Professional Documents
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Involvement
ceskoslovenskci akademie vPd, ristav pro jazyk Ees& LetensM 4, Praha I, Maid Strana, Czech Republic
Abstract
In section 1, the ways in which people are involved with their own language are dealt with.
The Prague School functional concept of experiencing ones language (being a parallel to
involvement) is presented, and the following points discussed: different attitudes of users
toward language, characteristic features of their involvement with the text processes of speaking-writing and listening-reading,
and the range of different experiential modes implied in
the users involvement. Section 2 is devoted to emotion as the most typical and natural manifestation of peoples involvement in language. Emotion is treated as a specific dimension of
the human mind and experience; its vast field is surveyed and contrasted with the dimension
of cognition. The two dimensions (or, rather, aspects) are interwoven and mutually conditioned, both in our life and in linguistic expression. Further, the ways emotion enters discourse, and various types and means of its manifestation in communication are examined.
Moreover, different functional positions of emotion in communication are discussed, and also
a brief comparison of the emotional content of speech and music is sketched.
1. The ways in which people are involved with their own language
I .I. Experiencing (actual living through) ones language - A Prague School equivalent to involvement with language
The phenomenon
of language (understood here as a system as well as discourse
processes) is an object of a special kind, since, in contradistinction
to the majority of
other objects in the world, and to other instruments
or tools used by people, it is
internal to our mind and personality.
It forms an integral part of our private and
social life. We are immersed
in it; it represents the environment
and space in
which we live and move; it belongs, so to speak, to our very being. Language is not
alien or indifferent for us, but we are attached to it, though in a different way from
our attachment to most things external to our beings. Consequently,
the object of
* The present discussion is based, in parts, on two earlier papers by the same author, DaneS 1987 and
1991. Additionally I found a closely related approach in Amdt and Janney 1991.
0378-2166/94/$07.0001994 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved
SSDI 0378-2166(93)E0099-L
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linguistics is not only language as structure referring to denotated reality, but also
language in its relation to man (cf. Cmejrkova, 1992: 57).
Such an approach to language was peculiar to the founder of the Prague Linguistic Circle, Mathesius (1971, 1975), who characterized the new, functionalist trend in
linguistics as follows: it understands language as something living; behind the
words, it feels the speaker or writer, whose intention prompted these words, and it is
aware of the fact that in the majority of cases, these words aim at a hearer or reader
(1971:2).
A younger colleague of his, Trnka, in his significant lecture Linguistics and the
ideological structure of the period (1966 [1940]), elaborated this view by postulating the concept of experiencing language (original Czech wording proiivcini
jazyka; literally translated, actual living through ones language), which is, in his
opinion, an indispensable counterpart of language that permeates all levels of a language system (1966: 162). It is only by being experienced that the logically structured mechanism of language, for the most part very complex, becomes a functional
totality, which is satisfactorily verifiable, being immediately given (1966: 163).
Further, Tmka points to the importance of language experience for the explication of
certain linguistic phenomena. His revealing formulation deserves to be quoted here:
Unequal degrees of language experience give rise to zones of different depths,
which also have different structural developments. Differences in experiencing language are responsible, for instance, for the different developments of the dialect and
the standard language, or, for that matter, of domestic and foreign elements of the
vocabulary. Without considering language experience, one could not imagine how a
certain language system could, to different degrees, influence other systems, or why
that system could not only take over some items of some other language, in the quality of intentional foreignisms, structurally differentiated from the native elements in
the background, but even, on other occasions, regard as preferable a complete assimilation of such elements (1966: 163).
Echoing Ballys concern for emotional aspects of language, Tmka states that his
concept of experiencing language has a broader meaning, because it includes the
experiencing not only of affective but also of intellectual elements of language
(1966: 163). He also reminds us of the fact - a typical one - that some scholars are
more inclined to analyze system and lay particular stress on the postulate of
absolute regularity of language phenomena, while others (e.g. Bally and Mathesius)
prefer to observe language experience and speak only of trends and tendencies
(1966: 164).
The above-mentioned Prague functionalist approach (a pragmatic one, in recent
wording) of Mathesius and Trnka could be briefly characterized by the modified
Latin dictum, Expel/as hominem lingua, tamen usque recurret.
1.2. General aspects of language-users involvement with language
Experiencing language might possibily be regarded as involvement with language. There is scarcely en exact equivalent for the English term involvement
(with). The German Erlebnis, erleben, fully corresponds to Trnkas Czech term
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variety of manifestations of the involvement which the speaker has with his or her
audience (1982: 48). Chafes conception is evidently narrow and one-sided; the
characteristic features he adduces, appear as more or less incidental and heterogeneous (due to his rather limited material basis). Moreover, his detachment features
might preferably be treated as devices of a condensed style (cf. the notion of complex condensation, suggested by Mathesius, 1975, and elaborated by Vachek,
1961).
