Understanding Politeness in Communication

Politeness in Communication

Calsamiglia Blancafort summarizes the most important aspects of politeness:

  1. It focuses on verbal interaction and the choice of certain linguistic markers of politeness.
  2. It is based upon the acknowledgment that the interpersonal function of language is always present as the essence of human communication.
  3. It is used for making social relationships smoother and for compensating aggressiveness, that is, all those actions that can constitute a virtual threat for the participants
Read More

Mastering Interviews and Focus Groups: Techniques & Tactics

Conducting Effective Interviews

Iñiguez Lupicinio

To conduct an effective interview, the interviewer’s role is essential. Consider the following:

  • Engage in everyday conversation to build rapport.

Key Setpoints for Interviews:

  1. Present the topic clearly.
  2. Focus on and repeat key issues for emphasis.

Interview Tactics:

  • Deepening: Explore topics in greater detail.
  • Expressions of Interest: Use brief, clear affirmations like “ahhh, you are absolutely right” to show understanding.
  • Short Expressions: Use concise
Read More

Textual Cohesion: Lexical and Grammatical Procedures

These are mechanisms that provide a continuity of meaning from the text of the meanings of the main procedures for granting words. The lexical cohesion to a text are repetition, reiteration, and association.

Repetition

This is the exact replica of the same word or expression in different parts of the text.

Reiteration

The meaning of a term is repeated through different words or expressions. The reiteration may contain synonyms (words that are different but have similar or identical meanings) or hypernyms

Read More

Understanding Irony: Definition, Types, and Interpretation

Irony: Definition and Characteristics

Human beings are the only species capable of being ironic. Irony is the difference between what someone would reasonably expect to happen and what actually does. It is a complicated pragmatic phenomenon.

Situational irony occurs when one’s efforts produce the opposite results of what was expected.

Key Aspects of Irony Processing

  1. Irony can be spotted simply by accessing the information supplied by one single contextual source.
  2. Human cognition is capable of obtaining
Read More

Grice’s Cooperative Principle: Maxims and Implications

Grice’s Cooperative Principle

Grice, a philosopher, authored a highly influential article in pragmatics. Unlike many of his contemporaries in the 1940s-50s who focused on logic, Grice believed communication was more complex than logic alone.

Grice’s Main Contributions to Pragmatics

  • Intentionality: Speakers have intentions, and listeners must identify them.
  • Communication: A cooperative task between participants.

Grice in “Logic and Conversation” (1975)

Grice’s Cooperative Principle:

“Make your conversational

Read More

Second Language Acquisition: Methods and Theories

Incidental Language Learning

Incidental Language Learning is used to describe the extent to which exposure to the target language (TL) outside the classroom may lead to its knowledge and acquisition. There are three types: self-directed learning, incidental learning, and socialization or tacit learning.

  • Formal learning: Regular language classes attended either voluntarily or as an academic requirement. Takes place in a formal (physical or virtual) context.
  • Non-formal learning: Use of professionally
Read More