Toward a multimodal pragmatics analysis of ambulant vending on a Buenos Aires trainline

TY - JOUR

T1 - Toward a multimodal pragmatics analysis of ambulant vending on a Buenos Aires trainline

AU - Márquez Reiter, Rosina

AU - Cordeje-Manrique, Elizabeth

AU - Cantarutti, Marina

N1 - Funding Information: The study was possible thanks to an SRA International Development and Inclusive Innovation grant. (PI: R. Márquez Reiter) in collaboration with CITRA-CONICET-UMET. (Ethical clearance reference: Open University HREC/3291 Márquez Reiter 14/04/2021. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s)

PY - 2023/6/1

Y1 - 2023/6/1

N2 - This article examines the occupational practices of four ambulant vendors (AVs) over a 20-day period, as they board, occupy, and alight trains to make a living in the popular economy. It captures for the first time some of the multimodal communicative practices they deploy to present an engaging sales pitch, attempt to convert passengers into prospects and sustain their livelihoods on the move. A multimodal pragmatics analysis of their sales pitch as video-recorded by the AVs reveals three clear stages marked by body motion in alignment with other bodily and verbal activities to capture the audience as they zero in on the product attributes. The article highlights the dexterity and professionalism of these workers in combining different modalities to augment their presence and chances of securing sales as they navigate the challenges of the unequal working conditions they inhabit as captured from a novel first-person perspective.

AB - This article examines the occupational practices of four ambulant vendors (AVs) over a 20-day period, as they board, occupy, and alight trains to make a living in the popular economy. It captures for the first time some of the multimodal communicative practices they deploy to present an engaging sales pitch, attempt to convert passengers into prospects and sustain their livelihoods on the move. A multimodal pragmatics analysis of their sales pitch as video-recorded by the AVs reveals three clear stages marked by body motion in alignment with other bodily and verbal activities to capture the audience as they zero in on the product attributes. The article highlights the dexterity and professionalism of these workers in combining different modalities to augment their presence and chances of securing sales as they navigate the challenges of the unequal working conditions they inhabit as captured from a novel first-person perspective.

KW - Ambulant vending

KW - Mobile setting

KW - Multimodal pragmatics

KW - Popular economy

KW - Professionalism

KW - Sales pitch

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85152582883&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.pragma.2022.10.003

DO - 10.1016/j.pragma.2022.10.003

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85152582883

SN - 0378-2166

VL - 210

SP - 122

EP - 142

JO - Journal of Pragmatics

JF - Journal of Pragmatics

ER -