Discourse Readjustment(s) in Contemporary English

Blandine Pennec, Toulouse II University, France.

• Foreword xiiiPreface xvGeneral Introduction xviiPart 1 Definitions, Motivations and Typology of Discourse Readjustment Phenomena 1Introduction to Part 1 3Chapter 1 Definitions: Mutual Intelligibility, Adjustment,Readjustment and Intersubjectivity 51.1 Preliminary reminders: language activity, language as a specific system, discourse and the role of subjectivity 51.2 Mutual intelligibility, adjustment, readjustment 71.3 Exploring the starting point: adjustment in TEO by Antoine Culioli 101.4 Delimiting adjustment and the importance of the concept of readjustment 131.5 The notion of intersubjectivity: when philosophy and linguistics meet 161.6 Intrasubjectivity or the question of harmony between thought and speech 181.7 Conclusion 20Chapter 2 Motivations Underpinning the Phenomena of Readjustment 232.1 Phenomena linked to denotation 242.1.1 Polysemy 242.1.2 Homonymy 262.1.3 Vagueness 262.2 Phenomena linked to questions of reference 282.2.1 Cases of fluctuating reference 282.2.2 Derived speech acts and their effects in discourse 292.2.3 Ambiguous utterances 302.2.4 Problems of linguistic non-coincidences 332.3 Questions linked to implicit messages 332.3.1 Connotations 332.3.2 Presupposed and implied messages 352.4 Phenomena of play on/with language 362.4.1 Metaphors 362.4.2 Euphemisms 382.4.3 Irony 382.5 Conclusion 40Chapter 3 Typology of Readjustments 413.1 Intra- and intersubjective readjustments: concrete manifestations 413.1.1 Strictly intersubjective readjustments: focusing 413.1.2 Intrasubjective readjustments: characterization 433.2 Different degrees of reflexive view 443.3 Readjustments on the microstructural and macrostructural level 473.4 Readjustments to express oneself better, more correctly,or to change point of view 483.5 Readjustments invalidating more or less the initial commitment? 503.6 Conclusion 51Conclusion to Part 1 53Part 2 Reformulations: Readjustments to Express Oneself More Accurately? 55Introduction to Part 2 57Chapter 4 The Function of Reformulations in the Framework of Language Activity and Discourse 594.1 Reformulations and reflexive view 594.2 Discourse progression and the pragmatic value of reformulations 624.3 Reformulations, verbal interactions and textual organization 644.4 Readjustments with varied modalities 654.4.1 Immediate or deferred reformulations? 664.4.2 Self- or hetero-reformulations? 674.4.3 Total or partial reformulations 684.5 Configurations and associated discursive strategies 694.5.1 Cases of “intersubjective readjustments” 694.5.2 Cases of “intrasubjective” readjustments 714.6 Conclusion 73Chapter 5 The Notion of Reformulation and its Linguistic Manifestations 755.1 What link is there between segments, in a reformulation? 755.1.1 Paraphrase, or absence of explicit link 765.1.2 Paraphrastic reformulation: when the equivalence is made explicit 775.1.3 Non-paraphrastic reformulation, or re-elaboration of content 785.2 How is an operation of reformulation identified? 795.2.1 The case of paraphrastic reformulations 805.2.2 The case of non-paraphrastic reformulations 825.3 Conclusion 86Chapter 6 Paraphrastic or Non-paraphrastic Reformulations: Prototypical Introducers and Associated Strategies 896.1 Study of prototypical paraphrastic readjustments: the case of in other words 896.1.1 Overall function of the fixed phrase 896.1.2 Narrow or wide readjustments 926.1.3 Readjustment and change in discursive level 946.1.4 High compatibility with the change of voice 966.2 Study of emblematic non-paraphrastic readjustments: the case of or rather 996.2.1 A meta-enunciative dimension 996.2.2 Different facets of the readjustment at work 1016.2.3 Strategies and stylistic play linked to such readjustments 1046.3 Conclusion 107Conclusion to Part 2 109Part 3 Phenomena of Re-examination: Readjustments to Perfect One’s Stance? 111Introduction to Part 3 113Chapter 7 Recentering: In fact and Competing Markers 1157.1 Examination of “(re)centering” as a metaterm 1157.2 Questions relating to the sequence in fact 1167.3 Closeness and distance relating to reformulation 1187.4 The adverbial use and the connector 1217.4.1 The adverbial use 1217.4.2 The connector 1227.5 The meaning effects associated with the fixed phrase 1257.5.1 The reconsideration associated with the adverb 1257.5.2 The connector and the effect of rectification 1267.5.3 The connector introducing an upgrading process 1287.5.4 The explicitation effect associated with the connector 1297.5.5 Connection and summarizing 1307.6 What type of readjustment underpins these effects? 