ACLC Seminar | Wu Peng (Jiangsu University/ILIAS) – Online
Peng Wu, Professor of Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, Jiangsu University, is the guest speaker at the online ACLC seminar on Friday 4 June 2021 from 16:15 till 17:30.
Please contact aclc-fgw@uva.nl to join the seminar.
Title
The uncompromising confrontational style of the spokespersons’ argumentative replies at the regular press conferences of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Abstract
Starting from van Eemeren’s expose of the theoretical notion “argumentative style” (2019:153-171), in this talk, I hold that each of the four discussion stages of an argumentative exchange in a certain institutional context could have its own distinctive style, while all of them may belong to the same category of a certain argumentative style (for instance the detached style or engaged style). The styles of the four discussion stages could be different from each other due to the particular argumentative function each discussion stage serves and the institutional preconditions that constrain the arguer’s strategic maneuvering in a particular discussion stage. In this talk, I will focus on the uncompromising confrontational style prominently/prototypically used by the spokespersons in responding to journalists, which is prototypically characterized by argumentative moves constituting strategies of silencing the other party, distracting the other party, and pressurizing the other party. Illustrated by a detailed analysis of three argumentative replies given by Chinese spokespersons, I intend to show how this particular confrontational style actually takes shape and in what way it facilitates the spokespersons’ confrontational maneuvering.
Key words
Argumentative style; confrontational maneuvering; diplomatic spokesperson; regular press conference of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; strategic maneuvering