Intersubjective Stance and Argumentation in Zimbabwean Parliamentary Discourse

Abstract

Language use in the parliament is a matter of stance taking and appraisal of others and the self-invoking systems of socio-cultural value and dis/alignments. This chapter examines the language of evaluation and appraisal in parliamentary debates and speeches. In order to account for the language of evaluation and stance in the parliament, the study evokes the appraisal resource of engagement. The research draws its analysis from the key notions of appraisal and argumentation theories focusing on how parliamentarians position themselves dis/aligning with co-participants. The research examines how the continuous process of alignment impacts on argumentation in parliamentary debates. The research concludes that intersubjective stance is an argumentative activity that involves pro and contra argumentation with parliamentarians critically testing propositions submitted in the dialogic space.