160 A Grammar of Spoken English Discourse
In (1) Gc, along with nine of the other readers, selects an initial high key
which signals that the content of the increment is contrary to the expecta-
tions previously created by the discourse. While he has previously read
aloud information on the bombing; its cost; his intention of returning to
London and the determination of the leaders of the G8 to continue with
their meeting, nothing has been said linking the bombing to the seemingly
unrelated topics of African poverty and climate change. The implication
that the bombing was somehow directed against such important topics is
out of the blue and not in accord with the previously generated expecta-
tions. The initial high key projects that the hearers will fi nd it surprising that
something is barbaric but it is only after Gc has achieved target state that the
hearers know what it is that the cataphoric it refers to. The initial high key
signals that the hearer should pay extra attention as the target state realized
by the production of the increment is not in accord with the previously
generated co-text.^4
(2) ↑EACH of the COUNtries around the \TAble //
n p+ d n p d n
has /SOME // exPERience of the efFECTS of \/TERrorism // [Dc-13]
V d N P+ d N P N #In example (2) the increment initial high key which was selected by ten
of the eleven readers, is contained in a tone unit which contains a nominal
group. Dc’s selection of high key in example (2) signals that she will read
something contrary to the previously generated expectations. She will
inform her hearers about something contrary to the discourse expectations
that each of the countries around that table has done, had or is. The fact that
there are countries around a table is in accord with the previous co-text but
the fact that they have had some experience with terrorism is not. It is only when
target state has been achieved that the hearer knows what it is that is pro-
jected not to be in accord with the previously generated expectations. The
co-text prior to the increment initial key in example (2) has not linked
the bombing with any other terrorist atrocity. Hence the statement that
other countries have also suffered from similar outrages and the resulting
implication that the bombing was connected to a larger international event
is contrary to the expectations generated by the previous discourse.
(3) it is the ↑WILL of /↑ALL the // LEAders of the g\EIGHT //
N V d N P+ d d+ N P d N