Medios a través de los cuales se formulará la Oferta

Repetition across turns appears to link utterances and ideas to earlier discourse, or of one speaker‘s ideas to another, and in the process often shows listenership as well as playing an evaluative role by providing emphasis. Potential confusion arising where phrases or words are not repeated in responses (in order to show which part of a previous text message is being responded to) is arguably greater than you might expect in synchronous spoken exchanges and is illustrated by the lack of repetition in the following exchange.1

(6.8) A: Have you got Xmas radio times. If not i will get it now

B: No. Yes please. Been swimming?

A: Okay. No no, just shining on. That was meant to be signing, but that sounds better

Examples in which phrases are repeated across turns include the following.

(6.9) A: Can you use foreign stamps for whatever you send them off for? Xx

B: Can not use foreign stamps in this country. Good lecture x.

(6.10) A: Cool, we shall go and see, have to go to tip anyway. Are you at home, got something to drop in later? So lets go to town tonight! Maybe mum can take us in.x

B: Okey doke. I'm at home, but not dressed cos laying around ill! Speak to you later bout times and stuff. Xx

(6.11) A: Hiya, had a good day? Have you spoken to NAME76 since the weekend? Xx

B: Had a good day – hope clinic went well, going 2 a lecture on Freud later. Have

texted from NAME76 but did not hear anything late yesterday so thought he did not want 2 no – got mixed feelings about him – what do u really think? X x

(6.12) A: Hello! How r u? Im bored. Inever thought id get bored with the tv but I am. Tell me something exciting has happened there? Anything! =/

B: Not a lot has happened here. Feels very quiet. Beth is at her aunts and charlie is working lots. Just me and helen in at the mo. How have you been? X

(6.13) A: I am back. Bit long cos of accident on a30. Had to divert via wadebridge. I had a brilliant weekend thanks. Speak soon. Lots of love xxx

B: I had a good time too. Its nice to do something a bit different with my weekends for a change. See ya soon xxx

The last example in particular also illustrates the role of repetition in showing listenership by linking the second texter‘s sentiment to that of the first, perhaps to make clear that they are reciprocating in kind.

The need to connect ideas between text messages also means that, rather than pronouns being used as a cohesive device, nouns mentioned in a first text message are often repeated in the second but the article or determiner is dropped: perhaps for reasons of brevity or speed. Examples include the following.

(6.14) A: Aah bless! How's your arm?

B: Arms fine, how's Cardiff and uni? xx

(6.15) A: Have you heard about that job? I'm going to that wildlife talk again tonight if u want2come. Its that2worzels and a wizzle or whatever it is?! Xx

B: Hello. No news on job, they are making me wait a fifth week! Yeah im up for

some woozles and weasels... In exeter still, but be home about 3. X

(6.16) A: I don't quite know what to do. I still can't get hold of anyone. I cud pick you up bout 7.30pm and we can see if they're in the pub? Xx

B: Thats a bit weird, even NAME281?- where is the do supposed to be happening?

But good idea, sure they will be in pub! X

(6.17) A: Hey there! Glad u r better now. I hear u treated urself to a digi cam, is it good? We r off at 9pm. Have a fab new year, c u in coupla wks! X

B: Camera quite good, 10.1mega pixels, 3optical and 5digital dooms. Have a

you both! See you in a couple of weeks! Xx

What is interesting about the above is that the repetition is not particularly speech-like. In face-to-face interaction, it could be assumed that ellipsis, pronouns or other anaphoric references (such as there instead of in pub and It’s instead of Camera in the above two examples) would be used.1 Noun (and structural) repetition in texting connects utterances in a second text message with relevant parts of the preceding text message, encouraged perhaps by the asynchronicity of texting, as well as the fact that, unlike MSN discussions, previous text messages are not available for reflecting on while the next are written.

Other examples of repetition across turns explicitly combine a role in connecting text messages with an evaluative function, which again (as with self-repetition) highlights the need for such language manipulation given the lack of paralinguistic and other resources. In each of the following, the second texter responds to the first by repeating a phrase and then using the same syntactic frame to extend the sentiment in an emphatic way.2

(6.18) A: Thanks honey but still haven't heard anything I will leave it a bit longer so not 2 crowd him and will try later - great advice thanks xxx hope cardiff is still there! Xxx

B: Sounds like a plan! Cardiff is still here and still cold! I'm sitting on the radiator!

