Gunther2020

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Gunther2020
BibType INCOLLECTION
Key Gunther2020
Author(s) Susanne Günther
Title Practices of clause-combining: From complex wenn-constructions to insubordinate (‘stand-alone’) conditionals in everyday spoken German
Editor(s) Yael Maschler, Simona Pekarek Doehler, Jan Lindström, Leelo Keevallik
Tag(s) EMCA, German, Grammar, Interactional linguistics, Emergence, Temporality, Projection, Routinization, Clauses, Syntax
Publisher John Benjamins
Year 2020
Language English
City Amsterdam
Month
Journal
Volume
Number
Pages 185–220
URL Link
DOI 10.1075/slsi.32.07gun
ISBN
Organization
Institution
School
Type
Edition
Series
Howpublished
Book title Emergent Syntax for Conversation: Clausal Patterns and the Organization of Action
Chapter

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Abstract

Traditionally, conditional wenn-clauses in German are treated as subordinate clauses, either preceding or following their matrix clauses. My data – based on naturally occurring German talk-in-interaction from various settings – show that participants in everyday interactions use various types of (pre-positioned) wenn-constructions as resources to accomplish social activities. These constructions not only blur the boundaries between subordinated and main clauses, but also reveal a wide range of in-between wenn-constructions ranging from tightly integrated to loosely integrated, from non-integrated to free-standing.

The empirically based analysis, furthermore, shows that practices of clause-combining turn out to be closely connected to the temporal unfolding of talk-in-interaction, and thus to issues of projection, retractive expansions as well as the ongoing accomplishment of social action.

Notes