Examining the use of reflexive metadiscourse in the construction of affiliative communication in group email requests

Bibliographic Data

ID21201142
AuthorsJamie Mckeown (0000-0002-1744-7007, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume14
Issue6
Pages824-843
Publication date2023-11-10
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePragmatics and Society (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1878-9714 • E-ISSN: 1878-9722
PublisherJohn Benjamins Publishing Company (PUBLISHER • NL)
DOI10.1075/ps.21006.mck
OpenAlexW4362664135
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited29

This qualitative study examines how male-identified and female-identified individuals use reflexive metadiscourse in the construction of affiliative communication, i.e., a mode of communication traditionally coded as feminine. Specifically, it examines requests made in the public context of group email. Both reflexive metadiscourse and affiliative communication are analysed with the concept of indexicality, and two novel sub-categories (i.e., directing and committing) are added to an existing taxonomy. The findings show that whether communicating to institutional subordinates, equals, or superiors, female-identified and male-identified senders displayed great similarity in their use of reflexive metadiscourse in the construction of affiliative communication. Amongst other things, reflexive metadiscourse indirectly indexed the following communicative behaviours associated with affiliative communication: sharing contextual information, expressing supportive feedback, constructing diminutive personas, and suppressing personal agency. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of the findings and directions for future research

Indexicality · Linguistics · Metadiscourse · Reflexivity · Repertoire · Sociology · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Digital Communication and Language · Language, Discourse, Communication Strategies · Psychology · Social Psychology

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