Social indexicality and pragmatic change in the late 20th century. Cioè and tipo in Italian radio phone-ins.

This paper considers the role of social indexicality in the pragmatic development of Italian cioè ‘that is’ and tipo ‘type’ in the second half of the 20th century. It analyses listeners’ phone-ins to a radio station gathered in 1976 and in 2010, together with questionnaires on speakers’ attitudes regarding the use of cioè and tipo. Firstly, it describes the pragmatic trajectory of the two forms. Secondly, it discusses how their frequencies and polyfunctionality are subject to rapid changes, and how these changes are propelled by the social indexicality acquired by the forms. The development of these indexicalities benefits from the technological innovations of the 20th century, which have a relevant role in the spread of speakers’ interactive practices.