Comment exploiter les 'corpus-surprise' ?

Abstract

To what extent non-recorded oral corpora may constitute objects of analysis of pragmatic meaning? These corpora are heard by chance: on the radio, on television, in the street, a shop, a means of transport or generally in any conversational interaction in which the linguist participates, but had not previously planned to record for his research. The problem of the use of these corpora in linguistics is all the more crucial since the aim, in phonopragmatics, is to discover the functions and significations of their phonic part. I shall attempt to answer the following questions: – The accuracy of the transcription with respect to the original. To what extent can we ignore our own phonological code, our regional variants, mastered/partly known styles of speech? – The reliability of the oral reproduction carried out by the linguist – for example, during a talk at a conference. What is his capacity for deferred mimicry? – The relation between a significant discrepancy and the elocutionary habits of the speaker. – The relation between the comprehension of the external auditors and the effect produced on the 'real' person addressed. Considering that transparency is (sometimes? often?) an illusion, I shall also examine what precautions should be taken so that these corpora offer guarantees as to the veracity.