A descriptive analysis of indirect complaint sequences among speakers of American English.

Format:

Book

Thesis/Dissertation

Author/Creator:

Boxer, Diana, 1948-

Contributor:

Fought, John G., advisor.

University of Pennsylvania.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Oral communication.

Communication.

Linguistics.

Language arts.

0279.

0290.

0459.

Penn dissertations--Education.

Education--Penn dissertations.

Local Subjects:

Penn dissertations--Education.

Education--Penn dissertations.

0279.

0290.

0459.

Physical Description:

271 pages

Contained In:

Dissertation Abstracts International 52-03A.

System Details:

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

text file

Summary:

This dissertation is an in-depth analysis of the patterning and social functions of indirect complaints (ICs) as they are used among speakers of American English in and around the University of Pennsylvania community. Indirect complaint is defined as the expression of dissatisfaction to an interlocutor about oneself or someone/something that is not present. It differs from direct complaint in that the addressee is not held responsible for the perceived offense. The study looked specifically at the interlocutor attributes that favor the appearance of three types of ICs as well as six types of responses. ICs were studied as a function of three sociolinguistic variables: gender, relative social status and social distance. The approach to the collection and analysis of the data was through participant/observation. Categories emerged from the data analysis. In addition, an ethnographic interview was conducted in order to uncover tacit knowledge of native informants about the specific speech behavior in order to corroborate or more clearly understand the findings from the analysis of spontaneous instances of ICs in conversation.

Indirect complaints were found to be ubiquitous in the ordinary social conversation of members of the speech community. Topics upon which ICs focused varied from the most innocuous (e.g. the weather) to the very serious (e.g. illness, divorce). The variables of gender and social distance emerged as having the strongest effect on ICs and response types. Regardless of the topic that initiated the sequence, the vast majority of IC exchanges (approximately 75%) were found to have a positive social function that enabled a sense of rapport to be established between participants based on a shared view. Both women and friends/acquaintances participated most in IC sequences in which a sense of solidarity was established, but strangers also were found to seek commonalities through the use of ICs in casual conversation. Implications for TESOL pedagogy are drawn.

Notes:

Thesis (Ph.D. in Education) -- Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, 1991.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-03, Section: A, page: 0825.

Supervisor: John Fought.

Local Notes:

School code: 0175.

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.