‘Dai, da’ na mano!' Tra il dire e il chiedere: L’uso del segnale discorsivo 'dai' in conversazioni in famiglia

Abstract

This paper analyzes the use of the Italian discourse marker ‘dai’ (Eng idiomatic translation: “come on”) in directive sequences between parents and children collected during family me altime interactions. The work shows how this pragmatic device inhabits sequential contexts in which the recipient is not oriented toward the course of action to which the request refers, that is, when participants do not share the participatory framework and when resistance can be anticipated from the recipient. The paper shows the extent to which the ‘dai’ marker works as a modulator of affect (from encouragement to critique) and, at the same time, how it can open a negotiation space between parents and children as regards the management of individual responsibilities. The paper finally considers the findings in light of practices of socialization, proposing that the marker supports the cultural preference (common in middle-class families in Western contexts), toward acknowledging the child as an agent and willful individual even in contexts in which he/she is asked to comply.