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Metadiscourse is a ubiquitous phenomenon in modern "communication culture" (Cameron 2000: viii). People comment reflexively on language in use, thus negotiating meanings and norms of communication. For that purpose, they use a variety of linguistic devices, ranging from discourse markers and various forms of reported speech to lengthy discussions about the way they have been talking with each other. This course will introduce different conceptualizations of the term 'metadiscourse', define major forms and functions of metadiscourse, and analyse instances of "talk-about-talk" in various genres. |
