Hoey2022

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Hoey2022
BibType ARTICLE
Key Hoey2022
Author(s) Elliott M. Hoey
Title Self-authorizing action: On let me X in English social interaction
Editor(s)
Tag(s) EMCA, Imperatives, Directives, agency
Publisher
Year 2022
Language English
City
Month
Journal Language in Society
Volume 51
Number 1
Pages 95 - 118
URL Link
DOI https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047404520000779[Opens in a new window]
ISBN
Organization
Institution
School
Type
Edition
Series
Howpublished
Book title
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Abstract

This article contributes to conversation analytic research on the formatting of imperative actions by focusing on the English first person imperative let me/lemme X as it appears in a range of naturally occurring interactions. I argue that lemme X is a practice for displacing what was projectably relevant in a given environment in favor of a self-authorized action. This as a result tends to advance the speaker's interests/initiatives. The analysis accounts for speakers’ apparent presumption of permission in unilaterally undertaking their lemme X action by reference to the placement, design, and subsequent orientations to the self-authorized action. The construction is discussed in terms of the distribution of agency and it is suggested that lemme X is particularly suited to advancing activities that favor autonomous action by the speaker and which involve the recipient only minimally.

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