A Grammar of Spoken English Discourse: The Intonation of Increments

Abstract

An exploratory grammar is useful if one is seeking possible explanations of some of the many still unaccounted for observations one may make about the way the language works. It accepts uncertainty as a fact of the linguist’s life. Its starting-point can be captured in the phrase ‘Let’s assume that . . .’ and it proceeds in the awareness that any assumptions it makes are based on nothing more than assumptions the aim is to test these assumptions against observable facts.