Date: 15-Dec-2006 From: Julia Ulrich <julia.ulrichdegruyter.com> Subject: Speech Acts Across Cultures: Gass, Nue
Title: Speech Acts Across Cultures
Subtitle: Challenges to Communication in a Second Language
Series Title: Studies on Language Acquisition 11
Published: 2006
Publisher: Mouton de Gruyter
http://www.mouton-publishers.com
Editor: Susan M. Gass
Editor: Joyce Neu
Paperback: ISBN: 3110191253 Pages: 350 Price: Europe EURO 29.95
Paperback: ISBN: 3110191253 Pages: 350 Price: U.S. $ 40.40
Abstract:
Unaltered paperback edition of the 1996 hardback edition.
This book investigates the notion of Speech Act from a cross-cultural perspective. The starting point for this book is the assumption that speech acts are realized from culture to culture in different ways and that these differences may result in communication difficulties that range from the humorous to the serious. Importantly, a recurring theme in this volume has to do with the need to verify the form, the function and the constraining variables of speech acts as a prerequisite for dealing with them in the classroom.
The book deals with three major areas of Speech Act research: 1) Methodological Issues, 2) Speech Acts in a second language, and 3) Applications.
In the first section authors discuss general issues of methodology and present data in an effort to detail the efficacy of different methodologies. Research clearly shows the effect of methodology on the results. This section is followed by a discussion of specific speech acts, including speech acts and strategy use that have as their goal the creation and maintenace of solidarity (i.e. greetings, compliments, apologies) and speech acts that involve face-threatening acts (i.e. complaints, favor-asking, suggestions). In the final section, authors consider applications of speech act research within the context of advertising and business relationships.
REVIEW: "It certainly is a very informative overview of the subject." Journal of Indo-European Studies, Austin, 1997/Vol.25
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