The Grammar of Interactives

This book explores interactive grammar, a domain of discourse processing that contrasts with sentence grammar in its functions and structural behavior. It identifies ten types of interactives, such as attention signals, directives, and social formulae, and shows that speakers use two contrasting modes for structuring their discourses: one is sentence grammar, which has a propositional format and analytic organization, and the other is interactive grammar, which has a holophrastic organization and a focus on social communication. This distinction is related to findings from neurolinguistic studies and social psychology.

Format: Hardback
Length: 480 pages
Publication date: 31 January 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press

This captivating book delves into a realm of discourse processing known as interactive grammar, drawing upon a comprehensive analysis of grammatical descriptions from over 100 diverse languages spoken worldwide. While previous research has often relegated interactive grammar to a relatively marginal position within language, Bernd Heine presents it as a distinct category that stands in contrast to sentence grammar, both in its functions and structural behavior. He identifies ten distinct types of interactives, which encompass extra-clausal expressions of linguistic discourse, including attention signals, directives, discourse markers, evaluatives, ideophones, interjections, response elicitors, response signals, social formulae, and vocatives. Through meticulous analysis, Heine unveils that speakers employ two contrasting modes for structuring their discourses, both of which are essential for effective communication. The first mode is sentence grammar, characterized by a propositional format and analytic organization. The second mode is interactive grammar, distinguished by a holophrastic organization and a strong emphasis on social communication. While the argument structure of sentence grammar is shaped by the logical format of sentences, interactive grammar is influenced by the indexical nature of the discourse situation. This distinction yields intriguing correlations with findings from neurolinguistic studies on differential activity in the two hemispheres of the human brain and with observations from social psychology regarding the differences between systems of reasoning and judgment. By exploring these interconnections, this book offers a profound understanding of the complex dynamics of language and communication, shedding light on the intricate interplay between grammar, cognition, and social interaction.

Weight: 864g
Dimension: 241 x 165 x 34 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192871497