The Language of Suspense in Crime Fiction by Reshmi Dutta-flanders

Author:Reshmi Dutta-flanders
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan UK

18. This happened when he was still at school. (FC/narrative report (NR))

(Toolan 2001: p. 147, chapter 6).

Clauses 12 and 18 as FCs are distinct from each other. Clause 12 is a comment on NCs 13–17, a perspective (as opinion) from someone’s standpoint. In the FC/narrative clause (clause 18), deictic this points to the proximity of the speaker’s temporal location with respect to the past narrated event. With reference to frame analysis, the characterization of events, such as the statement in 12, as a framed activity from an individual’s point of view, generates motivational relevancy; a sarcastic comment on NCs 13–17. This is restricted clause in the sequence of events, as it must appear before the actual narrative is reported, and is not a reported clause like 18. Clause 12 is then a cognitive prefocalization of events that is to follow in 13–17, revealing the disposition of the speaker relative to the reported event. There is a double dipping (multiple positions) in the evaluative stance (perspective) in proximal deictic this urge in clause 12, unlike FC/narrative report 18, This happened, also with syntactical properties of being in simple present tense. Furthermore, in clause 12 there is direct speaker/listener constellation in the context of the situation, where the speaker is direct but positioned outside the events described in the narrative discourse. This is unlike the indirect participant disposition associated with the army in the PP underlined, The bridge was built by the army, in which the bridge as an entity (Medium) in the subject position is not the agent who performed the Process was built.

The status in reality or the truth-value of a narrative action or sayings is also informed in the definite and indefiniteness of elements as circumstance alongside referential and evaluative functions in clauses. As seen in restricted FC 12, there is juxtaposing of evaluative properties (in tense alternation) with the basic narrative syntax. Deictic this in clause 18 indicates a temporal and spatial proximity to the speaker, which is in opposition with the definite temporal and spatial past of the narrative in 12–18. The alternation manifests a narrator intervention in clause 12 about the narration in clauses 13–17. In contrast, FC 18 locates the event in time. If it were to be placed at the start of the narrative, FC 18 would not alter the comprehension of the narrative. Spatial, temporal or scope (circumstantial adverbials, adjectival) elements are used alongside aspect and syntactic devices to undercut agency narration (Table 4.3). This is relevant for the differences in participant dispositions in the transformation between the narrator and narration in narrative discourse.

On accounting a narrative function (what is done) as one distinct from an evaluative function (what is said), the following linguistic devices can render a narrative (NC) as evaluative.

Clause types (reclassification)

Bare narrative/Sequential recapitulation function (NC)

Narrative clause (NC) (fixed type)

Narrative circumstance Free clause (FC/narrative report)

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