Intersubjective Impersonals in Context: A Multivariate Analysis of Spanish “Uno” and “Se” in Spoken Language

Abstract

This paper offers a multivariate analysis of the alternation between 2 Spanish constructions traditionally considered as impersonal, namely uno and se, in 3 different spoken language genres. The proposed analysis will show that, while the traditionally described syntactic factors related to this alternation and to the analysis of each of these forms account for part of the alternation, it is the much less studied pragmatic-discursive factors that offer a better explanation. Moreover, we will show the crucial role of genre variation and of differences as to intersubjective functioning for accounting for the alternation between these two constructions.

Keywords

• impersonal
• intersubjectivity
• pragmatics
• se
• spoken language
• uno