Introduction

[Luuk Lagerwerf]

Dear List-subscribers,

I'm Luuk Lagerwerf and I work as an assistent professor in
Communication Studies at the University of Twente (Netherlands).

Last year I obtained my PhD. with a dissertation on the semantics of
causal connectives: "Causal Connectives have Presuppositions.
Effects on Coherence and Discourse", at the University of Tilburg
(Netherlands).

My current research topic is the persuasiveness of advisory texts.
Management consultants and other professional advisors often
neglect the fact that the written version of their advice is the only
thing left in the organization they adviced. A common opinion seems
to be that the advisory report will not be read anyway. I want to know
wether this is true, and furthermore (especially when it appears that
advisory reports are actually read) what qualities an advisory text is
supposed to have. I've only started recently, so I do not have
interesting results at the moment.

A side topic is research into the semantic and pragmatic aspects of
slogans and titles. Slogans come in different types: I try to identify
the type and analyze their probable (linguistically defined) effects.

So, one type is the Question-Answer type that expresses Goal-
Instrument or Problem-Solution Pairs: Meer weten? Bel 33 33 33!
(More know ("want to know more")? Call 33 33 33!

Another type is the ambiguous slogan with literally taken idiom:
Calculators you can count on!

Kind regards,

Luuk Lagerwerf.

Luuk Lagerwerf
Language and Communication
University of Twente
+31 53 489 35 67 (office)
+31 34 351 38 81 (home)