Home Linguistics & Semiotics 2. Participation structure in fictional discourse: Authors, scriptwriters, audiences and characters
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

2. Participation structure in fictional discourse: Authors, scriptwriters, audiences and characters

  • Thomas C. Messerli
Become an author with De Gruyter Brill
Explore this Subject How to publish with us
Pragmatics of Fiction
This chapter is in the book Pragmatics of Fiction

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of the participation structure in fictional discourse by discussing the relevant theoretical participation frameworks. The main focus is on the discourse of film and television, which is discussed in-depth, before the participation structures of literary fiction and drama are also addressed. The discussion highlights the participant roles each of the models describes for authors/producers, characters, and particularly for recipients/readers, which are given most focus in pragmatic research. One of the key differences between different frameworks has been the conceptualization of recipients/readers as either ratified participants or unratified overhearers. The chapter explains the terms as they are used by Goffman (1976, 1979) as well as the different positions that the respective theoretical approaches adopt.

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of the participation structure in fictional discourse by discussing the relevant theoretical participation frameworks. The main focus is on the discourse of film and television, which is discussed in-depth, before the participation structures of literary fiction and drama are also addressed. The discussion highlights the participant roles each of the models describes for authors/producers, characters, and particularly for recipients/readers, which are given most focus in pragmatic research. One of the key differences between different frameworks has been the conceptualization of recipients/readers as either ratified participants or unratified overhearers. The chapter explains the terms as they are used by Goffman (1976, 1979) as well as the different positions that the respective theoretical approaches adopt.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Preface to the handbook series v
  3. Preface ix
  4. Table of contents xi
  5. 1. Introducing Pragmatics of Fiction: Approaches, trends and developments 1
  6. I. Pragmatics of fiction as communication: Foundations
  7. 2. Participation structure in fictional discourse: Authors, scriptwriters, audiences and characters 25
  8. 3. The pragmatics of the genres of fiction 55
  9. 4. Fictional characterisation 93
  10. 5. The role of dialogue in fiction 129
  11. 6. Narrative perspectives on voice in fiction 159
  12. 7. Pragmatics of style in fiction 197
  13. II. Features of orality and variation
  14. 8. Oral features in fiction 235
  15. 9. Doing dialects in dialogues: Regional, social and ethnic variation in fiction 265
  16. 10. Multilingualism in fiction 297
  17. 11. The pragmatics of estrangement in fantasy and science fiction 329
  18. III. Pragmatic themes in fiction
  19. 12. Pragmatics and the translation of fiction 367
  20. 13. Subtitling and dubbing in telecinematic text 397
  21. 14. (Im)politeness in fiction 425
  22. 15. (Im)politeness and telecinematic discourse 455
  23. 16. Stance in fiction 489
  24. 17. Language and emotion in fiction 515
  25. 18. Language change and fiction 553
  26. Bionotes 585
  27. Index of authors of scholarly work 591
  28. Index of authors of fictional work 603
  29. Index of fictional sources 605
  30. Subject index 609
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110431094-002

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Preface to the handbook series v
  3. Preface ix
  4. Table of contents xi
  5. 1. Introducing Pragmatics of Fiction: Approaches, trends and developments 1
  6. I. Pragmatics of fiction as communication: Foundations
  7. 2. Participation structure in fictional discourse: Authors, scriptwriters, audiences and characters 25
  8. 3. The pragmatics of the genres of fiction 55
  9. 4. Fictional characterisation 93
  10. 5. The role of dialogue in fiction 129
  11. 6. Narrative perspectives on voice in fiction 159
  12. 7. Pragmatics of style in fiction 197
  13. II. Features of orality and variation
  14. 8. Oral features in fiction 235
  15. 9. Doing dialects in dialogues: Regional, social and ethnic variation in fiction 265
  16. 10. Multilingualism in fiction 297
  17. 11. The pragmatics of estrangement in fantasy and science fiction 329
  18. III. Pragmatic themes in fiction
  19. 12. Pragmatics and the translation of fiction 367
  20. 13. Subtitling and dubbing in telecinematic text 397
  21. 14. (Im)politeness in fiction 425
  22. 15. (Im)politeness and telecinematic discourse 455
  23. 16. Stance in fiction 489
  24. 17. Language and emotion in fiction 515
  25. 18. Language change and fiction 553
  26. Bionotes 585
  27. Index of authors of scholarly work 591
  28. Index of authors of fictional work 603
  29. Index of fictional sources 605
  30. Subject index 609
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2026 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 27.1.2026 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110431094-002/html
Scroll to top button