FORMAL metalang Flashcards
social distance PURPOSE
The closeness of relationship bw participants. Exists on continuum (from distant to close)
authority PURPOSE
Perceived power that a person/group holds
expertise PURPOSE
High level of knowledge on a specific subject
clarifying PURPOSE
Using precise language to ensure that audiences can clearly understand speaker/writer’s meaning (without ambiguity)
manipulation PURPOSE
Emphasising specific elements of a message to influence the response from speaker/writer’s audience
obfuscating PURPOSE
Using deliberately vague/ambiguous/confusing language that is difficult for an audience to follow
rhetoric PURPOSE
language used to motivate, inspire, inform, or persuade readers and/or listeners.
promote harmony PURPOSE
non-discriminatory language, euphemism, politeness strategies, other techniques to minimise face-threatening acts
negotiating social taboos PURPOSE
Euphemism+figurative lang used: as mechanisms to help negotiate discussion of taboos
Neutral lexical choices, highly technical language, nominalisation + use of tense
building rapport PURPOSE
Provides agency to engage in discourse or not
in acknowledging an existing rapport by respecting social distance + autonomy
reinforcing social distance + authority PURPOSE
Making apologies: shows deference, acknowledges there is some imposition
Low modality verbs: hedging → defer to a more authoritative position, showing willingness to adjust viewpoint
Syntactic features: show authority levels, passive sentences: operate to remove subject agency, convey the power of a group over an individual
jargon
Technical/specialise terms used within a specific field
euphemism
Language that masks/mitigates a taboo/potentially offensive topic
double speak
Language that purposely obscures/obfuscates/hinders the meaning + intent of a statement
rhetoric
Informing/persuading/motivating a reader/listener into action that supports the viewpoint of the writer/speaker
