Toward a multimodal pragmatics analysis of ambulant vending on a Buenos Aires trainline

Abstract

This article examines the occupational practices of four ambulant vendors (AVs) over a 20-day period, as they board, occupy, and alight trains to make a living in the popular economy. It captures for the first time some of the multimodal communicative practices they deploy to present an engaging sales pitch, attempt to convert passengers into prospects and sustain their livelihoods on the move. A multimodal pragmatics analysis of their sales pitch as video-recorded by the AVs reveals three clear stages marked by body motion in alignment with other bodily and verbal activities to capture the audience as they zero in on the product attributes. The article highlights the dexterity and professionalism of these workers in combining different modalities to augment their presence and chances of securing sales as they navigate the challenges of the unequal working conditions they inhabit as captured from a novel first-person perspective.