Presenting Unsupported Claims As A Survey: Status & Grammar

Martin (1992: 529):

Table 7.10. Aspects of the realisation of unequal status
Unequal status non-reciprocity [grammar foregrounded]	dominate	defer
grammar	no ellipsis	Residue ellipsis
	polarity asserted	polarity matched
	modalisation: high	modalisation: low
	modulation: obligation	modulation: inclination
	attitude: manifested	attitude: concur
	comment: presented	comment: invited
	vocation: familiar	vocation: respectful
	person: 1st	person: 2nd
	tagging: inviting;	tagging: checking;
	agency: I/Agent	agency: I/Medium

Blogger Comments:

[1] The claim here is that:

• the absence of ellipsis construes the tenor feature 'dominate', whereas
• the ellipsis of the Residue construes the tenor feature 'defer'.

That is, the absence or presence of the textually cohesive resource of ellipsis construes different values of interpersonal context.  This claim can be falsified by concrete examples.  In answer to the question Is he at home?:

• Yes he is at home is claimed to construe the tenor feature 'dominate', whereas
• Yes he is is claimed to construe the tenor feature 'defer'.

[2] The claim here is that:

• 1st person construes the tenor feature 'dominate', whereas
• 2nd person construes the tenor feature 'defer'.

This claim can be falsified by concrete examples:

• I will clean up my mess is claimed to construe the tenor feature 'dominate', whereas
• You will clean up your mess is claimed to construe the tenor feature 'defer'.

[3] The claim here is that:

• the conflation of 'I' (speaker) with Agent construes the tenor feature 'dominate', whereas
• the conflation of 'I' (speaker) with Medium construes the tenor feature 'defer'.

That is:

• the construal of the self as Initiator, effective Actor, targeting Sayer, impinging Phenomenon, effective Token, Attributor or Assigner construes the tenor feature 'dominate', whereas 
• the construal of the self as middle Actor, effective Goal, Behaver, Senser, Sayer, Carrier, middle Token, effective Value or Existent construes the tenor feature 'defer'.

This claim can be falsified by concrete examples:

• I praised my boss (Agent/Sayer) is claimed to construe the tenor feature 'dominate', whereas
• I am your boss (Medium/Token) is claimed to construe the tenor feature 'defer'.