目录
Acknowledgements
Linguistics and sociolinguistics
A tapestry in space and time
Language varieties: processes and problems
Discovering the structure in variation
Rhoticity
At the intersection of social factors
Change, meaning and acts of identity
The discourse of social life
Communication: words and world
Action and critique
Language and social explanation
Further reading
References
Index
摘要
There are some further points to note about this exchange. First,the meanings involved are specific to this particular context. IfDoreen had been speaking to her mother, for example, she couldnot have conceivably intended to suggest or request that they getmarried. Second, according to my interpretation - and my claimabout how Arthur took Doreen's remark - the ultimate messagethat she intended to convey was something like, 'We ought to getmarried.' But this message is not 'coded' in the actual words. It isimplied by Doreen and inferred by Arthur. It is an example ofintentional communication conveyed inferentially. Third, it ispossible that I could be mistaken about Doreen's intention. In thiskind of inference there is always an element of risk. Fourth, sincethe intention is indirectly conveyed, it is deniable by Doreen; shecould always say in reply, 'What are you talking about？ I only saidshe looked nice！' Speaking indirectly allows for tactics in the nego-tiation of relationships, for treading softly. Fifth, note the elementof indeterminacy or vagueness in the message. I gave a number ofalternative speech act analyses above, for example, 'to request', 'tobroach', 'to suggest' etc. Even leaving speech acts aside, there aremany distinct ways we could 'take' the message as alternatives to,'We ought to get married.' For example, 'Wouldn't marriage be abeautiful thing for you and me？', or 'I'd like to get married myself',etc. The message might be vague There is another alternative.Perhaps Doreen did not intend to communicate to Arthur any mess-age at all in the sense that he recognize her intention. Instead, shemerely meant to strategically 'plant the notion in his mind' thatmarriage is a state worth entertaining, without him recognizingit as a message from her. In this case the utterance wouldn't be acase of intentional communication at all although still a speech act,'strategic insinuation' or 'planting an idea', perhaps.
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