In:Responding to Questions at Press Conferences: Confrontational maneuvering by Chinese spokespersons
Peng Wu
[Argumentation in Context 21] 2023
► pp. vii–x
Get fulltext
This article is available free of charge.
Published online: 22 March 2023
https://doi.org/10.1075/aic.21.toc
https://doi.org/10.1075/aic.21.toc
Table of contents
Preface
IX
Chapter 1.Introduction
1
1.1China’s MoFA’s regular press conferences
1
1.2Research on spokespersons’ replies
6
1.2.1Language style chosen by spokespersons
6
1.2.2Pragmatic strategies adopted by spokespersons
8
1.2.3Rhetorical devices selected by spokespersons
11
1.2.4Conclusion
14
1.3The pragma-dialectical approach to argumentation
16
1.4Research aims and questions
21
1.5Research method
24
1.6Organization of the study
26
Chapter 2.China’s MoFA’s press conferences as a communicative
activity type 30
activity type 30
2.1Introduction
30
2.2Institutional point and preconditions of the exchanges
31
2.3Argumentative characterization of the exchanges between
spokespersons and their audience 36
spokespersons and their audience 36
2.4Prototypical modes of confrontational maneuvering
39
Chapter 3.Confrontational maneuvering by dissociation
43
3.1Introduction
43
3.2Different perspectives on dissociation
44
3.3Dissociation as a mode of confrontational maneuvering
49
3.3.1“Distorted” Term I versus “authentic” Term II
50
3.3.2“Ambiguous” Term I versus “univocal” Term II
52
3.3.3“Broadened” Term I versus “exact” Term II
54
3.3.4“Narrowed” Term I versus “exact” Term II
55
3.4The strategic use of dissociation in making a convincing case
56
3.5Conclusion
60
Chapter 4.Confrontational maneuvering by personal attack
63
4.1Introduction
63
4.2Different perspectives on personal attacks/ad hominem
64
4.3Personal attacks as a mode of confrontational maneuvering
66
4.3.1Direct personal attacks
66
4.3.2Circumstantial personal attacks
71
4.3.3You Too personal attacks
73
4.4The strategic use of personal attack in making a convincing case
78
4.5Conclusion
84
Chapter 5.Confrontational maneuvering by declaring a standpoint
unallowed or indisputable 86
unallowed or indisputable 86
5.1Introduction
86
5.2A pragma-dialectical view of declaring a standpoint unallowed or indisputable
86
5.3Different subtypes of declaring a standpoint unallowed or indisputable
92
5.3.1Necessity Rationale
93
5.3.2Desirability Rationale
98
5.3.3Feasibility Rationale
102
5.4The strategic use of declaring a standpoint unallowed or indisputable in making a convincing case
106
5.5Conclusion
114
Chapter 6.Other modes of confrontational maneuvering
and combinations of modes 116
and combinations of modes 116
6.1Introduction
116
6.2Changing the topic of discussion
117
6.3Putting pressure on the other party
126
6.4Combining various modes of confrontational maneuvering
138
6.5Conclusion
145
Chapter 7.Uncompromising detached confrontational
argumentative style 147
argumentative style 147
7.1Introduction
147
7.2Argumentative style and confrontational argumentative style
148
7.3Argumentative moves representing an uncompromising detached style
150
7.4Strategic considerations in adopting an uncompromising detached style
154
7.5Conclusion
159
Chapter 8.Conclusion
161
8.1Main findings
162
8.2Implications of this study
171
8.3Suggestions for further research
174
References
177
Index
185
