Form ≠ Function: The independence of prosody and action

TY - JOUR

T1 - Form ≠ Function: The independence of prosody and action

AU - Walker, Traci

PY - 2014/1/31

Y1 - 2014/1/31

N2 - This article argues for the importance of describing form independently of function, especially for prosodic and phonetic forms. Form and function are often conflated by language-in-interaction researchers when they give descriptive labels to the sound of talk (e.g., “upgraded” pitch, “continuing” intonation), and that tempts researchers to see a given form as having a given function or practice—often one that is influenced by the descriptive label. I argue that we should discipline ourselves to keeping to a purely technical description of any form (practice); that will then make it possible unambiguously to show how that form contributes to a particular function (action), without presuming the relationship to be exclusive. Data are in American and British English.

AB - This article argues for the importance of describing form independently of function, especially for prosodic and phonetic forms. Form and function are often conflated by language-in-interaction researchers when they give descriptive labels to the sound of talk (e.g., “upgraded” pitch, “continuing” intonation), and that tempts researchers to see a given form as having a given function or practice—often one that is influenced by the descriptive label. I argue that we should discipline ourselves to keeping to a purely technical description of any form (practice); that will then make it possible unambiguously to show how that form contributes to a particular function (action), without presuming the relationship to be exclusive. Data are in American and British English.

U2 - 10.1080/08351813.2014.871792

DO - 10.1080/08351813.2014.871792

M3 - Article

SN - 0835-1813

VL - 47

SP - 1

EP - 16

JO - Research on Language and Social Interaction

JF - Research on Language and Social Interaction

IS - 1

ER -