As I have mentioned above, involvement should preferably be treated as a field of
gradience between two poles. This old claim of mine is supported by Katriel and
Dascal (1989), who, moreover, propose two general types of speaker-involvement,
namely topical involvement and interactional involvement, both related to the
speakers attentional orientation (1989: 285ff.). I find this conception plausible
(though the recourse only to attention seems somewhat narrow to me), and one has
to agree that involvement is usually a behaviorally complex phenomenon combining indicators related to a number of communicative channels. At times, much of the
burden of the display can rest with the language used (1989: 289).
Nevertheless, all the above-mentioned approaches to involvement one-sidedly
account for the speaker (producer) only, leaving the hearers (recipients) side
unconsidered. This default (unfortunately, not a rare one) is at variance with a basic
postulate of text linguistics, viz. to take into account both of the discourse participants, and both in the same measure, as well as to distinguish the position of the
third element, namely the linguistic analyst and interpreter (who appears as a
specific kind of recipient, equipped with expert knowledge and following certain
specific goals). Any statement in text linguistics should be relativized to these
participants.
It is evident that the recipients involvement does not represent a simple mirror
image of the producers. Let us imagine, for instance, a poet writing a poem, and a
reader of it or a hearer of it (in which latter case, a third participant, the reciting person, appears as a mediator, and complicates the situation; cf. the musical performer
mentioned in section 3). Without doubt, the processes of experiencing a poem going
on in the writer and reader (hearer), respectively, are different in many respects; they
follow, in part, different particular experiential courses. And also the global experiential content, especially the emotional purport of a poem on the side of the reader,
will certainly not be identical with that of the author-this follows, after all, from the
hermeneutic approach to text interpretation.
The reason why the study of involvement usually starts from the text producer is
only that the analyst is convinced that it can be more easily deduced from certain linguistic properties of the text (as indicators of the text-producers involvement
processes). There is an old tradition in stylistics of approaching a text by questioning
why the author employed this or that means of expression. Nevertheless, the question of how the recipient processes the text, and what interpretation she or he makes,
is equally legitimate, though less evident and more difficult (in spite of the fact that
we perform as interpreters no less frequently than as producers). But we can hardly
dispense here with psycholinguistic research, in which our introspective observations
may also be accounted for.
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12.3. The range of different experiential modes implied in the users involvement
People experience language in a number of different ways, at different depths, and
with varying intensity, not only because of their individual characters and biases, but
also, as a rule, in response to different aspects and parts of the phenomenon of language, perceived in different situations, in different momentary personal states.
According to Hermans (1974: 14), the notion of experiencing implicitly comprises
numerous more specific experiential modes, referred to under such labels as perception, imagination, fantasy, intuition, thought, etc. Thus, we may assume
that the whole range of such modes takes part in language involvement, too. Due
to the omnipresence of emotion (for any stimulus is said to have an emotional value,
see further below), involvement will often be more or less identified with emotion.
Nevertheless, volitional and conative elements play an important part in involvement
as well. Thus, the very process of verbal communication is, in fact, based on the
speakers intention (decision, will) to convey something to an addressee, as well as
on the addressees wish (desire, will, conation) to listen to the speaker and to learn
what he or she is going to convey. And in a number of illocutionary and perlocutionary forces or functions of utterances associated with speakers intentions and
modifying them, volition and conation are implied (cf. also Dascal, 1991: 39; as for
the cognitive mode, see section 2 below).
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ception of knowledge and cognition, where the relevant criterion is not accuracy of
representation, but the ability of the knower to play sucessfully the social game of
justification (1991: 39). Moreover, some philosophers (e.g., the outstanding Czech
thinker Jan PatoEka) remind us that there exist more profound and secret contents of
the mind, which either lack the necessary minimum of generality, or are not capable
of being symbolized or grasped in a figurative way. It may be that the complex
suprasegmental phonic (vocal) component of speech utterances contains, in certain
instances, just some signals of these secret contents of the mind - an inmost and
pure experiencing, something in which one is deeply involved.
From the statement that any stimulus has both factually informative and emotional
values, we may deduce the ubiquity of emotion, with due consequences for the
domain of language use, be it communicative use or mental use (cf. Dascal and
Francozo, 1988/89).
