Les expressions métadiscursives dans les contes acadiens de tradition orale

Abstract

Our paper deals with the metadiscursive expressions based on the French verb dire, such as je vas dire, on va dire [subject (+ semi-auxiliary) + dire], in a corpus of Acadian folktales. In a corpus-driven approach, the syntactic configurations that underlie pragmaticalization and the emergence of discourse markers are studied. The examination of their pragmatic values leads to the conclusion that specific enunciative mechanisms can be identified in the art of storytelling: the markers based on dire possess linguistic features that allow the storyteller to perform, to represent his/her enunciation. The configuration of on va dire makes it a particularly suitable marker for the story specific enunciation. If this marker indicates a non-commitment from the enunciator, it is for a consensual purpose. This is a particular enunciation, in which the enunciator, in search of connivance, tries to make the co-enunciator share the commitment.

Keywords

• metadiscourse marker
• dire
• acadian folktale
• pragmaticalization
• non-commitment
• on va dire