26.4042, Calls: Sociolinguistics/Spain

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LINGUIST List: Vol-26-4042. Mon Sep 14 2015. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 26.4042, Calls: Sociolinguistics/Spain

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Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2015 12:25:39
From: Eva-Maria Graf [eva-maria.graf at aau.at]
Subject: Metadiscourse in Spoken Language

 
Full Title: Metadiscourse in Spoken Language 

Date: 15-Jun-2016 - 18-Jun-2016
Location: Murcia, Spain 
Contact Person: Eva-Maria Graf
Meeting Email: eva-maria.graf at aau.at

Linguistic Field(s): Sociolinguistics 

Meeting Description:

Title of the Colloquium:  “Metadiscourse in spoken language” 

Organisers: Hermine Penz (University of Graz, Austria), Eva-Maria Graf (University of Klagenfurt, Austria)

Description: 	

The fact that human beings can talk about language as they can do about other things is one of the distinguishing features between human and animal language and has been termed ‘reflexivity’ by Hockett (1960).  This phenomenon has been discussed by the majority of linguists by using various constructions with the prefix ‘meta’, such as ‘metalanguage’, ‘metadiscourse’, ‘meta-talk’, ‘metacommunication’. According to Mey (2001:173) “a ‘metalanguage’ indicates a language that is about language, one level ‘up’ from the language itself, the ‘object language’ […]. A metalanguage indicates, comments on, examines, criticizes etc. what happens on the level of the object language”.

The aim of this colloquium is to explore the function and usage of this type of language in spoken discourse. We thereby understand metadiscourse as “discourse about the ongoing discourse”, which is the narrow view of metadiscourse (see also Mauranen 1993 and 2010). It is an essential feature of spoken interactions and is not restricted to any particular type of discourse. However, the functions of metadiscourse in spoken texts will depend on the activity type at hand.

Generally, it is not possible to classify certain forms as metadiscourse since it is not the form that determines whether something is metalinguistic but rather the co-text. Identifying metalanguage is difficult due to the vagueness of the boundaries between metalinguistic and other functions, as many utterances are multifunctional (see Schiffrin 1980:201; Techtmeier 2001:1457; Ädel 2006:23).
Metadiscourse may refer to any level and any aspect of discourse such as channel (e.g. acoustic problems in understanding), roles of speaker and listener, speaking rights and turn-taking, word meaning, sentence and utterance meaning, topic of talk, frames and text types, conversational maxims, textual elements, discourse organisation, etc. (Bublitz 2001:1332).

The functions of metadiscourse can generally be seen in describing, organising and commenting on the ongoing discourse, often serving the purpose of achieving understanding and supporting acceptance (see also Techtmeier’s (2001:1454) three basic functions of metacommunicative utterances). Metadiscourse can be applied prospectively  and retrospectively  in the process of negotiating and managing understanding (Bublitz 2001:1332). However, the use of metadiscourse has been found to vary substantially across different genres and different cultures (see Mauranen 1993 and 2010, Hyland 2005, Ädel 2006, Penz 2011, Graf 2015).  These differences are not surprising in view of findings that metadiscourse may provide some insights into underlying interactional and pragmatic norms of the language use of a community.

Call for Papers:

Sociolinguistics Symposium 21, Murcia 15-18 June 2016
Call for paper for suggested colloquium:  “Metadiscourse in spoken language” 

Organisers: Hermine Penz (University of Graz, Austria), Eva-Maria Graf (University of Klagenfurt, Austria)

This colloquium aims to bring to light the role of metadiscourse in different activity types of spoken language. Despite the growing interest in the uses and functions of metadiscourse in written language, its role in spoken language has not attracted much attention. The aim of this colloquium is to fill this gap in research. We welcome studies of metadiscourse relating to any possible types of spoken (and quasi-spoken) discourse, among them:

Relationship talk 
Professional communication: medical, psycho therapeutic discourse, coaching discourse, communication training, business negotiations, etc…
Intercultural interactions
Media talk: TV shows, interviews, political debates and interviews
Teacher talk 
Academic discourse
Children’s talk
Conflict talk
Computer–mediated communication
Etc.

Please send your abstracts (up to 300 words excluding references, PDF only) to the organizers (see email addresses below) by September 25.

The format would be 20 minutes for presentations followed by 10 minutes of discussion.

Please note that the purpose of this call for papers is collect abstracts for the submission of a colloquium proposal for SS21. We will submit the colloquium proposal on  Metadiscourse in spoken language“ to the SS21 Scientific Committee and Organizing Committee, who will then decide whether it is accepted or not. See the SS21 website for more details concerning the organization of colloquia (http://www.um.es/web/sociolinguistics-symposium21/).

If you have any question, don’t hesitate to contact the organizing committee.

Important Dates:

September 25: Deadline for sending abstracts
September 30: Notification of acceptance
September 30: Submission of the colloquium proposal
January 2016: Notification of colloquia acceptance
June 15-18, 2016: SS21 takes place

Contact Information:

eva-maria.graf at aau.at
hermine.penz at uni-graz.at




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