3 - Interpersonal Function and Intersubjectivity

Summary

Chapter 3 focuses on the uses of general extenders that are addressee-oriented and express an interpersonal function in interaction. The underlying concept is described as intersubjectivity, which is tied to an awareness of the addressee’s needs. Participants in an interaction are taken to be cooperative fellow speakers, adhering toGrice's Quality and Quantity maxims. The use of adjunctive forms to indicate common ground can also create a sense of solidarity, indicating similarity, and hence also signaling positive politeness. In other situations, speakers can use disjunctive forms to signal negative politeness, that is, a concern with potentially imposing on the addressee. When general extenders are used as part of these politeness strategies, they are often described as hedges, used to indicate possible inaccuracy or imposition and a desire to avoid such things, resulting in an association with approximation.