Hoey2022
| Hoey2022 | |
|---|---|
| BibType | ARTICLE |
| Key | Hoey2022 |
| Author(s) | Elliott M. Hoey |
| Title | Self-authorizing action: On let me X in English social interaction |
| Editor(s) | |
| Tag(s) | EMCA, Imperatives, Directives, agency |
| Publisher | |
| Year | 2022 |
| Language | English |
| City | |
| Month | |
| Journal | Language in Society |
| Volume | 51 |
| Number | 1 |
| Pages | 95 - 118 |
| URL | Link |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1017/S0047404520000779[Opens in a new window] |
| ISBN | |
| Organization | |
| Institution | |
| School | |
| Type | |
| Edition | |
| Series | |
| Howpublished | |
| Book title | |
| Chapter | |
Abstract
This article contributes to conversation analytic research on the formatting of imperative actions by focusing on the English first person imperative let me/lemme X as it appears in a range of naturally occurring interactions. I argue that lemme X is a practice for displacing what was projectably relevant in a given environment in favor of a self-authorized action. This as a result tends to advance the speaker's interests/initiatives. The analysis accounts for speakers’ apparent presumption of permission in unilaterally undertaking their lemme X action by reference to the placement, design, and subsequent orientations to the self-authorized action. The construction is discussed in terms of the distribution of agency and it is suggested that lemme X is particularly suited to advancing activities that favor autonomous action by the speaker and which involve the recipient only minimally.
Notes
