Lerner-etal2012

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Lerner-etal2012
BibType ARTICLE
Key Lerner-etal2012
Author(s) Gene H. Lerner, Galina B. Bolden, Alexa Hepburn, Jenny Mandelbaum
Title Reference recalibration repairs: Adjusting the precision of formulations for the task at hand
Editor(s)
Tag(s) EMCA, Reference, Repair
Publisher
Year 2012
Language
City
Month
Journal Research on Language and Social Interaction
Volume 45
Number 2
Pages 191–212
URL Link
DOI 10.1080/08351813.2012.674190
ISBN
Organization
Institution
School
Type
Edition
Series
Howpublished
Book title
Chapter

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Abstract

This report examines what is involved when a speaker overtly selects one formulation over another by employing a repair operation that reformulates a reference in a way that adjusts or recalibrates it, rather than abandons the original referent altogether. Focusing primarily on references to persons, we show that, beyond the narrowing of a reference—increasing its precision—that results in an improved fit between a person reference and other components of a turn at talk, these reference recalibration repairs can be used to do such things as meeting the requirements of a story's telling, upgrading the credibility of an information source, and justifying a rejection. This ties speakers' overt concern with calibrating a categorical reference to the formation of action in their turn at talk. By contrast, we then show how broadening a reference—decreasing its precision—can be used as a method for displaying uncertainty and, thereby, recalibrating a reference to fit the manifest knowledge state of the speaker (or a recipient).

Notes