Hyperbole in Brazilian and german talks-in-interaction: a cross-cultural study

Abstract

Hyperbole is a frequent and productive resource in everyday talk. Employing it may help enhance ones argument and express ideas and feelings. Based on classical rhetoric, cross-cultural pragmatics, conversation analysis, the notion of communicative styles and recent studies on hyperbole, this thesis investigates exaggeration in the talk-of-interaction of two groups. One of the groups consists of three German individuals and the other, of three Brazilians. Each set of individuals was filmed during approximately one hour while talking about selected topics and spontaneous subjects. The data was transcribed using the GAT 2 system and EXMARaLDA software. The analysis of the production of overstatements in the talk of the German participants showed a relationship between the use of hyperbole and their style of argumentation, especially regarding disagreeing and nulling another speakers argument. The Brazilian participants, on the other hand, employed hyperbole to build rapport, and show affiliation and expressiveness. Also, regarding communicative styles, whilst the Germans who took part in this study showed an inclination towards trying not to impose, the Brazilians pursued closeness in conversation. The data shows the importance of investigating topics related to expressiveness in conversation in a cross-cultural perspective and points to interesting directions for further studies.