On the one hand, emotion represents one major linguistic function and, seen from
the other side, it finds in language specific means of manifestation (though not only in
language, to be sure; cf. extralinguistic devices such as gesturing, facial expressions,
gaze, etc.). Primarily, emotion is manifested in acoustically produced and received
utterances, which combine an old, phylogenetically continuous system of non-verbal
affect signalling and a linguistic system capable of expressing affective meaning
(Scherer and Bergmann, 1984: 72). This vast domain of non-verbal vocal signals comprises, in fact, a broad transitional zone between the sign system of a language and the
more or less universal world of nonlinguistic vocal features. And it is just the old continuous vocal system (the linguistic component of which is often vaguely labelled
intonation) that is primarily and mainly subservient to emotional manifestation.
This phenomenon represents the most elementary (primitive), least specified,
and most natural linguistic means of expression. It is relatively widespread and relatively resistant to language changes; it is acquired by the child relatively early, and
is relatively less affected by aphasic disturbances (sometimes it is the last language
feature that remains preserved with an aphatic) (cf. also the notion of naturalness
suggested and developed by Dressler, Wurzel, and Mayerthaler in Dressler, 1989).
Let us add that Scherers statement points to the so-called dichotic explanation of
speech production and reception, based on the functional asymmetry of the human
brain. Another important assumption is that our brain functions as a hybrid mechanism, with both digital (yes-no) and analog (more-less) coding. Thus, everything in speech that is in connection with articulated (segmental) speech on the levels of phonemes, syllables, words, and sentences will be coded digitally, whereas
everything that is connected with music, mood, and emotion will be coded in the
analog way. Now, from the dichotic and hybrid character of speech processes, we
get, on the one hand, the very rich employment of suprasegmental features in the
domain of emotion, and, on the other hand, the graded character of intonational and
other suprasegmental vocal devices which multiply the functional possibilities of this
means of expression (often functioning in an iconic manner). Moreover, the fact that
the suprasegmental domain represents a field of gradience bears directly on the phenomenon of involvement, which genuinely implies degrees, i.e., is a degree-concept (cf. Katriel and Dascal, 1989: 286).
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The fact that grammarians have, in the main, not paid systematic attention to this
second, but integral, semiotic domain of language, is one of the reasons why the
omnipresence of emotion in discourse has not been fully reflected in linguistic
description. Further causes of this negligence may be adduced: the prevailing interest in graphic monological texts (more precisely, isolated sentences out of a concrete
context); the focus on la langue; the primary concern with cognitive (conceptual)
elements, as well as the negligence of pragmatics.
From the fact of the ubiquity of emotion, it further follows that the traditional
assumption of the emotional neutrality of normal speech utterances, and the treatment of emotionally colored items as something special or marked (if not deviant
from the norm), should be abandoned. We must rather assume that any utterance or
higher discourse unit has an emotional value in its communicative situation, both on
the producers and the receivers side (though not necessarily for both of them in a
given case, or in the same measure). Thus, even the alleged absence of emotional
involvement represents, in fact, an instance of the category of emotional state, and
an utterance of this nature may carry - in certain contexts - a high emotional value.
To be sure, human communication has a plurichannel nature, so that extralinguistic
features relevant to the signaling of emotion should also be accounted for, as long as
they are synchronized with the linguistic component proper, which, together with
them, forms a complex, functional totality. Language is not a self-contained system,
and its structure reckons with non-linguistic components of communication (cf.
also Uhlenbeck, 1973).
2.2. Characteristic features of emotion
Since there is no commonly accepted determination and classification of the vast
and vague field of emotion, it appears appropriate to include in it not only shorttime arousals and not acute and interruptive states (moods and feelings) (cf.
Simon, 1982: 334), but also more cognitive emotions (cf. Scherer, 1986), evaluative/emotional attitudes (cf. Van Dijk, 1982: 35), and perhaps also some aspects
of personal traits. Emotions accompanying, or even implied by, opinions and by various kinds of illocutionary acts also deserve to be mentioned here.
Our decision to treat this whole gamut of related phenomena as a unique category
is substantiated by certain facts concerning their phonic manifestations: by means of
rather complex phonic signals, whole functional complexes may be manifested, in
which there will be amalgamated features of emotionality proper, emotional attitudes, and personality traits, together with the social categories of discourse participants, interpersonal relations, and some other pragmatic features (cf. DaneS, 1985).
Emotions will be experienced, shown (manifested), and also named (so that people can talk about them). There are labels for particular emotions in any natural language (a contrastive linguistic analysis of them could be rewarding). But they are
rather imprecise and do not map emotional states very systematically (Scherer,
1986: 146). Thus, it is advisable to work preferably with a small number of different dimensions; Osgoods (and Wundts) well-known triad - evaluation, activation,
and potency - represents one such possibility. It is rather an empirical question how
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of dialogue (e.g., between teacher and student, patient and doctor), debate, or conversation, is evident, and is often of significance; the same holds for contact between
a speaker or actor and his audience, and the like, In all such cases, we have to do
with mutual influence, with feedback - and let us add that these two emotional functions often occur simultaneously (though in different dominance relations).
