Reproach as a core value: the analysis of the communicative potential of the routine formulae 'qué broma es esta' and 'de qué vas'

Abstract

Despite the fact that routine formulae are idiomatic expressions “whose occurrence is closely bound to specific social situations” (Coulmas, 1979: 240), there is a scarcity of studies analysing Spanish phraseologisms from a pragmalinguistic perspective, let alone within the framework of Speech Act Theory. For this reason, we believe that lexicographic information on their functions is incomplete and lacking in precision. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the communicative potential of two routine formulae —qué broma es esta and de qué vas— and to establish the boundaries between three possible Face Threatening Acts (FTA) that these formulae may convey. To do so, we analysed 141 examples extracted from the corpus esTenTen18, among other methods, by examining the illocutionary force of the acts performed when these expressions are used. The results show that both expressions primarily convey reproach, in contrast to the information provided in various Spanish dictionaries.

Keywords

• routine formulae
• reproach
• speech acts
• FTA
• communicative functions