Stance-taking across monologic and dialogic modes of academic speech

Abstract

The present study attempts to investigate the use of stance metadiscourse expressions found in two modes of academic speech, namely monologic seminars and dialogic discussions. Following Hyland’s classification of stance metadiscourse, the two datasets were analysed and compared in terms of frequency and functions of stance markers used. The findings showed that speakers in discussion sections made more frequent use of stance markers because of the existence of an interaction for which speakers explicitly attempted to stamp their discoursal self and express their voice. As for the discourse functions, hedges were found to be more frequent in seminars than in discussions, while self-mentions were more prevalent in discussions than in seminars. The results also suggested that the function of a few linguistic features was specific to only one of the spoken modes; for example, the attitude verb ‘agree’ and the paralinguistic feature of ‘pauses’ were typical of discussion sections. The findings of this study can be discussed in terms of familiarising novice and English non-native speakers with the metadiscursive features of seminar presentations and discussion sections, that is, to see how interlocutors in these two oral modes take a stance and project themselves into their arguments.