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The representation of conflict in the discourse of Italian melodrama

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-07, 13:44 authored by Roberta PiazzaRoberta Piazza
This paper is part of an extensive study of cinematic dialogue in a variety of film genres in Italian, which aims to address the disregard for the verbal plane that characterises film theory and, particularly, genre theory. Assuming a pragmatic and functional semantic perspective, it analyses the scripted dialogues in films against the backdrop of the literature on real life discourse. The focus of the paper is confrontational talk in Italian melodramas from early 1960s to the present. Conflict in such films is, to an extent, comparable to the cooperative sequential rebuttal of speakers' turns that typically occurs in comedies. However, melodramas are also marked by more incisive and subtle patterns of confrontation that can be summarised as 'disaffiliative dysfluency'. The forms of such break in the conversational flow are discussed and illustrated with selected scenes from a number of films.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Journal of Pragmatics

ISSN

0378-2166

Publisher

Elsevier

Issue

12

Volume

38

Page range

2087-2104

Department affiliated with

  • Media and Film Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2007-02-08

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    University of Sussex (Publications)

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