(6.19) A: Hi hope u r both ok, he said he would text and he hasn't, have u seen him, let me down gently please xxx

B: Hiya, sorry didn't hav signal. I haven't seen or heard from NAME79 and neither

has NAME281, which is unusual in itself! I'll put NAME281 on the case and get him to sort it out! Hugs and snogs. Xxx

(6.20) A: Did he say how fantastic I am by any chance, or anything need a bigger life lift as losing the will 2 live, do you think I would be the first person 2 die from N V Q? XXX

B: He said that he had a right giggle when he saw u again! You would possibly be

the first person2die from NVQ, but think how much you could NAME330 for! Xx

1 _{The occurrence of un-speech-like ellipsis and the relative infrequency of place adverbials is explored further} in Chapter 8: Spoken Grammar, Texted Grammar.

(6.21) A: Yeah that sounds good, even the dancing! I'm not too bad. You? NAME209 has been offered some experimental chemo drug that might giv him a yr, wivout it he's probably got3months. It's terrible, i can't imagine what it's like2be told something like that! Xx

B: Shit that is really shocking and scary, cant imagine for a second. Def up for night out. Do u think there is somewhere i could crash for night, save on taxi?

In most of these, repetition occurs with variation in terms of deictic reference (hope Cardiff

is still there? – Cardiff is still here!) and pronoun (have u seen him – I haven’t seen or heard from NAME79) as well as sentence mode (generally from interrogative to declarative)

and in terms of spelling and abbreviation (the first person 2 die – the first person2die; can’t

imagine – cant imagine).

Repetition of lexis, as well as grammatical structure, is illustrated by the following.

(6.22) A: All done? All handed in? Celebrations in full swing yet?

B: All done, all handed in. Don't know if mega shop in asda counts as celebration but thats what i'm doing!

Transformation of grammatical structure from two initial questions into statements serves not only to clarify which of A‘s three questions B is responding to, but also shows that B is responding fully to A‘s question: B is ‗listening‘. Similarly, repetition of the lexical item

celebration shows how B‘s otherwise somewhat irrelevant description of her shopping trip

relates to A‘s initial query, and indicates a touch of irony.

Another example of lexical repetition is the following.

(6.23) A: How have your little darlings been so far this week?

Need a coffee run tomo?Can't believe it's that time of week already ...

B: All was well until slightly disastrous class this pm with my fav darlings! Hope day off ok. Coffee wld be good as can't stay late tomorrow.

Same time + place as always?

A: That's the trouble with classes that go well - you're due a dodgey one … Expecting mine tomo! See you for recovery, same time, same place xx

B: See you there! Exx

Lexical repetition in this example occurs in the transformation of your little darlings in the first text message to my fav darlings in the second. The lexical switch from little to fav serves, on the surface, to positively evaluate the darlings although the context suggests some irony. Repetition of darlings, however, also serves to link the response back to the initial query, in the same way as the repetition of coffee links the response back to a coffee

run. In the third text message, well links A‘s response back to B‘s claim that All was well,

and the sign-off same time, same place echoes B‘s question: Same time + place as always? A‘s see you is also echoed by B in the final text message. This lexical repetition signals texters‘ involvement with the other and with the interaction, as well as fulfilling the practical function of linking responses to previous text messages.

A related and final phenomenon is how repetition of a phrase can sometimes serve to present it as a concept which can then be evaluated, through its transformation from a clause or verb into a noun. This can be seen in the following.

(6.24) A: ... Are you in the pub?

B: sorry, no, have got few things to do. may be in pub later.

A: I like to think there's always the possibility of being in a pub later.

In the above, discussion of whether or not texter B is in the pub becomes a discussion of the concept of being in a pub later largely through repetition of the phrase, and this allows evaluation: in this case, an apparently positive view of being in a pub. A similar process occurs in the following through repetition of the adjective cheap and its transformation into a noun.

(6.25) A: Well, I was about to give up cos they all said no they didn‘t do one nighters. I persevered and found one but it is very cheap so i apologise in advance. It is just somewhere to sleep isnt it?

B: I like cheap! But i‘m happy to splash out on the wine if it makes you feel better..

To sum up, repetition in texting is used both to evaluate and, where it occurs across turns, to indicate connections between text messages. The way in which utterances are linked

through repetition is in some respects non-speech-like and thus shows how creativity is adapted to fit demands or affordances of texting. Meanwhile, the evaluative role played by repetition supports the suggestion that everyday creativity acts as a resource for the expression of emotion and stance within an otherwise constrained medium.