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In:Patterns of Context: Modelling cultural and contextual influence in utterance interpretation
Edited by Elke Diedrichsen and Frank Liedtke
[Pragmatics & Beyond New Series 356] 2026
► pp. 20–43

Conversational contributions in discourse

Contextualisation, entextualisation and recontextualisation

 | University of Augsburg
This content is being prepared for publication; it may be subject to changes.
Abstract
Interaction-based conceptualisations of context are based on the premise of indexicality of communicative action, relating an exclusively product-oriented conception of context-as-given to an inherently dynamic process of contextualisation which is interdependent on a conversational contribution and its surroundings. Within this framework, the pragmatics of meaning-making processes in discourse is examined, focussing not only on the interpretation and processing of linguistic contributions, but also on their production in context. Expanding the concept of meaning potential to a discourse-pragmatic frame of reference, the chapter argues for supplementing the interpretation-based processes of contextualisation, re- and decontextualisation with production-based entextualisation of discursive meaning. The argument put forward is illustrated with meaning-making processes in mediated political discourse.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Context
    • 2.1Contextualisation
    • 2.2Recontextualisation and decontextualisation
    • 2.3Entextualisation
  • 3.Meaning-making processes in discourse
    • 3.1Meaning potentials
    • 3.2The communicative act of quotation
  • 4.Conclusion and outlook
  • Notes
  • References
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