The Expression of Uncertainty as a Strategy for Mitigating the Assertion. An Analysis in an Oral Computerized Corpus

11 pages•Published: February 23, 2017

Abstract

This paper looks into the use of probability markers in oral texts as a strategy used to weaken the illocutionary force involved in the assertive act. To meet this objective, twenty-three probability markers in five thousand paragraphs were analyzed. The analysis allowed us to see the use of thirteen of these markers to mitigate assertions in informal spoken language, mainly in peer-to-peer interactions with interpersonal purposes. In such contexts, probability markers usually protect the positive face of the speaker and occasionally that of the addressee. Some patterns are perceived concerning the scalar position of the marker (expression of more or less certainty) and whose face (speaker’s or addressee’s) is threatened by the potentially negative effect of the assertive act.

Keyphrases: epistemic modality, expression of probability, mitigation, modal markers, oral corpus

In: Chelo Vargas-Sierra (editor). Professional and Academic Discourse: an Interdisciplinary Perspective, vol 2, pages 304-314.

Links:	https://easychair.org/publications/paper/Shf
	https://doi.org/10.29007/w8ml

BibTeX entry

@inproceedings{AESLA2016:Expression_Uncertainty_as_Strategy,
  author    = {María José Barrios-Sabador},
  title     = {The Expression of Uncertainty as a Strategy for Mitigating the Assertion. An Analysis in an Oral Computerized Corpus},
  booktitle = {Professional and Academic Discourse: an Interdisciplinary Perspective},
  editor    = {Chelo Vargas-Sierra},
  series    = {EPiC Series in Language and Linguistics},
  volume    = {2},
  publisher = {EasyChair},
  bibsource = {EasyChair, https://easychair.org},
  issn      = {2398-5283},
  url       = {/publications/paper/Shf},
  doi       = {10.29007/w8ml},
  pages     = {304-314},
  year      = {2017}}

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