Paper short abstract:

In this paper it is shown that surprise is a source of uncertainty in verbal interaction. This paper is based on a sample of examples taken from American series and aims to explore uncertainty in speech situations. Language use is related to multimodal communication.

Paper long abstract:

We aim at analysing situations of uncertainty triggered by a reaction of surprise in verbal interaction. Our data are drawn from American series and analysed from a pragmatic perspective. We address situations where some fact is expressed by a participant but disclaimed by the co-participant because this fact is unexpected. Typically, uncertainty is introduced by interrogative sentences containing modal auxiliaries calling into question factual evidence:

Susan: Oh, yeah? Well, guess what? I didn't tell Mike. Carlos did. So who's your loose cannon now?

Gaby: What? Why would Carlos do that?

Susan: Oh, I don't know. Maybe because unlike you, he has a conscience. (Desperate Housewives)

The expression of surprise destabilizes the speaker, who subsequently uses markers of uncertainty.

In other cases, the speaker's strategy may appear more assertive:

- Are you interrogating me?

- No, of course not. You're a victim.

- And why would you say that?

- Because it's obvious to me what's going on here. (Desperate Housewives)

The speaker likewise relies on a strategy of justification, but this time he does not consider other possible options. But even in such instances, the reaction of surprise forces the speaker to adjust his/her discourse. Here, the use of obvious weakens the justification, since the presence of a certainty marker may - paradoxically - express less certainty than a mere assertion.

We claim that the modal remoteness marked by would, could or should in questions bearing on facts introduces surprise and uncertainty, which triggers various justification strategies from the other speech participants.