Asztalos, Anikó

Phatic linguistic elements of teacher discourse in classroom discourse

 

The topic of this paper is the analysis of the phatic linguistic elements in teacher discourse. The phatic function is the inherent, primary function of language, contributing to the establishment, maintenance and closure of the relationship between teacher and students in classroom discourse. The aim of the research described here is to observe the types of verbal phatic elements in teachers′ speech turns. Based on the annotation and segmentation of video recordings of 12 Hungarian language lessons, the study presents the general characteristics of classroom discourse and differentiates the types of phatic verbal elements in teachers′ speech. The linguistic examples confirm that the phatic linguistic elements in classroom discourse are related to all types of teacher utterances and can be observed in teacher evaluations, questions and explanations. Individual speech rituals and habitual patterns can be identified in the occurrence of the phatic language elements. The results revealed in this study may be useful for further analyses by both practicing teachers and researchers of classroom discourse.