132 Anna-Brita Stenström
3.2 The interpersonal levelOn the interpersonal level, both vale and okay occur with an empathizing, a
threatening or an appeasing effect. As an empathizer, the role of the marker is to
strengthen the hearer’s involvement and interest in what the speaker is talking
about, but without really expecting a response. When threatening, on the other
hand, it tends to be followed by a reaction. With an appeasing effect, the marker
serves to calm down the hearer. Examples (4) to (6) illustrate the use of vale on
the interpersonal level:
(4) empathize
María: pero así llevan dos meses vale y entonces claro el problema el prob-
lema está ...
‘but they’ve been like this for two months okay and then of course
the problem is ...’
(5) threaten
Ana: sí. está grabando no lo toques vale
‘yes it’s recording don’t touch it okay’
Lina: a ver qué quieres que digamos’
‘look what do you want us to say’
(6) appease
Pablo: me estás hartando tío
‘you’re tiring me out man’
Sergio: vale ya está ya está aquí ya está ya está relájate
‘okay it’s already it’s already here it’s already it’s already take it easy’3.3 The discourse levelOn the discourse level, vale and okay can signal self-reaction or reorientation, as
in (7) and (8):
(7) self-react
Anita: me daba el guarrazo y vale da miedo
‘he hit me and okay he scares me’
(8) reorientate
Elena: con el tanga ... yo traumatizadísima tía ... y yo vale me voy a poner
las bragas de Bridget Jones
‘with the tanga ... I’m terribly traumatic TÍA ... and I okay I’ll put on
Bridget Jones’ trousers’