SorjonenRaevaaraCouper-Kuhlen2017a

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SorjonenRaevaaraCouper-Kuhlen2017a
BibType INCOLLECTION
Key SorjonenRaevaaraCouper-Kuhlen2017a
Author(s) Marja-Leena Sorjonen, Liisa Raevaara, Elizabeth Couper-Kuhlen
Title Imperative turns at talk: An introduction
Editor(s) Liisa Raevaara Marja-Leena Sorjonen, Elizabeth Couper-Kuhlen
Tag(s) EMCA, action formation, imperative, imperfective, interactional linguistics, requestingrequesting
Publisher John Benjamins
Year 2017
Language English
City Amsterdam
Month
Journal
Volume
Number
Pages 1–24
URL Link
DOI 10.1075/slsi.30.01sor
ISBN
Organization
Institution
School
Type
Edition
Series
Howpublished
Book title Imperative Turns at Talk: The Design of Directives in Action
Chapter

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Abstract

In middle-class Anglo-speaking circles imperatives are considered impolite forms that command another to do something; etiquette manuals recommend avoiding them. The papers in this collection de-construct such lay beliefs. Through the empirical examination of everyday and institutional interaction across a range of languages, they show that imperatives are routinely used for constructing turns that further sociality in interactional situations. Moreover, they show that for understanding the use of an imperatively formatted turn, its specific design (whether it contains, e.g., an overt subject, object, modal particles, or diminutives), and its sequential and temporal positioning in verbal and embodied activities are crucial. The fact that the same type of imperative turn is appropriate under the same circumstances across linguistically diverse cultures suggests that there are common aspects of imperative turn design and common pragmatic dimensions of situations warranting their use. The volume provides new insights into the resources and processes involved when social actors try to get another to do something.

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