Equidad en salud

The function of so introducing a new sequence basically enables the speaker to accomplish coherence ‘between successive elements in a chain of events’ (Redeker, 1990, pp. 373–374). Müller (2005) acknowledges this function of so as it occurs 140 times in her data. Dictionaries define this function of so as introducing the next event/part in a story (Cobuild English Dictionary, 1995; Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, 2000). Buysse (2012) argues that the sequential so can be distinguished from the resultive so as the ‘“sequential” so

starts a new sequence within the turn, whereas “resultative” so brings a sequence or a turn to a closure’ (p. 1773). Example (26) relates to an interviewee who speaks about one of his life changing experiences. He tells his story of applying to two universities. He mentions that he was accepted at both. He uses so in the last turn in this excerpt, which in fact has neither any clear ideational nor rhetorical relation (Redeker, 1990, p. 396).

(26) ˂B˃ it’s no problem I I an experience you have had which has taught you an important lesson ˂/B ˃

˂A˃ ok ˂/A˃

˂B˃ describe the experience and say what you have learnt from it I have an experience a previous experience with the studying at university ˂/B ˃

˂A˃ ok ˂/A˃

˂B˃ and that’s a very a a point that has changed my course in life ˂/B ˃ ˂A˃ all right ˂/A˃

108 <name of a university> I got accepted ˂/B ˃ ˂A ˃ (uhu) ˂/A˃

˂B˃ in engineering and then I applied for (er) <name of a university> and I got directly a= accepted ˂/B ˃

˂A˃ (uhu) ˂/A˃

˂B˃ so I chose <name of a university> I didn’t do very well there study for four years … and after maybe years my GPA was dropping down ˂/B ˃

˂A˃ (uhu) ˂/A˃

(SLC-AR04)

The same kind of sequence takes place in extract (27). This interviewee is a native speaker of English who speaks about her year of teaching in France. The discourse marker so serves to introduce new sequences.

(27) <B> cos they're gonna know I'm English and <\B> <A> oh come on <laughs> <\A>

<B> and they're gonna say oh you're just making mistakes which sounds really bad and <laughs> <X> <\B>

<A> they wouldn't say that <\A>

<B> no they wouldn't I think it's just . you have nerv= you're nervous and <\B> <A> yeah <\A>

<B> it makes you have more complexes I suppose .. so (erm) . but . like it really sort of worked out well I had a flood in my flat over Christmas <X> pipe and it could have been a disaster but it actually worked out to be the best thing because it meant that people friends in the building like who<?> weren't friends but people my neighbours who I'd not really much contact with they came out to help and I made

109 my friend <\B>

<A> oh yes <\A>

<B> Olivia she was brilliant and she was . so it sort of helped and it made me like find people meet people and then they knew who I was and they'd come round and ask for help with their English . essays they happened to be doing English <X> and business <\B>

<A> oh yes <\A>

<B> so it worked out quite well <\B> <A> (mhm) <\A>

<B> so (er) and then I met some people who worked at my school the[i:] surveillant the <\B>

<A> (mhm) <\A>

(LOCNEC-E08)

The final example below is from the picture-based story. At first, speaker AR32 finds it hard to describe the picture and make a story out of it. The interviewer tries to help by asking her some questions. Then AR32 starts her story with a scene. She introduces the second scene with so.

(28) <A> okay (erm) okay let’s move to the you know other paper (er) here you have four pictures (erm) can you you know can you make up a story of your own you know describe these pictures and make up a story perhaps <\A>

<B> you know it’s very difficult <\B> <A> <XX> look at it <\A>

<B> very difficult to make up one (er) <\B> <A> what do you see you know <\A>

110

<B> (erm) there are there was a women walking down the street and she saw an artist <\B>

<A> okay <\A>

<B> so she came up to him and asked him (er) if he if he could draw her then he said yes <\B>

<A> (uhu) <\A>

(SLC-AR32)