| This thesis presents an analysis of the negotiation strategies used by street vending craftsmen during service encounters in Bogota, specifically when they negotiate the price of different items. First, the stages of negotiation are identified. Then, a pragmatic classification (including the minimal units that realize speech acts and those external ones that modify their impact) of the strategies and substrategies used by vendors is proposed. Subsequently, the overall tendency towards the use of specific politeness strategies is determined. Finally, the thesis analyzes the role of the vendor as a maker of context.; Results of this work show that: (a) price negotiation on the part of the vendor is accomplished through the use of multiple head acts, (b) street vending craftsmen display a pronounced use of solidarity politeness in this section of their transactions, and (c) the vendor's role in this type of service encounter is proactive given his recreation of context and redefinition of the relationship between himself and the buyer.; The findings of this research reflect a preference for solidarity politeness strategies within this particular community of practice, which challenges previous findings showing that Colombian society is primarily deferential in its language use. |
