Researchers in applied linguistics are increasingly focused on shifting modes of engagement, 'glocal' information flows, and superdiverse communicative styles. Metalanguage-or talk about talk-has proven to be an invaluable research lens in these complex settings, allowing researchers access to participants' "emic" interpretations of real-time interactional dynamics and social contexts. The reflexive nature of language-in-use is proving to be a rich analytical resource in, e.g., medical encounters, education spaces, and online spaces. However, an integrated theory of metalanguage as a research lens has yet to be developed. This symposium aims to aid in this development by answering the following questions: (a) How can metalanguage be used as a lens for revealing how interlocutors orient to, and interpret, situated communication? (b) How does metalanguage provide insights to changes in social relations over time? The first question is addressed in Subtheme 1: Metalanguage in synchronous discourse. We invite papers with a systematic focus on talk-about-talk in either real or virtual "face-to-face" interactions (e.g., those happening in real-time). The second question will be addressed in Subtheme 2: Metalanguage in asynchronous discourse. We invite papers that explore metalanguage in, e.g., policy discourse, online comments sections, social media, or other discourses taking place over time.
Researchers in applied linguistics are increasingly focused on shifting modes of engagement, 'glocal' information flows, and superdiverse communicative styles. Metalanguage-or talk about talk-has proven to be an invaluable research lens in these complex settings, allowing researchers access to participants' "emic" interpretations of real-time interactional dynamics and social contexts. The reflexive nature of language-in-use is proving to be a rich analytical resource in, e.g., medical encounters, education spaces, and online spaces. However, an integrated theory of metalanguage as a research lens has yet to be developed. This symposium aims to aid in this development by answering the following questions: (a) How can metalanguage be used as a lens for revealing how interlocutors orient to, and interpret, situated communication? (b) How does metalanguage provide insights to changes in social relations over time? The first question is addressed in Subtheme 1: Metalanguage in synchronous discourse. We invite papers with a systematic focus on talk-about-talk in either real or virtual "face-to-face" interactions (e.g., those happening in real-time). The second question will be addressed in Subtheme 2: Metalanguage in asynchronous discourse. We invite papers that explore metalanguage in, e.g., policy discourse, online comments sections, social media, or other discourses taking place over time.
Room 1 AILA 2021 aila2021@gcb.nl
Annelie Ädel
Elena Cotos
Ellen Bijvoet
Anne Larsen
Kristina LewisTechnical Issues?
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