In the subprojects P1 and P2 at Freie Universität Berlin and Bielefeld University, regional differences in salutation and greeting behavior as well as in the realization of speech acts in synchronous oral communication are being investigated.

P1 focuses on areal variation on a formal-pragmatic level and examines the salutation and greeting behavior of speakers in German-speaking countries. P2 concentrates on areal variation at the actional-pragmatic level and focuses on politeness-sensitive speech acts (such as complaints or requests).

Both projects collect empirical data from speakers and use several research methods. These include online surveys as well as the documentation of natural language data in everyday situations. The aim is to classify the speakers' communication behavior into different linguistic areas.

Project directors:

• Prof. Dr. Tanja Ackermann (Bielefeld University, Subproject P2)
• Prof. Dr. Horst Simon (Freie Universität Berlin, Subproject P1)

Researchers:

• Henrik Discher (Freie Universität Berlin, Subproject P2)
• Janel Zoske (Freie Universität Berlin, Subproject P1)