Bueno-, pues-, and; bueno-pues-prefacing in Spanish; conversation | CU Experts

Abstract; This chapter reports on two turn-initial particles in Spanish:; bueno and pues. While previous; research has equated both of these to; well-prefacing in English in that they project; “unexpectedness”, here the aim is to explicate the distinct; interactional work that each particle performs. Focusing on; responses to questions, I show that bueno-prefaced; responses do not overtly problematize the prior utterance, but; rather accept its terms before departing from them, and thereby; acquiesce to the prior turn’s design. Pues-prefaced; responses, by contrast, are directly addressed to the prior turn,; but they cast that prior turn’s action or design as problematic in; some way. I conclude by illustrating how these two uses are not; mutually exclusive by examining the compound preface; bueno-pues.

VIVO