Pragma-dialectical perspective to intercultural discussion as communicative activity

This paper explores modifications to the Pragma-dialectical Model of critical discussion to better describe intercultural discussions. The original model, while effective in intra-cultural contexts, fails to fully account for the complexities of intercultural communication where meaning and divergence must be negotiated across cultural differences. Modifications proposed include expanding rhetorical and pragmatic properties using Burke's concept of "Identification" and replacing "speech acts" with the more comprehensive "pragmatic acts." Furthermore, the argumentation stage is enhanced by incorporating "motivation" and "mediation." A case study confirms the modified model's effectiveness in explaining intercultural discussions.

Donghong Liu