My name is Rosa Graciela Montes. I'm from Argentina but have been living
in Puebla, Mexico for the past 18 years, where I work at the Universidad
Autonoma de Puebla (state university).
I am an associate professor and teach in the language sciences graduate
program (currently a master's program which we're trying to expand into a
doctorate).
My background is in sociolinguistics and I've been doing research on
discourse and on conversational interaction. My particular interest is in
repair mechanisms and other clarificatory or explanatory processes when
there are problems in conversation and the sources for these problems
(e.g. lack of shared knowledge, non sharing of world-view or whatever).
Lately I've been looking at the uses of gesture in conversational
interaction.
I've been bouncing on and off the list for about four years now, mostly
as a listener. Not too happy about this since it's the complete opposite
of the attitude I try to encourage in my students "Say something even if
it's totally off the wall because we construct sense and meaning and
knowledge together out there in the dialogue." I usually take off points
from the ones who sit woodenly at the back of the class not saying a
word all semester, or at least I don't add any on or give any benefits
of the doubt. ... And here I am, raising my hand from the back of the
class. No excuses. Rosa