Towards a systemic functional approach to context collapse

Abstract

This paper presents an initial systemic functional interpretation of the nuclear features of the phenomenon known as “context collapse”, which occurs when multiple online audiences (such as family, friends and coworkers) are “flattened” into a single group of potential recipients. After introducing the fundamental systemic functional dimensions of stratification and instantiation, we briefly present Hasan’s systemic description of the contextual parameter of Tenor, which deals with the potential relations and roles enacted by the participants of an interaction. We propose that such a contextual system enables us to describe with theoretical precision the nuclear features of context collapse: besides one-way digital contact in Mode, the selection of [addressee: absent: category] in the system of TEXTUAL ROLES and a generalized vagueness in the system of SOCIAL ROLES. Finally, we outline two major strategies employed to circumvent it: enactment--based and activation-based.