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The multi‐functionality of accounts in advice giving 1
Author(s) -
Waring Hansun Zhang
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of sociolinguistics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1467-9841
pISSN - 1360-6441
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9841.2007.00328.x
Subject(s) - advice (programming) , conversation , set (abstract data type) , remedial education , conversation analysis , resistance (ecology) , computer science , psychology , sociology , public relations , mathematics education , political science , communication , ecology , biology , programming language
Accounts have traditionally been understood as explanations designed to exonerate the speaker from an untoward act (e.g. account for lateness) (Scott and Lyman 1968). In this paper, I examine the use of accounts in advice giving, adopting a broader view of accounts as the reasoning provided to bolster the viability of the advice. The data set consists of 15 graduate peer tutoring sessions and a total of 143 advising sequences collected over a period of four years. Using the methodology of conversation analysis, I show that besides their remedial utility of ‘repairing the broken,’ accounts can also be used proactively to validate and promote a current agenda. In particular, I argue for the multi‐functionality of accounts in addressing face threats, managing resistance, and doing pedagogy.