Discourse Strategies across Social Media: Variability in Individuals, Groups, and Channels (A03)

• Subject Area: General and Comparative Linguistics, Experimental Linguistics, Typology, Non-European Languages
• Term: from 2017 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 317633480

Language in social media is characterised by more formal (written) or more informal (spoken-like) style in different contexts, and thus shows high variability. We focus on one linguistic domain in Pragmatics, the management of common ground between writers and readers, and identify the consistent patterns of discourse strategies employed by writers across different groups and channels. We will develop computational models for the observed variability across individuals, groups, and social media channels supplementing a consistent core. The models test and if appropriate extend theories like Centering and Segmented Discourse Representation Theory.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1287: Limits of Variability in Language: Cognitive, Grammatical, and Social Aspects
• Applicant Institution: Universität Potsdam
• Project Heads: Professorin Dr. Tatjana Scheffler; Professor Dr. Manfred Stede