‘Yet his silence said volumes’: a pragmatic analysis of conversational silence in rapport management
Silences are crucial in interpersonal communication, serving as essential components of interpersonal relationships. The current study utilizes naturally occurring linguistic data and draws upon Spencer-Oatey’s Rapport Management Theory to examine the pragmatic functions of conversational silence in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Cogent Arts & Humanities |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311983.2025.2451490 |
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| author | Baoqin Wu Muhammad Afzaal Dina Abdel Salam El-Dakhs |
| author_facet | Baoqin Wu Muhammad Afzaal Dina Abdel Salam El-Dakhs |
| author_sort | Baoqin Wu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Silences are crucial in interpersonal communication, serving as essential components of interpersonal relationships. The current study utilizes naturally occurring linguistic data and draws upon Spencer-Oatey’s Rapport Management Theory to examine the pragmatic functions of conversational silence in the context of rapport management. The findings reveal that within the framework of rapport orientation, silence plays a pivotal role and can be categorized into four fundamental types: rapport maintenance, rapport neglect, rapport challenge and rapport destruction. The results indicate that the interpretation of silence extends beyond a simplistic and negative process of withholding meaning; rather, it involves a multifaceted method of constructing meaning. As a non-discursive practice, silence can maintain harmonious relationships, avoid controversy, and even trigger conflicts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-55dad5260e504eb785faecb7e12828fc |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2331-1983 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cogent Arts & Humanities |
| spelling | doaj-art-55dad5260e504eb785faecb7e12828fc2025-01-16T09:44:42ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Arts & Humanities2331-19832025-12-0112110.1080/23311983.2025.2451490‘Yet his silence said volumes’: a pragmatic analysis of conversational silence in rapport managementBaoqin Wu0Muhammad Afzaal1Dina Abdel Salam El-Dakhs2School of English Studies, Shanghai Normal University, ChinaInstitute of Language Sciences, Shanghai International Studies University, ChinaLinguistics and Translation Department, College of Humanities and Sciences, Prince Sultan UniversitySilences are crucial in interpersonal communication, serving as essential components of interpersonal relationships. The current study utilizes naturally occurring linguistic data and draws upon Spencer-Oatey’s Rapport Management Theory to examine the pragmatic functions of conversational silence in the context of rapport management. The findings reveal that within the framework of rapport orientation, silence plays a pivotal role and can be categorized into four fundamental types: rapport maintenance, rapport neglect, rapport challenge and rapport destruction. The results indicate that the interpretation of silence extends beyond a simplistic and negative process of withholding meaning; rather, it involves a multifaceted method of constructing meaning. As a non-discursive practice, silence can maintain harmonious relationships, avoid controversy, and even trigger conflicts.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311983.2025.2451490Conversational silencerapport managementinterpersonal interactionnonverbal communicationCommunication EthicsInterpersonal Communication |
| spellingShingle | Baoqin Wu Muhammad Afzaal Dina Abdel Salam El-Dakhs ‘Yet his silence said volumes’: a pragmatic analysis of conversational silence in rapport management Cogent Arts & Humanities Conversational silence rapport management interpersonal interaction nonverbal communication Communication Ethics Interpersonal Communication |
| title | ‘Yet his silence said volumes’: a pragmatic analysis of conversational silence in rapport management |
| title_full | ‘Yet his silence said volumes’: a pragmatic analysis of conversational silence in rapport management |
| title_fullStr | ‘Yet his silence said volumes’: a pragmatic analysis of conversational silence in rapport management |
| title_full_unstemmed | ‘Yet his silence said volumes’: a pragmatic analysis of conversational silence in rapport management |
| title_short | ‘Yet his silence said volumes’: a pragmatic analysis of conversational silence in rapport management |
| title_sort | yet his silence said volumes a pragmatic analysis of conversational silence in rapport management |
| topic | Conversational silence rapport management interpersonal interaction nonverbal communication Communication Ethics Interpersonal Communication |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311983.2025.2451490 |
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