Person Reference in Interaction: Linguistic, Cultural and Social Perspectives (Language Culture and Cognition)

Cambridge University Press, 4/26/2007
EAN 9780521872454, ISBN10: 0521872456

Hardcover, 370 pages, 22.9 x 15.2 x 2.4 cm
Language: English

How do we refer to people in everyday conversation? No matter the language or culture, we must choose from a range of options: full name ('Robert Smith'), reduced name ('Bob'), description ('tall guy'), kin term ('my son') etc. Our choices reflect how we know that person in context, and allow us to take a particular perspective on them. This book brings together a team of leading linguists, sociologists and anthropologists to show that there is more to person reference than meets the eye. Drawing on video-recorded, everyday interactions in nine languages, it examines the fascinating ways in which we exploit person reference for social and cultural purposes, and reveals the underlying principles of person reference across cultures from the Americas to Asia to the South Pacific. Combining rich ethnographic detail with cross-linguistic generalizations, it will be welcomed by researchers and graduate students interested in the relationship between language and culture.

1. Person reference in interaction Tanya Stivers, N. J. Enfield and Stephen C. Levinson
Part I. Person Reference as a System
2. Two preferences in the organization of reference to persons in conversation and their interaction (1979) Harvey Sacks and Emanuel A. Schegloff
3. Optimizing person reference - evidence from repair on Rossel Island Stephen C. Levinson
4. Alternative recognitionals in person reference Tanya Stivers
5. Meanings of the unmarked
why 'default' person reference does more than just refer N. J. Enfield
Part II. The Person Reference System in Operation
6. Conveying who you are
the presentation of self, strictly speaking Emanuel A. Schegloff
7. Person reference in Yucatec Maya William F. Hanks
8. Principles of person reference in Tzeltal Penelope Brown
9. Non-initial person reference in Korean
choosing between quasi-pronouns Sun-Young Oh
10. Person reference in Tzotzil gossip
referring dupliciter John B. Haviland
Part III. The Person Reference System in Trouble
11. Intersubjectivity and progressivity in person (and place) reference John Heritage
12. Repairing person reference in a small Caribbean community Jack Sidnell
13. Reference and 'reference dangereuse' to persons in Kilivila
an overview and case study Gunter Senft.