Copyright by Vivian Flanzer 2019
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Copyright by Vivian Flanzer 2019 The Dissertation Committee for Vivian Flanzer Certifies that this is the approved version of the following Dissertation: The pragmatics of greetings and leave-takings in Brazil and the United States: A cross-cultural study Committee: Dale April Koike, Supervisor Almeida JaCqueline Toribio Orlando R. Kelm Carl S. Blyth Ana Maria Carvalho The pragmatics of greetings and leave-takings in Brazil and the United States: A cross-cultural study by Vivian Flanzer Dissertation Presented to the FaCulty of the Graduate SChool of The University of Texas at Austin in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Texas at Austin December 2019 Dedication To my daughters Acknowledgements My deepest gratitude goes to my advisor, Dale Koike, who several years ago invited me to Collaborate on a Cross-Cultural investigation that introduced me to the field of pragmatiCs. That fasCinating study, whiCh Compared Brazilian and AmeriCan habits through a Cultural survey, encouraged me to expand this line of work, Culminating in this dissertation. Sharing with her the excitement of my disCoveries and seeing her enthusiasm in our Conversations about my data enriChed this long and arduous process. I thank Dale for her valuable feedbaCk, for trusting me to find my own way, and for all she has taught me over the years. If I am here now, it is beCause of her. My dissertation Committee offered incisive suggestions for my dissertation proposal. I would also like to thank eaCh member individually for the different ways in whiCh they have supported my Career path. I had the pleasure to study with Almeida JaCqueline Toribio, whose insights and generosity have illuminated my life in so many ways, and who was always there for me. Orlando Kelm has been a true mentor since my first day at UT, supportive of all important moments of my Career, and an incredible team player. I am grateful to Carl Blyth for our disCussions of this dissertation’s methodology and for the wonderful opportunity to publish my book through COERLL. Ana Maria Carvalho generously offered her expertise and skillfulness in reviewing the English and Portuguese versions of my questionnaires, whiCh are the baCkbone of this study. My sincere gratitude goes to the 51 university professors who reCruited partiCipants for my survey in Brazil and in the U.S. and their 488 students who agreed to partiCipate. Without them, this study could not have been done. I thank the Chairs, the faCulty, and the staff in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. Department Chairs NiCk Shumway, Jill Robbins, Jossianna Arroyo-Martinez v and Jorge Perez all offered unConditional support for my graduate studies. My departmental Colleagues, too many to list individually here, showed solidarity and encouragement. A speCial thanks to Laura Rodriguez, who is immensely kind and has a quiCk solution for every type of administrative matter. I am also grateful to LLILAS, and espeCially to Virginia Garrard and Megan SCarborough, for baCking my professional endeavors. I learned invaluable skills from faCulty in other departments, such as Jürgen StreeCk and Elizabeth Keating, who graCiously gave me adviCe on parts of this projeCt. Clara Goebel volunteered to pilot-test the first version of the questionnaire, and gave me insights from the students’ perspeCtive. I am very fortunate to have friends and family that love and understand me. Denise, Helena, Antonio, Simone, Marcia, Paola, Laura, and SCott were happy for me when things looked great, and let me vent for hours when they didn't. Claudia, the sister I never had, was always by my side. My longtime Brazilian friends Marianne and PatriCia (oi amigaaaaaas!) were often with me, via WhatsApp, to disCuss aspeCts of this dissertation and went out of their way to help. VeroniCa Sardegna offered savvy adviCe and reassured me when I doubted myself. Katy ConneCts me with my inner strength and happiness. I thank my grandparents, in memoriam, for their endless carinho and a Childhood enriChed by many languages and Cultures. Tio Mig is the best uncle ever. Marina volunteered to assist on data ClassifiCation for an entire summer. I am grateful to my brothers and to my sisters- in-law for their companheirismo, and for the million times they entertained my kids so I Could work. My kind mother-in-law provided a sympathetiC ear and a nurturing environment to work. Most of all, I thank my parents for their love and support, for teaChing me to be a hard worker, to think outside of the box, and to never give up. I am blessed to have Seth, my husband and best friend, in my life. His Compassion, integrity, and intelleCt are an inspiration, and his irreverent sense of humor fills our home vi with joy. WatChing our daughters grow up has been the most rewarding experience. Marina and Ana Clara not once Complained about my work Commitment. Instead, they gave me the love and the devotion to pursue this intelleCtual journey, and I am grateful for their understanding. I couldn’t be prouder of my daughters and I dediCate this work to them. vii Abstract The pragmatics of greetings and leave-takings in Brazil and the United States: A cross-cultural study Vivian Flanzer, Ph.D. The University of Texas at Austin, 2019 Supervisor: Dale April Koike This dissertation examines the Cultural norms involved in greetings and leave- takings in different situations of social interaCtion as reported by university students from Brazil and the United States, investigating the differences and similarities between these norms in the two Countries and if the gender of the speaker influences verbal and/or nonverbal behavior in greetings and leave-takings. Using aspeCts of pragmatiCs, sociolinguistiCs, and the model of frame (Terkourafi, 2005a), and following the studies of Koike and LaCorte (2017), Moraes (2001) and SChneider (2012a), I Created a Cultural survey that was answered by 182 AmeriCans and 178 Brazilians. My findings show that the AmeriCan and Brazilian students reported using the same greeting and leave-taking forms, indiCating that they share a similar Cultural frame regarding these speeCh aCts. However, the results showed that, in most situations, the frequencies of these forms vary in both groups, suggesting that the AmeriCans and Brazilians have different Cultural norms and expeCtations regarding the realization of these greetings and leave-takings. A Comparison of these data shows that the Brazilian university students reported a higher tendency than their AmeriCan Counterparts to use Body viii Language and Vocatives in greetings and leave-takings, and Pre-Closures in leave-takings. The AmeriCans, on the other hand, tended to mention Positive Comments in leave-takings and Status Questions in greetings. CritiCally, I found that these tendencies differ in terms of frequencies and/or linguistiC realization aCCording to the levels of social distance between the interaCtants. This knowledge is important for Cross-Cultural CommuniCation beCause it is through the ChoiCes of speCifiC greeting and leave-taking forms and types of verbal and nonverbal expression that speakers sustain their relationships and display their identities. Moreover, this study reveals that gender variation does not play a major role in greetings and leave-takings for these students, indiCating that a Change might be underway toward more gender equality in both societies among this age group. By revealing the norms and expeCtations of speeCh Communities in different situations of interaCtion, this large Cross-Cultural pragmatiCs study helps dispel blanket statements and stereotypes about peoples and cultures. ix Table of Contents List of Tables ................................................................................................................. xviii List of Figures .................................................................................................................. xxi Chapter 1: Introduction .......................................................................................................1 1.1 How Brazilians and AmeriCans perceive eaCh other when Greeting and Leave-Taking ........................................................................................................3 1.2 Defining Greetings and Leave-takings .................................................................8 1.3 Variation in greetings and leave-takings ............................................................13 1.3.1 Cross-Cultural variation ........................................................................14 1.3.2 Social distance .....................................................................................16 1.3.3 Gender variation ..................................................................................18 1.4 Body language in greetings and leave-takings ...................................................19 1.5 Functions of greetings and leave-takings ............................................................22 1.6 Terms of address .................................................................................................26 1.7 TheoretiCal baCkground ......................................................................................29 1.7.1 The notions of expeCtations, appropriateness, and social norms .........29 1.7.2 Defining frame (and cultural models) ..................................................33 1.7.3 The individual and the society .............................................................35 1.7.4 Frames and