Responsibility and Evidence in Oral Discourse

Studies in the Social and Cultural Foundations of Language

by Jane H. Hill (Editor), Judith T. Irvine (Editor)

Twelve articles by leading linguists and linguistic anthropologists develop an important series of case studies that show how ideas such as "responsibility," "agency," "authority," and "evidence" are simultaneously aspects of social meaning and implications of linguistic form. The studies show how speakers attribute responsibility for acts and situations, how particular forms of language and discourse relate to claims and disclaimers of responsibility, and how verbal acts are themselves social acts, subject to such attributions. This book will serve as a landmark volume in the study and analysis of oral discourse.

328 pages, Paperback

First published June 3, 1993

Reviews

[Clara]

read this for uni, jane hill & judith irvine are my queens

[Jahnu Sekar]

I become a better human after read this one

[Sam Grace]

I only managed to read the first three chapters (Hill & Irvine's intro, Duranti's bit on Samoan, and DuBois on divination) before I had to put it down and write the paper I was using it for, but I expect to return to it as soon as I have a chance just so that I can have it in my general toolkit. Likely in the spring.