling 493
- 19. Narration 523
- 20. Fandom 545
- 21. Getting “liked” 575
- 22. Conflictual and consensual disagreement 607
- 23. Compliments and compliment responses 633
- 24. Requesting and advice-giving 661
- About the authors 691
- Name index 699
- Subject index 721
- Preface to the handbook series v
- Acknowledgements ix
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter i
- Table of contents xi
- 1. Log in: Introducing the pragmatics of social media 1
- 2. Participation as user involvement 31
- 3. Participation as audience design 61
- 4. Publicness and privateness 83
- 5. Message boards 125
- 6. Blogs 151
- 7. YouTube 173
- 8. Twitter 201
- 9. Social Network Sites/Facebook 225
- 10. Discourse and organization 245
- 11. Discourse and topic 275
- 12. Discourse and cohesion 317
- 13. Discourse and cognition 345
- 14. Discourse and ideology 381
- 15. Facework and identity 407
- 16. Evaluation 435
- 17. Politeness and impoliteness 459
- 18. Flaming and trolling 493
- 19. Narration 523
- 20. Fandom 545
- 21. Getting “liked” 575
- 22. Conflictual and consensual disagreement 607
- 23. Compliments and compliment responses 633
- 24. Requesting and advice-giving 661
- About the authors 691
- Name index 699
- Subject index 721
- Preface to the handbook series v
- Acknowledgements ix
