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4.2.4 Tagged Declarative
There is only one tagged declarative found. The use of modalized full declarative, i.e. ‘I suppose you still keep it in your factory, right?’ e-mail 1,
pair 5 suggests that the interactant is less assertive in presenting his opinion. The fact that there is only one tagged declarative suggests the very
assertive nature of the interactants’ roles.
4.2.5 Minor Clauses
Minor clauses are used to realize attending, engaging, and closing speech functions which as has been previously mentioned reflect the
informality in the interactants’ interpersonal relations. Besides, minor clauses are also used to realize some expressions of thanks expressing
politeness phenomena which are considered as a part of formal, hierarchical interpersonal relations.
4.2.6 Adjuncts
Table 4.8 tells us that circumstantial adjuncts are most frequently used compared to the interpersonal and textual ones. This suggests that the
interactants in e-mail business correspondence under study have great concern for both requesting and providing detailed information as the
following excerpts suggest: ‘Will client place new order of RIVERDTMF 266644B in back colour in
short time? e-mail 1, pair 7
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‘Since PDX is on holiday on Monday, I could get reply from them on Wednesday at the latest.’ e-mail 2, pair 3.
On the other hand, the total number for interpersonal adjunct choices is the least of all. There is only one interpersonal adjunct used by the
interactants in e-mail business correspondence under study, i.e. ‘I suppose you still keep it in your factory right?’ e-mail 1, pair 5. The least frequent
use of interpersonal adjunct seems consistent with the interactants’ preference for giving factual information rather than giving opinion. This
finding suggests the assertive nature of the interactants’ roles and the absence of intensifying and mitigating interpersonal adjuncts suggests no
emotional involvement in the interactants’ interpersonal relations.
4.2.7 Negations
I found only two negations, i.e. ‘I haven’t any idea on it’ e-mail 2, pair 5 and ‘Below fabric sample we do not have available stock’ e-mail 2,
pair 9, while there are six confronting replies, i.e. those of withholding, non-compliance, and disagreement. Hence, the interactants prefer
employing positive realizations rather than the negative ones and it may imply that they try to disguise their confrontation. The small number of
negations reflects the interactants’ preference for taking on supportive roles and this finding suggests a relatively low degree of involvement in their
interpersonal relations.
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4.2.8 Modalities 4.2.8.1 Modalization
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