Friday 24 June 2016

Presenting Unsupported Claims As A Survey: Status & Lexis

Martin (1992: 529):
Table 7.10. Aspects of the realisation of unequal status
Unequal status
non-reciprocity
[grammar foregrounded]
dominate
defer
lexis
explicit bodily functions
euphemise

swearing
tempered swearing



Blogger Comments:

The claim here is that:
  • the lexis of "explicit bodily functions" and "swearing" construes the tenor feature 'dominate', whereas
  • the lexis of "euphemise" and "tempered swearing" construes the tenor feature 'defer'.
This claim can be falsified by a concrete example:
  • the lexis of "explicit bodily functions" and "swearing" of a handcuffed person being arrested by police is claimed to construe the tenor feature 'dominate', whereas
  • the lexis of "euphemise" and "tempered swearing" of the arresting officers is claimed to construe the tenor feature 'defer'.