TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................... xi
LIST OF TABLES...................................................................... xiii
INTRODUCTION ....................................................................... 1
Qualified utterances and qualified standpoints ............................................... 1
Theoretical perspective...................................................................................... 4
Aim of the study ................................................................................................ 9
Research questions........................................................................................... 11
Methodological considerations ....................................................................... 11
Outline of the study......................................................................................... 13

PART I QUALIFYING A STANDPOINT.................................. 17

CHAPTER 1 DESIGNING A STANDPOINT BY QUALIFYING ...... 19
1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 19
1.2 Designing a standpoint.............................................................................. 20
1.3 Qualification defined ................................................................................. 25
1.3.1 Qualifying as adding an extra element ................................................ 25
1.3.2 Qualifying as adding extra meaning .................................................... 27
1.3.3 Qualification as a presentational device for designing a standpoint 28
1.4 Ways of qualifying a standpoint ............................................................... 31
1.4.1 Adding a comment about the content................................................ 34
1.4.1.1 Comment conveying commitment to the propositional content
.................................................................................................................... 34
1.4.1.2 Comment conveying evaluation of the propositional content . 37
1.4.2 Adding a comment about the act........................................................ 39
1.5 Concluding remarks................................................................................... 41
CHAPTER 2 STANCE ADVERBS QUALIFYING A STANDPOINT 43
2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 43
2.2 Sentence adverbs and stance adverbs ...................................................... 44
2.3 Stance adverbs and the three ways of qualifying a standpoint ............... 49
2.3.1 Stance adverbs commenting on the commitment to the
propositional content .................................................................................... 51
2.3.1.1 Modal, evidential and domain adverbs ....................................... 51
2.3.1.2 Emphasising the quality of the evidence .................................... 54
2.3.2 Stance adverbs commenting on the evaluation of the propositional
content............................................................................................................ 60
2.3.2.1 Evaluative adverbs........................................................................ 61
2.3.2.2 Emphasising shared evaluation ................................................... 63
2.3.3 Stance adverbs commenting on the performance of the act ............ 68

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2.3.3.1 Illocutionary adverbs and expectation markers ......................... 68

2.3.3.2 Emphasising cooperativeness ...................................................... 72
2.4 Concluding remarks................................................................................... 76

PART II MANAGING THE BURDEN OF PROOF ................. 79

CHAPTER 3 A PROCEDURAL VIEW OF THE BURDEN OF
PROOF .................................................................................................... 81
3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 81
3.2 A liaison between advancing a standpoint and forwarding
argumentation .................................................................................................. 81
3.3 The procedure of incurring and discharging the burden of proof ........ 84
3.3.1 Acquiring the burden of proof............................................................ 88
3.3.2 Assuming the burden of proof............................................................ 92
3.3.3 Meeting the burden of proof............................................................... 94
3.3.4 Acquitting oneself of the burden of proof ......................................... 99
3.4 The interactional dimension in the procedure of incurring and
discharging the burden of proof................................................................... 102
3.5 Concluding remarks................................................................................. 104
CHAPTER 4 BURDEN OF PROOF AND THE STRATEGIC GOAL
OF DESIGNING A STANDPOINT .....................................................105
4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 105
4.2 Seeking a successful discharge of the burden of proof ........................ 106
4.3 Conditions for a successful discharge of the burden of proof ............ 108
4.3.1 Conclusive argumentation ................................................................. 109
4.3.2 Expedient starting points................................................................... 112
4.4 The management of the burden of proof .............................................. 114
4.5 Three scenarios for the management of the burden of proof ............. 117
4.6 Concluding remarks................................................................................. 121

PART III QUALIFYING A STANDPOINT AND MANAGING

THE BURDEN OF PROOF ..................................................... 123
CHAPTER 5 USING QUALIFICATION TO MANAGE THE
BURDEN OF PROOF...........................................................................125
5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 125
5.2 Qualification of a standpoint and the progress of an argumentative
discussion ....................................................................................................... 126
5.2.1 Confronting the antagonist with a choice ........................................ 127
5.2.2 The strategic function of qualification.............................................. 130
5.3 Constructive use of the strategic function of qualification .................. 134
5.3.1 Signalling agreement regarding the quality of the evidence ............ 134
5.3.2 Signalling agreement regarding evaluation ....................................... 139
5.3.3 Signalling agreement regarding cooperativeness.............................. 143
5.4 Concluding remarks................................................................................. 146

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CHAPTER 6 ABUSING QUALIFICATION WHEN MANAGING

THE BURDEN OF PROOF .................................................................149
6.1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 149
6.2 Derailment of the management of the burden of proof ...................... 150
6.2.1 What derails?....................................................................................... 150
6.2.2 Which rule is violated? ....................................................................... 151
6.2.3 What is the role of qualification? ...................................................... 154
6.3 Abuse of the strategic function of qualification .................................... 155
6.4 Discussion of examples........................................................................... 159
6.4.1 Abusing endorsement regarding the quality of the evidence.......... 159
6.4.2 Abusing endorsement regarding shared evaluation ......................... 163
6.4.3 Abusing endorsement regarding cooperativeness ........................... 166
6.5 Concluding remarks................................................................................. 169

CONCLUSION.......................................................................... 171
Main findings.................................................................................................. 171
Theoretical and practical implications.......................................................... 178
Further research ............................................................................................. 181

APPENDIX................................................................................ 185
LIST OF REFERENCES .......................................................... 189
INDEX OF ADVERBS, NAMES & TERMS ............................. 199
SUMMARY ............................................................................... 205
SAMENVATTING .................................................................... 211
CURRICULUM VITAE ............................................................. 217