Metalanguage - Discourse and Pragmatics

Vocal Effects

Non-verbal sounds that convey meaning or emotion in speech.

Whispers

Soft, breathy speech with reduced vocal cord vibration.

Laughter

A vocalized expression of amusement or joy.

Non-Verbal Communication

Body language and visual cues that accompany speech.

Gestures

Movements of the hands or body to convey meaning (e.g., pointing, waving).

Facial Expressions

Changes in facial features that express emotions (e.g., smiling, frowning).

Eye Contact

Looking at another person, often used to show attention or interest.

Creakiness

A vocal effect produced by a slow vibration of the vocal cords, often heard in "vocal fry."

Breathiness

A vocal quality where extra air escapes with the voice, creating a soft, airy sound.

Code-switching as language learning

Switching between languages or dialects to facilitate learning or clarify meaning in multilingual contexts.

Code switching as a Means of Demonstrating Group Membership and Belonging

Switching between languages, dialects, or registers to signal affiliation with a particular social group or identity.

Lexical Choice

Using specific words to link ideas.

Synonymy

Replacing a word with another of similar meaning (e.g., big → large).

Antonymy

Using opposites for contrast (e.g., hot vs. cold).

Hyponymy

Words that are more specific within a category (e.g., dog is a hyponym of animal).

Hypernymy

General terms that encompass specific items (e.g., animal is a hypernym of dog).

Collocation

Words that commonly appear together (e.g., fast food, strong coffee).

Clefting

Highlighting part of a sentence (e.g., It was the dog that barked).

Front Focus

Placing important information at the beginning (e.g., This issue, we must address).

End Focus

Placing important information at the end for emphasis (e.g., We need to solve the problem quickly).

Anaphoric Reference

Referring back to something mentioned earlier (e.g., The dog barked. It was loud).

Cataphoric Reference

Referring to something mentioned later (e.g., It was surprising—her sudden arrival).

Deictics

Words that rely on context for meaning (e.g., here, there, now).

Repetition

Repeating words for emphasis or clarity.

Substitution

Replacing a word with a pronoun or synonym (e.g., I need a pen. Do you have one?).

Ellipsis

Omitting unnecessary words (e.g., Want some? instead of Do you want some?).

Conjunctions and Adverbials

Words that link ideas (e.g., and, however, therefore).

Inference

Understanding meaning based on context and background knowledge.

Logical Ordering

Presenting information in a clear, structured sequence.

Formatting

Visual presentation aids, such as headings, bullet points, and paragraphs.

Consistency and Conventions

Maintaining a uniform style and adhering to established norms.

Openings and Closings

Conventions for starting and ending conversations (e.g., Hi, how are you? / Bye, see you later).

Adjacency Pairs

Predictable exchanges (e.g., How are you? / Good, thanks).

Minimal Responses/Backchannels

Brief responses to indicate attention or agreement (e.g., uh-huh, yeah).

Overlapping Speech

When speakers talk at the same time, often indicating enthusiasm or interruption.

Discourse Markers/Particles

Words or phrases that structure discourse (e.g., well, so, you know).

Pauses

Silent breaks in speech.

Filled Pauses/Voiced Hesitations

Sounds like um or uh.

False Starts

Beginning a sentence and restarting (e.g., I was—no, wait)

Repetition

Repeating words or phrases for emphasis or correction.

Repairs

Self-corrections in speech.

Topic Management

Controlling the subject of conversation

Turn-Taking

Managing the flow of conversation so participants speak in turn

Management of Repair Sequences

Correcting misunderstandings or errors in conversation.

Code-Switching

Using different languages, dialects, or registers to indicate group membership or contextual appropriateness.

Positive Face

The desire to be liked or appreciated

Negative Face

The desire to maintain autonomy and not be imposed upon

Positive Face Threatening Acts

Behaviours that challenge someone's desire for approval (e.g., criticism).

Negative Face Threatening Acts

Behaviours that challenge someone's independence (e.g., requests).

Positive Politeness

Strategies that appeal to a person's desire for approval (e.g., compliments).

Negative Politeness

Strategies that minimize imposition (e.g., apologizing before making a request).