Pragmatic Strategies and Power Relations in Disagreement

Abstract

This study explores pragmatic strategies in disagreement affected by power relations in Mandarin Chinese with data collected in the People's Republic of China. This study first investigates in what ways power relations in Chinese university settings influence pragmatic strategies in disagreement. The study then shows with natural data that a new cultural orientation characterized by new features has emerged among the Chinese people. Thirdly, the author probes the controversial issue of pragmatics and power, and proves that the maxim of Relevance can be taken as a supermaxim of CP, which dominates the analyses of the relationship between language use and social parameters. Si Liu has successfully initiated a combination of statistical analysis and ethnographic approach in pragmatic research. Her findings in the study are valuable contributions to the research both in Chinese culture and in empirical pragmatics.