Arguing for a wide conception of grammar: The case of final particles in spoken discourse

Alexander Haselow

doi:10.1515/flin.2013.015

Article

Arguing for a wide conception of grammar: The case of final particles in spoken discourse

Alexander Haselow

Published/Copyright: February 11, 2014

Published by

Become an author with De Gruyter Brill

Submit Manuscript Author Information Explore this Subject

From the journal Folia Linguistica Volume 47 Issue 2

Abstract

The grammatical status of final particles in spoken English, such as then, though, anyway, and but, is undefined, as the various labels used in the literature (e.g. connectors, linking adverbials, conjuncts) show. This indeterminacy derives from the functional diversity of these particles. They not only link units of (spoken) discourse, but may also create a link between a discourse unit and an implied proposition; they are used to express subjective meanings and to modify illocutionary force. As such particles represent a borderline case between grammar and pragmatics, they invite discussion of the usefulness of a strict grammar-pragmatics divide and suggest a conception of grammar that goes beyond the level of “well-formed” sentences. A distinction will be made between “microgrammar”, which refers to sentence-internal strucural relations, and “macrogrammar”, referring to structural relations beyond isolated sentences. Final particles are analyzed as grammatical elements on the macrogrammatical level.

Keywords: spoken discourse; final particles; grammar; grammaticalization; syntax

Published Online: 2014-02-11

Published in Print: 2013-10

You are currently not able to access this content.

Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/flin.2013.015

Keywords for this article

spoken discourse; final particles; grammar; grammaticalization; syntax