Speech-act Adverbs "Stance"
Expressing the conditions under which something is being said
Speech-Act Related Adverbs
| SPEECH-ACT RELATED ADVERBS | ADVERBS FOR MANNER |
|---|---|
A speech-act related adverb expresses the situation or terms under which the statement is being made. The adverb does not actually relate to the information in the clause, but to something understood between listener and speaker. |
An adverb for manner relates to content within the clause. |
SPEECH ACT RELATED ADVERBS Frankly, I don't think your plan will work. Let me tell you frankly/honestly that… |
MANNER ADVERB He told me frankly about his problems. honestly |
Briefly , we had to reinstall everything to make it work. I am telling you this briefly that… / Let me say briefly that… |
He spoke briefly to us about his plan. in a shortened version |
Confidentially, Ed is having some money problems. I am telling you confidentially that … / Let me say confidentially… |
He mentioned confidentially to me that he's having money problems. honestly |
Also known as style stance adverbials, speech-act related adjuncts, situational adjunct, discourse markers. See Grammar Notes below.
Speech-Act Related Adverbs
Briefly, |
Confidentially, |
Frankly, |
Honestly, |
If I might ask, |
If I may say, |
If you must know, |
In brief, |
In truth, |
Just between us, |
Since you asked, |
Truthfully |
Grammar Notes
Resources
| QUIRK et. al. / BIBBER et. al. | HUDDLESTON et. al. / SWAN |
|---|---|
Quirk, Randolph and Sidney Greenbaum. A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language (1989) refer to these words as style disjuncts: "Style disjuncts convey the speaker's comment on the style and form of what he is saying, defining in some way under what conditions he is speaking as the 'authority' for the utterance. (8.123-33) Style Disjunct (a) modality and manner (e.g.: truthfully bluntly, if I may say so); (b) respect (e.g.: in broad terms, personally); Content Disjunct (a) degree of conditions for truth of content (e.g.: really, certainly, if he'd listened); (b) value judgment of content (e.g.: understandably, wisely, to everyone's surprise) |
Huddleston and Pullum, The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language (2002) refer to these structures as clause adjuncts. (CaGEL 773) An adjunct is an additional word, phrase, or clause that is not essential to the completion of the meaning (extra info). |
Biber, et. al. Longman Grammar Of Spoken And Written English (1999) refer to these words as style stance adverbs. (LGSWE 10.3) Stance adverbs "have the primary function of commenting on the content or style of a clause…" They fall into three categories: (1) epistemic — It was, definitely, a waste of time. (personal belief, "truth or value of the proposition, commenting on: certainty, reality, sources, limitations and precision of the proposition."); (2) attitude — Fortunately, it was completed on time. (expresses the speaker's attitude tor ward of evaluation of the situation); (3) style — Frankly, it was a waste of time. (commenting on the style or form of the utterance, clarifying how the speaker is speaking, how the utterance should be understood)
|
Swan, Michael. Practical English Usage (2009) refers to these words as discourse markers, specifically, "showing one's attitude to what one is saying" honestly, frankly, no doubt Honestly, I never said a word to him about the money. (speaking sincerely) |
Resources / Works Cited
Practice 1
Just between you and me
Add the speech-act adverb to the sentence.
- Edit the sentence adding the adverb.
- Compare your edit with the feedback.