Towards a responsibility-based model of the move system in discourse semantics: Reasoning from above

This paper offers a responsibility-based model of the move system as an alternative to the current speech-functional model in discourse semantics in Systemic Functional Linguistics, particularly for exchanges revolving around the giving and demanding of goods-&-services. It argues that at move rank speakers have at their disposal the choice between positioning and not positioning each other. When positioned, the speaker may or may not be positioned as responsible for carrying out the negotiated action; and at the same time, the addressee may or may not be positioned as responsible. Drawing on simple examples mainly from TV programmes, the paper shows how certain options in the move system are preselected and activated by different structural functions in an action exchange. The responsibility-based model proposed in this paper sheds light on a number of problems identified in the current speech-functional model of the move system in discourse semantics.