Estructura ilocucionaria y cortesía: la construcción de conocimiento y opinión en las cartas de lectores de ciencia

CIAPUSCIO GUIOMAR ELENA

SIGNOS

Universidad Católica de Valparaíso

Lugar: Valparaíso; Año: 2010 vol. 43 p. 91 - 117

1413-0416

This paper seeks to contribute to the research on opinion genres in scientific communication. More specifically, it intends to broaden the knowledge of actional and interactional structures and resources that scholars and readers use to create and build scientific opinion. Based on letters from readers sent to the Argentine magazine Ciencia Hoy, I identify and describe illocutionary patterns characteristic of controversial letters. As an exemplary sample, I delve into the politness forms readers use to deflect the undesirable effects of the threatening acts entailed in their images. The analysis reveals empirical results based on this particular genre, which succinctly presents the triad dialogue/reply/controversy typical of scientific endeavor. These results could be applied as inputs to develop guidelines and inputs that will upgrade skills in specialized genres.