In a roundabout way

We are often explicit about what we think and want. Sometimes, however, we communicate only indirectly: We speak in a roundabout way and rely on others to read between the lines. The ways we speak indirectly are multifaceted, and the communicative intentions with which we do it are varied. Often we communicate only indirectly since we intend to be polite or sensitive to the feelings of others (It can be hard to reconcile work and private life vs You dont work enough). But often we communicate only indirectly since we want to avoid accountability for what we have communicated. Such cases of indirect communication are especially prevalent in political discussions, where a politican may, e.g., want to cater to resentments of a particular group of voters while at the same preserve plausible deniability (When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending their best. [] And some, I assume, are good people vs Most if not all Mexican immigrants are highly problematic people. ). The research project investigates indirect communication more closely. Research questions include the following: Which forms of indirect communication are there? What are the functions of indirect communication (particularly in political discourse)? Are there expressions whose function it is to communicate certain contents merely indirectly?

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