240 Two Politeness Parentheticals
attention to their presumed attitudes to the content of what is said), and in a
more social sense (paying attention to their ‘face’ or ‘image needs’ associ-
ated with social stance and identity” (Traugott 2003b : 128). Subjectively, if
I may say so explicitly references the speaker (the “I” subject) and through
the modal may denotes subjective stance (‘possibility’). Intersubjectively,
may can be used to request permission, although in this case the giver of
the permission (“you”) is not explicitly evoked and might be quite general.
More importantly, however, the use of if I may/ might say so with statements
of opinion or suggestion, as a politeness marker mitigating the attack on the
negative face of the hearer, is highly intersubjective. During the development
of this construction, therefore, we see (inter)subjective meanings (which are
pragmatically inferable from the construction) becoming the coded meanings
(see Traugott 2010 : 35, 54).
8.3 For What It’s Worth
8.3.1 For What It’s Worth in Present- Day English
For what it is worth may have literal or metaphorical meaning and function as a
complement (14a– c) or adjunct (14d– e). In the former, it serves as the necessary
complement in the predicate of a sentence, whereas in the latter, it is the optional
modifi er of the preceding noun:^5
(14) a. Your degree was in communications, am I wrong?” “It’s not worth much.
I could burn it for heat this winter for what it’s worth .” (2007 Massachusetts
Review [COCA])
b. Nevertheless, I must offer my opinion for what it is worth : I believe it did
not. (1993 American Scholar [COCA])
c. what I say must be taken for what it may be worth (2011 The Oregon
[COCA])
d. So that’s my contribution for what it’s worth (2007 NPR_ TalkNation
[COCA])
e. My guess, for what it is worth , is that you will see a different reaction
by company, not by sector (1997 Discussion after the speeches of Robert
Cassidy and Simon Potter [COCA])
5 The OED (s.v. worth , adj, def. 3c) also notes the existence of for all it is worth with the mean-
ing ‘to the fullest extent.’ This is often used in quite fi xed phrases: use/ milk/ play/ work X for all
it’s worth :
(i) he is a master at milking the tradition for all that it’s worth. (1994 Washington Post
[COCA])
(ii) I have been able to use my previous skills along with new found knowledge to help many
of the teachers learn to embrace technology for all it is worth. (2010 Teacher Librarian
[COCA])