Accusations and interpersonal conflict in televised multi-party interactions amongst speakers of (Argentinian and Peninsular) Spanish

Abstract

While there is a growing body of research on impoliteness and conflict talk, the role of accusations in interpersonal conflict has been only addressed in passing. In this paper, we focus on accusations in conflict talk amongst interactants who are in a situation demanding the formation of intimate relationships within a relatively short span of time, namely, the television reality show Big Brother. We examine, in particular, accusation sequences arising in multi-party interactions from the Argentinian and Spanish versions of the show. We analyse the ways in which assertions of fault or wrongdoing are construed as accusations through such responses as denials, counter-accusations and challenges, and the ways in which participants explicitly evaluate each other’s behaviour through such sequences. We conclude that accusations are designed primarily to enact moral denunciation or condemnation of another party, and so almost invariably occasion interpersonal disputes.

Insurance Discourse Analysis: Identifying Register Variables and Generic Stages in English Cross-border Complaint Calls

“…They investigated the usage of personal pronouns such as "you" and "your," modal adjuncts such as "can," "could," and "must," as well as the deployment of healthcare knowledge. The literature also demonstrates a growing interest in conflictual discourse among scholars, as evidenced by the studies conducted by Norrick (2013), Ardington (2013), Haugh and Sinkeviciute (2018), Kalbermatten (2018), Karafoti (2019), andGarcía-Gómez (2018). These studies have explored various aspects of conflict, including aggression, discourse patterns, accusations, linguistic strategies, and the impact of conflict on relationships.…”