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Article published In: Revista Española de Lingüística Aplicada/Spanish Journal of Applied Linguistics
Vol. 34:2 (2021) ► pp.712–738

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Revisited interpretation of Ta’ārof

Towards a model of analysing meta-implicatures of Persian offers in Iranian films

 | University of Ottawa
Published online: 15 December 2021
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/resla.19017.yaq
Abstract
Speech acts used in doing ta’ārof (Iranian system of politeness) have been conceptualized in terms of both positive (i.e. sincere or genuine) and negative (i.e. ritual or ostensible) meanings. This study aimed to revisit the interpretation of the negative meaning by concentrating on ta’ārof (ritual) offers produced by characters in Iranian films. First, these items were identified and distinguished from their genuine counterparts based on the strategies used in their structures and analysing their contextual features respectively. Then, the researcher proposed a model in which she adopted the notion of Leech, G. (1983). Principles of Pragmatics. London: Longman Group Limited.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar meta-implicature (indirect implicature) to explicate the negative meaning of ta’ārof offers. She grouped a series of effective factors in working out these meta-implicatures. Finally, a tentative hierarchy of stages for identification and interpretation of ta’ārof offers in Iranian films were proposed.
Resumen
Interpretación revisada de Ta’ārof: Hacia un modelo de análisis de metaimplicaciones de las ofertas Persas en el cine Iraní
Los actos de habla usados para hacer ta’ārof (sistema iraní de cortesía) han sido conceptualizados en términos de significados tanto positivos (i. e. sinceros o genuinos) como negativos (i. e. rituales o ostensibles). El objetivo de este estudio era volver a examinar la interpretación de ta’ārof con un significado negativo concentrándose en las ofertas ta’ārof (rituales) producidas por personajes de películas iraníes. En primer lugar, estos elementos fueron identificados y distinguidos de sus contrapartes genuinas en base a las estrategias utilizadas en sus estructuras y analizando sus características contextuales respectivamente. Luego, la investigadora presentó un modelo en el que adoptó la noción de la metaimplicación de Leech, G. (1983). Principles of Pragmatics. London: Longman Group Limited.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar (implicación indirecta) para explicar el significado negativo de las ofertas de ta’ārof. Ella agrupó una serie de factores efectivos en la elaboración de estas meta-implicaciones. Por último, se sugirió una jerarquía tentativa de etapas para la identificación e interpretación de las ofertas de ta’ārof en las películas iraníes.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Studies on Persian Offers
    • 1.2Cultural concepts relevant to Ta’ārof
    • 1.3Notion of Meta-Implicature
  • 2.Method
  • 3.Results and data analysis
    • 3.1Offer of money
    • 3.2Compliment response
    • 3.3Other features
  • 4.Discussion and conclusion
  • References
References (49)
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