Topic-based variation as both cognitive and agentive

Topic-based style-shifting refers to the variation pattern that, when people talk about a topic, they shift to a linguistic style which is associated with the topic. Most of the research on topic-based variation in read speech have not taken stance-taking into consideration. This study argues that stance-taking needs to be included in the analysis of topic-based variation, for reading something aloud is a practice where individuals engage with the message communicated in a text. This study looks at the socially salient variable /ʂ/ in Taiwan Mandarin, and how deaf speakers exploit this variable to perform their stances towards a passage concerned with the political relationship between hearing people and deaf signers. The findings show that participants who demonstrate a stance of deaf solidarity diverge from standard speech styles in their repertoires when reading the deaf passage.

基於話題的風格轉換是指當人們談論一個話題時，他們轉向與該話題連結的語言風格的一種變化模式。 大多數關於朗讀言談之基於話題的風格變化研究，並沒有考慮到說話者對於朗讀文本的立場。 本研究認為，在基於話題的風格變異分析中，必須納進說話者的立場。因為朗讀時，說話者亦與文本中傳達的訊息產生互動。 這項研究著眼於台灣華語中的社會顯著變項 /ʂ/（ㄕ），以及聽損者朗讀呈現聽人和聾人間政治關係的身份政治文本段落時，如何利用這個語言變項來表達他們對此文本的立場。 研究結果發現，對文本表現出團結立場的實驗參與者在閱讀此文本時，會在語言風格上偏離其個人風格庫中的標準說話風格。