1327.7 Semantically close sequences or markers 1347.8 Conclusion 136Chapter 8 Upgrading and Downgrading: the Cases of Or even and Or at least 1398.1 Examining notions of upgrading and downgrading 1398.2 Questions relating to the sequences or even and or at least 1418.3 Modus operandi of these sequences 1428.3.1 Semantico-pragmatic instructions at work 1428.3.2 Conditions enabling readjustment and therefore predictability 1458.4 The role of the different markers in these sequences 1488.4.1 Crucial role of the conjunction or 1488.4.2 Value of even and at least 1508.5 Interpretative mechanisms and representation of readjustments at work 1528.6 Possible discursive and rhetorical effects 1548.7 Conclusion 157Chapter 9 Potential Upgrading: the Sequence If not 1599.1 Configurations enabling the readjustment to emerge 1609.2 Components at play in this potential upgrading process 1629.2.1 The components’ respective contribution 1629.2.2 Interaction of these markers 1649.3 Discursive and pragmatic effects linked to using such readjustments 1659.4 Conclusion 170Conclusion to Part 3 171Part 4 Distancing Processes: Readjustments for Changing Viewpoint? 173Introduction to Part 4 175Chapter 10 Abandoning a First Enunciative Perspective: Examination of Anyway 17710.1 Status of the marker anyway and questions raised 17710.2 Overview of the different configurations of use 17810.3 Principal hypotheses and putting into perspective 18010.4 Typology of the uses of anyway 18210.4.1 Distancing processes relating to an implicature 18210.4.2 Distancing relating to a part of the propositional content 18310.4.3 Distancing in relation to the status of a segment 18410.4.4 Distancing in relation to an approached subject 18410.4.5 Distancing in relation to the very act of communication 18510.5 A specific readjustment: abandoning a perspective 18610.6 Remarks on relating fixed phrases 18710.7 Conclusion 189Chapter 11 Disconnection and Renewed Stance: the Case of the Marker Now 19111.1 Status of the marker now 19111.2 Exploring the mechanisms in greater detail 19211.2.1 The temporal use: interpretative adjustment and marking boundaries 19311.2.2 The discursive use: a readjustment to be contextualized 19511.3 The fundamental value of now and the conditions for readjustment to emerge 19811.4 Conclusion 199Chapter 12 The Fixed Phrase After all, or Reconsidering a Viewpoint 20112.1 First characterization of after all and questioning 20112.2 Reconsidering a point of view: manifestations 20512.3 Which viewpoint is brought into question? 20812.4 Configurations using after all and sequencing types 21012.5 The fundamental value of after all: readjustment, in terms of enunciative perspective 21412.6 Conclusion 216Conclusion to Part 4 217Part 5 Inserted Segments: Readjustments for Playing with Language? 219Introduction to Part 5 221Chapter 13 The Use of Metalinguistic Expressions: Readjustments With Rhetorical Aim 22313.1 Questions raised by these expressions 22313.2 First characterization 22413.2.1 The metalinguistic dimension 22413.2.2 A reflexive view centered on an element 22513.3 Locating the target element 22713.4 The mechanisms at play in readjustment 23013.4.1 Partial opacification of the target element 23013.4.2 The nature of the readjustment at work 23113.5 Conclusion 236Chapter 14 Readjustments in Parenthetical Form 23914.1 Syntactical and enunciative characterization 23914.2 Parameters that trigger the identification of readjustment 24314.3 Discursive and pragmatic function of such readjustments 24514.4 The difference between parentheses and dashes 24914.5 The different types of non-coincidences motivating these readjustments 25114.6 Conclusion 253Chapter 15 Dialogical Readjustments: Structures in It is not that… 25515.1 First approach and questioning 25515.2 Syntactic characteristics of the construction 25715.3 The value of the markers, the construction and its variants 26215.4 Between the content and the wording: the nature of the readjustment at work 26515.5 A dialogical readjustment 26915.6 Conclusion 270Conclusion to Part 5 273Part 6 Readjustments Characteristic of Oral Discourse: Phenomena of Co-enunciative (Re)Structuring? 275Introduction to Part 6 277Chapter 16 The Sequence I mean: From “Gap Filler” to Readjustment Marker 28116.1 Intended meaning and related issues 28116.2 Types of use and interpretations 28316.3 Self-interpretation and structuring 28816.3.1 Macro-readjustments and organizing information 28816.3.2 Micro-readjustments 29016.4 Conclusion 292Chapter 17 Readjustments Calling on the Co-enunciator: You know and You see 29517.1 Compatibility with introducing readjustments 29517.2 Detachment and meta-enunciative status 29817.3 Different types of use and specificities of these readjustments 30117.3.1 Uses outside the readjustment framework 30117.3.2 Uses within the readjustment framework 30317.4 Interpersonal dimension and enunciative construction in process 30717.5 Conclusion 311Chapter 18 Expectations of the Co-enunciator: the Use of Mind you 31318.1 Observation of host configurations 31318.2 Argumentative contexts linked to using the fixed phrase 31618.2.1 Concessive anti-oriented linking 31718.2.2 Refutative anti-oriented linking 31718.2.3 Co-oriented linking 31818.3 What fundamental value for mind you? 31918.4 Parameters explaining the type of readjustment at work 32318.5 Conclusion 325Conclusion to Part 6 327General Conclusion 329Bibliography 335Index 349