A Basic Course in Anthropological Linguistics (Studies in Linguistic ...

You can stroke people with words.
E Scott Fitzgerald (1 896-1 940)
PRELIMINARY REMARKS
In the previous four chapters the focus has been mainly on the internal workings
of language, that is, on how the bits and pieces cohere together to produce
forms and structures that bear meanings. In a word, the emphasis has been on
langue.
However, the scientific analysis of language would not be complete if we
stopped at this point. Language is a highly adaptive and context-sensitive
instrument that is shaped by forces that are largely external to it. Its forms and
rules are not only intertwined with each other, but are also highly susceptible
to the subtle influences that discourse situations have on them. In a phrase, the
internal structures of language are pliable entities that are responsive to social
situations. Langue and parole are really two sides of the same coin, rather than
separate dimensions. The focus in this chapter shifts to parole.
CONVERSATIONAL DEVICES
Consider the following snippets of dialogue, each of which shows how a 17-
year-old high school student would say good-bye:
Good-bye to his English teacher:
Good-bye to his mother:
Good-bye to a peer:
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Good-bye, sir!
See ya’ later, ma!
I gotta split, man!