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The ethnopragmatics of English stage-of-life words as forms of address

ABSTRACT This paper examines the nominal category of stage-of-life words used in English address practices and presents an analysis of their interactional uses and meanings made adopting the principles and methods of ethnopragmatics. The paper has a twofold aim: (i) to highlight the polysemous nature of English stage-of-life words and make a clear distinction between their reference and address meanings; and (ii) to show that the address meanings of stage-of-life words reflect their sociopragmatic function in discourse. Using Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM) methodology, separate semantic explications are produced for the meanings expressed by each address noun in different interactional contexts. More generally, the present study highlights the interface between semantics, pragmatics and cultural assumptions, showing how this connection can be used as the starting point to conduct a proper ethnography of speaking.