Abstract
Gratitude is valued in religion and moral philosophy, as it benefits interpersonal relationships between the beneficiary and the provider. But why do we thank God, and how is it different from thanking a person? This qualitative pragmalinguistic study investigates functions of the expression ‘Gracias a Dios’ in a religious context and how it differs from thanking a person. The study identified functions of gratitude (Kelly 2023; Meléndez Quero, 2005) in 43 interviews with church leaders and religious community members from three Christian denominations. The interviews took place in the aftermath of two hurricanes from 2019 through 2022, an extended period of crisis in Puerto Rico when the government response was limited, allowing churches to provide immediate physical relief and spiritual and emotional support. Through a narrative inquiry approach, participants were asked to explain how they experienced each crisis, how they received spiritual and emotional care, and the impact on their faith. Unlike prior research on thanking (Coulmas, 1981), results highlight a distinct embedded use of the phrase gracias a Dios in the context of trauma and profoundly religious experiences.
Presenters
Julianne BryantAssociate Professor, Modern Languages, Biola University, California, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Religious Community and Socialization
KEYWORDS
Gracias a Dios, Gratitude, Religious Gratitude, Puerto Rico, Speech Acts
