The present book is a study in the field of linguistic pragmatics,
by using conversation analysis and microsociolinguistics as an
extension of speech act theory, as well as in the field of applied
linguistics by offering an analysis of a genuine Romanian
conversational corpus. The study is first of all important for its
theme - that of conversational narratives, since it is the first
comprehensive research of this issue in Romanian research. Chapter
1 deals with the theoretical framework of the research which is
based on the integration of two theoretical perspectives,
conversation analysis and narrative analysis. Narrative analysis
offers the instruments necessary for the micro analysis of
narratives as fragments per se, whereas conversation analysis
offers the basis for the integration of narratives in the context
of conversational interaction. Chapter 2 views conversational
narratives as texts having certain linguistic features and content
traits. Chapters 3 and 4 focus on the narrative as process. Chapter
3 investigates the content of the story proper, analysing its
communicative functions, in other words it analyzes the functions
of narratives as message. Chapter 4 examines the interaction
between narrative and conversation from the perspective of the
interactional role of cooperation between the two discourse genres,
the perspective adopted being again that of conversation analysis.
Chapter 3, The functions of conversational narratives, is the most
extended of all chapters and considers conversational narrative as
a complex multifunctional message. It is the author's merit to have
completed and systemized the discussion on the functions of
conversational narrative starting from complete theories on the
functions of language. In the present case, the author opts for
Halliday, discriminating mainly between the ideational,
interpersonal and textual functions. These three functions are
detailed by using the theory of the communicative code on the
functions of language proposed by Jakobson. The two theories
(Halliday's and Jakobson's) are convergent, both viewing language
from the perspective of communication. The advantage of this
combination is obvious in the discussion on the interpersonal
function, which can be detailed in an emotive (expressive,
according to Buehler) function (which constructs the speaker), a
persuasive function, which focuses on the interlocutor, a phatic
function, which maintains the channel of communication and
expresses the concern for the mutual saving of the interlocutors'
faces. The right assumption adopted by the author is that in each
and every case there is a dominant function, which relates to the
purpose of communication, that is to the very illocutionary or
perlocutionary dimension of the story, whereas the other functions
are present but subordinate (it is the case of the referential and
textual functions) or simply absent (the poetic function). The
chapter offers a coherent and integrative perspective on the
complexity of the functions of conversation analysis, on the
complexity of the literature in the field. The analysis is entirely
original, the only stories discussed being the ones taken from the
corpus collected by the author. From a methodological point of
view, the chapter makes extensive use of the Speech Act Theory and
the Politeness Theory, with many sociolinguistic elements. The
linguistic sections provide the interested readers with lists of
formulas, cliches, etc., the present study enriching the picture of
Romanian oral discourse. This book is very nicely and correctly
written; it is a pleasant read. Professor Dr. Alexandra Cornilescu
University of Bucharest
General
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