Act in different languages: Reflections on the binomial 'form and action' in comparative practices

Understanding how speakers recognize actions in talk is fundamental both for theories of intercultural communication and for practices involving cross-linguistic analysis (translation, interpreting and mediation). Drawing from Conversation Analysis, recent studies have shown that interactants manage to understand and respond to their interlocutors with precision, speed and no apparent effort, relying on interactional mechanisms that are universal and contextually-based. Since the notion of action first appeared in Austin's lectures, scholars from different trends and traditions have adopted alternative positions on the relationship between form and context, as well as on the relevance of each in performing and recognizing social actions in talk. The contribution argues for a major role of the second and reflects on possible outcomes for comparative practices.