“Gonna write about it on my blog too” Metadiscourse in Research Blog Discussions

Abstract

Metadiscourse research has to a large extent emphasised the interactive, interpersonal and dialogic facets of writing (e.g. Hyland, Metadiscourse: Exploring interaction in writing. Continuum, 2005). It is therefore surprising that this research has focused virtually exclusively on (1) written, usually academic texts and (2) monologues. The question arises why an aspect of language that embodies dialogicity should be investigated through the most indirect route possible. Having studied discourse reflexivity (or metadiscourse) in dialogic speech for a long time (e.g. Mauranen, 2001; Mauranen, TESOL Quarterly, 37, 513-527, 2003; 2010) I have discovered that it diverges considerably from metadiscourse in the written mode; not only in expressions used, but also in some central functions. In this paper, I embrace the digital mode, which offers a combined perspective on discourse reflexivity, one that is dialogic but also written. I look into research blog dialogues, that is, their comment threads, and compare their characteristics to spoken dialogue and monologue in academic contexts. The approach brings to light consequences of this hybrid of writing and dialogue, resulting in a ‘third’ kind of usage where both the mode and the discourse type contribute to the outcome.