Secondly, we have to distinguish spontaneous manifestations of emotion, and the
strategic employment of them.
Seen from the producers side, we might (according to Mathesius) reckon with the
following possibilities. First, the speaker manifests (or, more adequately, reveals,
shows) his/her emotion automatically, fully spontaneously. Second, the speaker
wants to canceal his/her emotion, and tries to suppress it, but nevertheless involuntarily lets it out (the emotion will then be revealed by various features of the
speakers utterance and/or other communicative behavior). Third, emotion is manifested by the speaker intentionally (communicated in the true sense). In this last
case, the emotion may be either genuine, really experienced by the producer, or
merely performed; i.e., the speaker may want to influence the hearer or a third person, to achieve a desired effect, or to present him/herself in a certain light. A special
and typical emotional strategy is the producers endeavor to elicit a certain emotional
state or attitude in the recipient, or to change the recipients current state. In any language there is a set of expressions labelling such changes (enrage, horrify, soothe,
etc.). Of course, the performance of emotions is based on the presupposition that
there is a more or less stable correlation between the given emotion and a set of
means for its manifestation. To what measure such correlations are really conventionalized (especially in the vocal domain), is an open question,
As we have already mentioned above, the demonstration (or even experiencing) of
emotion is controlled by differing socio-cultural norms. There are societies where
the demonstration of emotions is rather damped by the norms, while in other communities, a clear expression of emotion (especially on specific occasions) is flatly
required; there are differences according to various emotional spheres or types of
communication, and there may also be certain emotional taboos; we also find psychological and idiosyncratic differences among individuals or groups, differences on
the sexual and age axes, etc.
2.6. The emotional course of a discourse
The cognitive aspect of discourse reveals a multilevel, hierarchical structuring, interpreted in terms of concepts, propositions, and their mutual relations. Should we now
assume an analogical organization of emotion in discourse? In view of the specific
nature of emotions, such a structural organization is hardly to be expected. It would
probably be more plausible to assume an emotional course of discourse (its emotional
profile), involving two kinds of nexuses between particular emotional states/processes
- namely, progressive and regressive - as well as processes such as those of augmentation, amplification/diminution, cumulation, and emotional state transition or leap.
An analogy to music might appear revealing. The content of works of music is
considered emotional in essence. The emotional experiencing (involvement) on the
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side of the composer and of the recipient (as well as of the mediating musical performer) represent the core and sense of any music. Undoubtedly, musical works
show special structural patterning of their own, created and expressed by means of
purely musical features and forms. Now, even though the suprasegmental vocal features of natural languages are, in essence, similar (and therefore sometimes called
musical, especially intonation, rhythm, dynamics, movement, coloring of voice,
sound), their actual shape, structuring, and especially their semiotic position is different in several respects (even though the semiotic character of music, now often
discussed, has not yet been fully clarified). The most relevant difference may be seen
in the segmental verbal base, on the level of both form and function. The suprasegmental second semiotic system of language exists, in fact, as a parasitic, or, more
precisely, a symbiotic, component. It is not independent and self-determined, in
contradistinction to the systemic core of non-vocal music. If this is so, we may
expect that the emotional aspect of the overall content of discourse will also evolve
in correspondence with notional structures in a symbiotic manner, that is, in functional cooperation, complementation, and mutual interaction.
Taking into consideration the structures of that special kind of music which contains natural language as its integral component, namely vocal music, we may ascertain evident similarities between these musical works and natural language discourses. Also in vocal music we find two parallel, though not mutually indifferent,
semiotic systems, and, as McClleland (1990: 199) truly states, the analysis of vocal
music will show how the music alters the way we grasp the words, and the way the
words have determined some part of the shape of music. In fact, music will often
be regarded as a kind of cultivation, idealization, systematization, or stylization of the musical substance of speech.
At the end of our discussion of emotion, a warning remark should be added. The
metaphorical spatial labels suprasegmental and (segmental) base might wrongly
suggest that emotion, conveyed by suprasegmental features, is an additional element
to the message - being located somewhere supra/over its notional substance. Emotion, however, does not constitute a level or layer (once more spatial metaphors!),
but an aspect - and a substantial and omnipresent one - of the message conveyed by
an utterance. It is a specific aspect of the overall linguistic behavior of speech participants, that permeates the whole discourse, which is thus imbued with it. And it
belongs to the specificity of emotion that it is experiential and interactional, rather
than communicative.
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