What Sonovergent Paralanguage Does

Martin & Zappavigna (2019: 25):

Sonovergent systems enact interpersonal meaning in tune with and compose textual meaning in sync with the prosodic phonology of language;

Blogger Comments:

The claims here are that:

• sonovergent paralanguage and prosodic phonology are 'in tune' in enacting interpersonal meaning, and
• sonovergent paralanguage and prosodic phonology are 'in sync' in composing textual meaning.

The problems here are as follows.

Firstly, prosodic phonology doesn't enact interpersonal meaning, it realises the wording that realises interpersonal meaning. By the same token, prosodic phonology doesn't compose textual meaning, it realises the wording that realises textual meaning.

Secondly, Cléirigh's linguistic body language (sonovergent paralanguage) is a stratified semiotic system, not merely an expression plane system, like prosodic phonology.

Thirdly, (stratified) sonovergent paralanguage doesn't enact interpersonal meaning; it enacts intersubjective relations as interpersonal meaning.  By the same token, (stratified) sonovergent paralanguage doesn't compose textual meaning; it organises ideational and interpersonal meaning as textual meaning.