Lindstroem-Londen2013

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Lindstroem-Londen2013
BibType ARTICLE
Key Lindstroem-Londen2013
Author(s) JanK. Lindström, Anne-Marie Londen
Title Concession and reassertion: on a dialogic discourse pattern in conversation
Editor(s)
Tag(s) EMCA
Publisher
Year 2013
Language
City
Month
Journal Text & Talk
Volume 33
Number 3
Pages 331–352
URL Link
DOI 10.1515/text-2013-0015
ISBN
Organization
Institution
School
Type
Edition
Series
Howpublished
Book title
Chapter

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Abstract

This is a study of a concessive discourse pattern in which the speaker first makes an assertion, then backs down from it, and eventually recycles the original standpoint. This practice bears a strong resemblance to show concessions which Antaki and Wetherell (1999) identify as typical of ideological debate. Our data are from Swedish conversations in everyday as well as institutional settings. We argue thus that the practice of conceding and reasserting does not limit itself to specific rhetoric purposes but is a generally available device for reasoning and argumentation in conversation. The practice enhances intersubjectivity in interaction by acknowledging other viewpoints, signaling reciprocity between the participants, and contributing to preference for agreement. We account for the dialogic nature of this concessive pattern by analyzing first same-speaker produced and then other-induced concessions. We also consider the relation of the concession–reassertion format to other concessive practices.

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