This book presents a contrastive analysis of various forms of address used in English and Italian from the perspective of cultural semantics, the branch of linguistics which investigates the relationship between meaning and culture in discourse. The objects of the analysis are the interactional meanings expressed by different forms of address in these two languages, which are compared adopting the methodology of the Natural Semantic Metalanguage. The forms analyzed include greetings, titles and opening and closing salutations used in letters and e-mails in the two languages. Noticeably, the book presents the first complete categorization of Italian titles used as forms of address ever made on the basis of precise semantic criteria. The analysis also investigates the different cultural values and assumptions underlying address practices in English and Italian, and emphasizes the risks of miscommunication caused by different address practices in intercultural interactions. Every chapter presents numerous examples taken from language corpora, contemporary English and Italian literature and personal e-mails and letters. The book encourages a new, innovative approach to the analysis of forms of address: it proposes a new analytical method for the analysis of forms of address which can be applied to the study of other languages systematically. In addition, the book emphasizes the role of culture in address practices and takes meaning as the basis for understanding the differences in use across languages and the difficulties in translating forms of address of different languages. Combining semantics, ethnopragmatics, intercultural communication and translation theory, this book is aimed at a very broad readership which includes not only scholars in linguistics, second-language learners and students of cross-cultural communication, but virtually anyone interested in Italian and English linguistics as well as in cultural semantics. The approach taken is interdisciplinary and brings together various fields in the social sciences: linguistics, anthropology, cross-cultural studies and sociology.
Chapter 1: Analyzing Address Practices from a Cultural Semantic Point of View Understanding Address Practices Types of Words Used for Address Practices Properties of Words Used for Address Practices Address Practices in Discourse: Concordance and Reciprocity The Social Functions of Address Practices The Pragmatic Functions of Address Practices The Semantics of Address Practices The Culture of Address Practices A Framework for Cross-Cultural Semantic Analysis The Theory of Cultural Scripts Address Practices Analyzed in This Book Linguistic Materials Used for the Analysis The Importance of a Non-Ethnocentric Linguistic Analysis Chapter 2: "Sorry Boss": An Unrecognized Category of English Address Nouns Usage Characteristics The Interactional Meaning of `Doctor' as a Prototype of the Category `Professor': A Case of Double Polysemy `Boss' vs. First-Name Address in Australian English Chapter 3: "Prego, Signore": The Semantics of Italian "Titles" Used to Address People Generic Address Nouns Signora Signore Signorina Signori Addressing People Exercising Prestigious Professions Addressing People Holding Top Positions in an Institution Addressing Police Officers Addressing "Distinguished" People Addressing Priests and Nuns Addressing Ambassadors, Monarchs, Bishops, Cardinals, the Pope Addressing Aristocrats Addressing Waiters and Nurses Italian "Titles" in English Translation Chapter 4: "Hi, How Are You?" Hi in English Discourse The Interactional Meaning of Hi Chapter 5: "Ciao!" or "Ciao Ciao"? Ciao in Italian Discourse Semantic Explication of Ciao Two Variants of Ciao The Phrase `Va Bene' and the Meaning of `Vabbe Ciao' `Ciao Ciao' and Reduplication in Italian Chapter 6: "Dear Customers, ..." The Meaning of the Adjective Dear Dear in Address Practices The Meaning of Dear Compared With the Meaning of ( ) Chapter 7: "Caro Mario," "Gentile Cliente," "Egregio Dottore" The Meaning of the Adjective Caro/a Caro/a in Address Practices Use and Meaning of Gentile in Address Practices Use and Meaning of Egregio in Address Practices Chapter 8: "Best Wishes," "Kind Regards," "Yours Sincerely" "Best Wishes" and Its Variants From Best Wishes to Best All the Best and All Best Warmest Wishes and the Semantics of `Warm' "Regards" and Its Variants From Regards to Best Regards Kind Regards and the Semantics of `Kind' Adverbial Closing Expressions Yours Sincerely Yours Sincerely Chapter 9: "Distinti," "Cordiali," "Affettuosi Saluti" The Cultural Semantics of `Saluto/i' and the Meaning of `Saluti da ~' The Interactional Meaning of `Saluti' as a Closing Expression Distinti Saluti Closing Expressions With the Word `Cordiale' Affettuosi Saluti and the Semantics of `Affettuoso' From Plural to Singular: Closing Expressions Containing `Saluto' From Saluti to Un Saluto From Saluti to Un Caro Saluto A Presto Un Bacio Chapter 10: Italian Cultural Scripts for Address Practices Cultural Scripts Related to Titles The Cultural Salience of Titles in Italy The Address Practices of Italian Speakers in Two Specific Situations Spoken Interactions Between People Meeting for the First Time E-mail Exchanges Between University Students and Lecturers Negotiating Address Practices in Italian: `Darsi Del Tu' Cultural Scripts Related to Address Pronouns Chapter 11: Australian Cultural Scripts for Address Practices First-Name Address in Australian English Situational Contexts of Use The Interactional Meaning of First-Name Address Cultural Scripts The Address Practices of Australian English and Italian Speakers Compared Chapter 12: Address Practices in Intercultural Communication The "Please, Call Me Alice" Request from a Lecturer to an International Student The "Call Me Andy" Request in a Cross-Cultural Encounter Address Practices in an International Political Context Concluding Remarks
