The meaning and functions of French 'je pense (que)': a constructionalist and interactional account (2024)

Angot, J. (2021). The meaning and functions of French 'je pense (que)': a constructionalist and interactional account. In A. Haselow, & S. Hancil (Eds.), Studies at the grammar-discourse interface: Discourse markers and discourse-related grammatical phenomena (pp. 128-156). (Studies in language companion series). John Benjamins Publishing Company. https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.219.05ang

Angot, Juliette ; Hansen, Maj-Britt Mosegaard. / The meaning and functions of French 'je pense (que)' : a constructionalist and interactional account. Studies at the grammar-discourse interface: Discourse markers and discourse-related grammatical phenomena. editor / Alexander Haselow ; Sylvie Hancil. John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2021. pp. 128-156 (Studies in language companion series).

@inbook{1196131dfbe3403bbfe64d405834dc1e,

title = "The meaning and functions of French 'je pense (que)': a constructionalist and interactional account",

abstract = "This paper examines the meanings of the French construction je pense (que) ({\textquoteleft}I think (that){\textquoteright}, henceforth JP), as well as its uses in social interaction. We propose an account of JP as a micro-construction with two basic elements of coded meaning, either one of which may be pragmatically foregrounded in a given context of use. As a direct result of its constructional meaning, which we argue is situated at the context level rather than at the content level of discourse, the expression frequently functions as a pragmatic marker in conversation. We show that uses of JP may fulfil both interpersonal, face-related functions and discourse-organizational ones. Our analysis has implications for the way JP and similar expressions in French and other languages are categorized and how their pragmatic functions may be seen to have developed. It also raises interesting questions with regard to the psycholinguistic processing of such constructions.",

keywords = "Parentheticals, Epistemic verbs, Pragmatic markers, Construction Grammar, Interactional linguistics",

author = "Juliette Angot and Hansen, {Maj-Britt Mosegaard}",

year = "2021",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1075/slcs.219.05ang",

language = "English",

isbn = "9789027208699",

series = "Studies in language companion series",

publisher = "John Benjamins Publishing Company",

pages = "128--156",

editor = "Alexander Haselow and Hancil, {Sylvie }",

booktitle = "Studies at the grammar-discourse interface",

address = "Netherlands",

}

Angot, J 2021, The meaning and functions of French 'je pense (que)': a constructionalist and interactional account. in A Haselow & S Hancil (eds), Studies at the grammar-discourse interface: Discourse markers and discourse-related grammatical phenomena. Studies in language companion series, John Benjamins Publishing Company, pp. 128-156. https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.219.05ang

The meaning and functions of French 'je pense (que)': a constructionalist and interactional account. / Angot, Juliette; Hansen, Maj-Britt Mosegaard.
Studies at the grammar-discourse interface: Discourse markers and discourse-related grammatical phenomena. ed. / Alexander Haselow; Sylvie Hancil. John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2021. p. 128-156 (Studies in language companion series).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

TY - CHAP

T1 - The meaning and functions of French 'je pense (que)'

T2 - a constructionalist and interactional account

AU - Angot, Juliette

AU - Hansen, Maj-Britt Mosegaard

PY - 2021/6

Y1 - 2021/6

N2 - This paper examines the meanings of the French construction je pense (que) (‘I think (that)’, henceforth JP), as well as its uses in social interaction. We propose an account of JP as a micro-construction with two basic elements of coded meaning, either one of which may be pragmatically foregrounded in a given context of use. As a direct result of its constructional meaning, which we argue is situated at the context level rather than at the content level of discourse, the expression frequently functions as a pragmatic marker in conversation. We show that uses of JP may fulfil both interpersonal, face-related functions and discourse-organizational ones. Our analysis has implications for the way JP and similar expressions in French and other languages are categorized and how their pragmatic functions may be seen to have developed. It also raises interesting questions with regard to the psycholinguistic processing of such constructions.

AB - This paper examines the meanings of the French construction je pense (que) (‘I think (that)’, henceforth JP), as well as its uses in social interaction. We propose an account of JP as a micro-construction with two basic elements of coded meaning, either one of which may be pragmatically foregrounded in a given context of use. As a direct result of its constructional meaning, which we argue is situated at the context level rather than at the content level of discourse, the expression frequently functions as a pragmatic marker in conversation. We show that uses of JP may fulfil both interpersonal, face-related functions and discourse-organizational ones. Our analysis has implications for the way JP and similar expressions in French and other languages are categorized and how their pragmatic functions may be seen to have developed. It also raises interesting questions with regard to the psycholinguistic processing of such constructions.

KW - Parentheticals

KW - Epistemic verbs

KW - Pragmatic markers

KW - Construction Grammar

KW - Interactional linguistics

U2 - 10.1075/slcs.219.05ang

DO - 10.1075/slcs.219.05ang

M3 - Chapter

SN - 9789027208699

T3 - Studies in language companion series

SP - 128

EP - 156

BT - Studies at the grammar-discourse interface

A2 - Haselow, Alexander

A2 - Hancil, Sylvie

PB - John Benjamins Publishing Company

ER -

Angot J, Hansen MBM. The meaning and functions of French 'je pense (que)': a constructionalist and interactional account. In Haselow A, Hancil S, editors, Studies at the grammar-discourse interface: Discourse markers and discourse-related grammatical phenomena. John Benjamins Publishing Company. 2021. p. 128-156. (Studies in language companion series). doi: 10.1075/slcs.219.05ang