Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

DISCOURSE FUNCTIONS OF VOCATIVES

118

Summons

118a

Vocatives are used to call or summon a person:

Sue! Your cup of tea is poured. 

Turn management

118b

Vocatives function in the management of speaker turns, although this is not an

especially common function in face-to-face spoken discourse. They are used to

identify an addressee, to nominate a next speaker or to soften an interruption:

A: I should have some change. 

B: I owe you too don’t I, Jodie. 

C: Yes you do. 

The = sign indicates an utterance which is cut short

The + sign indicates an interrupted turn which continues at the next + sign

[speakers are looking at a document about the rules of credit unions]

A: Whereas the the bank er the credit union made provision with disclosure

may be able to enter into contracts with= In other words if the bank want to

see the= to find out where money+ 

B: Hang on Geoff. I’ve not got a seventy six two now. 

C: Yeah. 

B: Is that what you’re up against?

A: Yeah. It says that any member= any person can erm any er er member+ 

B: Any member or any persons having an interest in the funds.