Metapragmatic expressions as common ground builders in intercultural business communication
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Ping Liu
Abstract
Positioned within intercultural pragmatics, particularly the common ground (CG) theory of the Socio-cognitive Approach (SCA) proposed and developed by Kecskes (2008, 2013, 2017 and 2019), this chapter examines the role of metapragmatic expressions (MPEs) in building CG in intercultural business communication (IBC). Drawing on data from 42 recordings (about 7.5 hours in total) of English phone interactions between international customers and Chinese agents of a complaint center of one Chinese airline, we analyze and compare MPEs used by the customers and agents. Data analysis reveals that both agents and customers mainly employ three types of MPEs, namely, situation-oriented, information-oriented and relationship- oriented, to co-build CG for shared physical, cognitive and affective spaces. Under the constraints of institutional rules and regulations, speakers’ language proficiency and asymmetrical social-cultural and professional knowledge, the agents employ MPEs to manifest intentions to build CG for shared cognitive and affective spaces; the customers employ MPEs to manifest intentions to build CG for shared physical and affective spaces. Generally, the agents are institutionalized and emotionally detached, whereas the customers are personalized and emotionally involved in CG building. The findings shed light on metapragmatic awareness, intercultural pragmatics and customer service practices in the intercultural business context.
Abstract
Positioned within intercultural pragmatics, particularly the common ground (CG) theory of the Socio-cognitive Approach (SCA) proposed and developed by Kecskes (2008, 2013, 2017 and 2019), this chapter examines the role of metapragmatic expressions (MPEs) in building CG in intercultural business communication (IBC). Drawing on data from 42 recordings (about 7.5 hours in total) of English phone interactions between international customers and Chinese agents of a complaint center of one Chinese airline, we analyze and compare MPEs used by the customers and agents. Data analysis reveals that both agents and customers mainly employ three types of MPEs, namely, situation-oriented, information-oriented and relationship- oriented, to co-build CG for shared physical, cognitive and affective spaces. Under the constraints of institutional rules and regulations, speakers’ language proficiency and asymmetrical social-cultural and professional knowledge, the agents employ MPEs to manifest intentions to build CG for shared cognitive and affective spaces; the customers employ MPEs to manifest intentions to build CG for shared physical and affective spaces. Generally, the agents are institutionalized and emotionally detached, whereas the customers are personalized and emotionally involved in CG building. The findings shed light on metapragmatic awareness, intercultural pragmatics and customer service practices in the intercultural business context.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Introduction 1
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1 Understanding common ground
- The interdependence of common ground and context 7
- Understanding common ground as a cognitive object 25
- From laboratory to real life: Obstacles in common ground building 59
- Presupposition failures and the negotiation of the common ground 81
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2 Emergent common ground
- Grounding emergent common ground: Detecting markers of emergent common ground in a YouTube discussion thread 105
- Co-constructing emergent common ground: The role of the intercultural mediator 135
- The co-construction of common ground through exemplars unique to an ESL classroom 163
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3 Common ground building
- Mutual knowledge and the ‘hidden common ground’: An interdisciplinary perspective on mutual understanding in intercultural communication 197
- The linguistic code as basis for common ground building in English as a foreign language 219
- ELF disagreement as an interactional resource for doing interculturality 237
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4 Common ground in different discourses
- Working offline: Common ground in written discourse 263
- Metapragmatic expressions as common ground builders in intercultural business communication 281
- Harmony and common ground: Aikido principles for intercultural training 305
- Contributors to this volume 337
- Index 339
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Introduction 1
-
1 Understanding common ground
- The interdependence of common ground and context 7
- Understanding common ground as a cognitive object 25
- From laboratory to real life: Obstacles in common ground building 59
- Presupposition failures and the negotiation of the common ground 81
-
2 Emergent common ground
- Grounding emergent common ground: Detecting markers of emergent common ground in a YouTube discussion thread 105
- Co-constructing emergent common ground: The role of the intercultural mediator 135
- The co-construction of common ground through exemplars unique to an ESL classroom 163
-
3 Common ground building
- Mutual knowledge and the ‘hidden common ground’: An interdisciplinary perspective on mutual understanding in intercultural communication 197
- The linguistic code as basis for common ground building in English as a foreign language 219
- ELF disagreement as an interactional resource for doing interculturality 237
-
4 Common ground in different discourses
- Working offline: Common ground in written discourse 263
- Metapragmatic expressions as common ground builders in intercultural business communication 281
- Harmony and common ground: Aikido principles for intercultural training 305
- Contributors to this volume 337
- Index 339
