“When We Talk, It Never Materializes”: Functions of Off-Record Communication in Conflict Talk

摘要: Drawing on the recent contribution to studies linguistic impoliteness (Bousfield 2008), this chapter aims at examining and describing role of “the inarticulate” in interpersonal conflict, with particular attention devoted dynamics conflictive exchanges. “The is by all means a non-academic term referring range off-record strategies such as silence, “wordy silence”, i.e. “a torrent words that are not addressing true issue” (Tannen 1990), white lies, compassionate untruths, concealments, speaking quotes, etc. Understanding what meant but said involves necessity work out implicatures, how easy it retrieve speaker intention conflict situations? In light study mental context interaction (Kopytko 2002), one may attempt identify impact cognitive, affective conative states processes expression perception above mentioned (non)verbal behaviors. With regard dynamics, presentation will consider emerging doubts about Cooperative Principle; namely: always necessary keep talking? Given context, uncooperative inarticulate”? Following interest discourse stylistics, especially relatively uncharted analysis dramatic dialogues, author select exchanges between family members from modern American plays, e.g. Eugene O’Neill, Tennessee Williams or Arthur Miller.