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consistent with their preference for questions of fact, and hence their preference for both requesting and giving factual information suggests a
relatively low degree of involvement in their interpersonal relations since frequently we can discuss opinion freely only with those we are sufficiently
intimate. To summarize the analysis of the opening speech functions, it seems
that when initiating the interactions in the e-mail business correspondence under study, most initiators favour constructing interpersonal relations with
a relatively low degree of involvement.
4.1.2 Continuing Speech Functions
The analysis reveals that prolonging speech functions are the only continuing speech functions used by the interactants in the e-mails under
study; neither monitoring speech functions nor the appending ones are found.
Table 4.4 Distribution of Continuing Speech Function Choices SPEECH
FUNCTION TOTAL
CHOICE OCCURRENCE IN PAIRS
Prolong:extend Prolong:enhance
9 1
3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 5
Table 4.4 presents information of the distribution of the continuing speech functions in pairs. The table reveals the fact that both the initiators
and the respondents are prolonging their own moves by extension and enhancement. There are nine extending and one enhancing speech functions.
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Out of nine extending speech functions used, two of them are used neutrally to give additional information pairs 3 and 6, for example, ‘We are still
rushing the sample roll disagreement and non-compliance and hope we could send within this week’ extension, and the rest are used to show
appreciation to the addressee in relation to the interactants’ demanding roles pairs 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, for example, ‘Please kindly advice the progress of the
testing against our denim sample D2092z open question. ‘tks’ extension. The use of extending move to show appreciation to the addressee indicates
politeness phenomena which suggest that the interactants assumed they are interacting in formal situation. Assuming to interact in formal situation, the
interactants may also assume that their interpersonal relations are those of hierarchic and relatively low degree of involvement. Meanwhile, the only
one enhancement is found in pair 5. It is used in relation to the initiator’s command, i.e. I would like you to send it back to PT Itochu Ms Melly
command because we want to use it for another development enhancement. Using an enhancement in relation to a command by
providing a reason, the interactant may try to offer a justification for his command. In other words, he may think that he does not have the right to
give a command and feels reluctant to do so because he is not highly involved with the other interactant and he does not think that he has some
power over the other interactant either.
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4.1.3 Reacting Speech Functions
