Keevallik2020c

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Keevallik2020c
BibType INCOLLECTION
Key Keevallik2020c
Author(s) Leelo Keevallik, Ann Weatherall
Title ‘I understand’-initiated formulations of the other: A semi-fixed claim to the intersubjective
Editor(s) Ritva Laury, Tsuyoshi Ono
Tag(s) EMCA, Fixed expressions, Intersubjectivity, Complement taking predicates, Formulations, Cognitive verbs, Estonian, Misalignment, Interactional linguistics
Publisher John Benjamins
Year 2020
Language English
City Amsterdam
Month
Journal
Volume
Number
Pages 11-40
URL Link
DOI 10.1075/pbns.315.02kee
ISBN
Organization
Institution
School
Type
Edition
Series
Howpublished
Book title Fixed Expressions: Building Language Structure and Social Action
Chapter

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Abstract

Some language patterns appear fixed at a certain time, enabling their description as grammatical structures. Semi-fixed patterns that routinely accomplish specific social actions constitute more of an analytical challenge. This chapter targets the phrase ma saan aru ‘I understand’ in Estonian together with the ensuing other-attentive formulation ‘2nd person expression + a cognitive concept’ and argues that it is a semi-fixed expression, a “claim to the intersubjective”, that manages a misalignment between participants. While claiming to have successfully accessed the other’s motives or feelings, the speaker regularly advances her own agenda through the formulation of the other. This suggests a systematic relationship between cognitive lexicon, grammatical structure, and interactional function, and calls for a language theory that incorporates semi-fixedness.

Notes