142 A Grammar of Spoken English Discourse
the assumed shared social convergence existing between the speaker and
the hearer. Cruttenden (1997: 163) distinguishes between what he labels
‘open’ tones realized by an end-rising tone movement and ‘closing’ tones
realized by an end-falling tone movement. Closing tones project a context
where the speaker has told something and that the something is not up for
discussion. Open tones, on the other hand, at least nominally reach out to
the hearer by deferring: the hearer is presented as being in a position to
comment on the telling. The target stare achieved is, in other words, one
jointly shared by speaker and hearer rather than one where the speaker has
overtly moved the hearer from an initial to target state.
Table 6.4 Correspondence between increment fi nal rises and inferred elements
Elements Inferable Notes
that have been dealing with this Yes Presupposed from general knowledge. What else
would the ministers, police and emergency
services have been doing. The anaphoric
element this refers to the previously mentioned
terrorist attack.
that we were going to discuss Yes Presupposed from general knowledge. Summits
have agendas and agendas list items for
discussion.
that it possibly can No It is not obvious that a terrorist organization will
latch onto any possible cause.
give it a dimension of terrorism
and hatred
No It is not obvious that a terrorist organization will
exploit any available cause.
you can see this No Unclear what can be seen. The element this is
cataphoric.
why I have taken the view No Not linked to co-text and not obvious from
general knowledge.
in fi ghting this battle Yes Presupposed from co-text.
they are going to fi ght hard No First mention.
democracy No First mention of the concept ‘democracy’.
you got a genuine democracy of
the people
Yes Restatement of previous co-text.to boost it No First mention.
it had to be stopped No First mention and not obvious from general
knowledge.
including killing any number of
wholly innocent people
? Contestable and dependent on a particular
framing of the issue.
Palestine No Not obviously linked to the previous case.
grief at the loss of innocent lives? Contestable. Not obvious that western politicians
grieve for civilian deaths in other countries.
and we will Yes Restatement of previous elements. Presupposed
from general knowledge.