Systemic Tools To Establish Appropriacy in Discourse: The Case of Interjections in English and Spanish Conversations

Abstract

The present article discusses the different realisations of interjections which fulfill the feedback function in English and Spanish conversations. The study, which follows previous research on the contrastive analysis of discourse functions in English and Spanish (Romero Trillo, 1994a & b, 1997), will establish the main parameters of use of these elements in both languages. The methodology will follow Halliday’s notion of “continuative themes,” which is expanded via the concept of “re-grammaticalization” in order to capture the multifunctional value of these elements, and as a means to explain the notion of “discourse appropriacy” (Romero Trillo & Espigares Pinilla, forthcoming). The study will conclude by showing the differences in the use of interjections in both languages, as well as suggesting some pedagogical implications for future research.