Non-prototypical uses of the generic you as a stance marker: A view from Kamio’s Territory of Information (1997)

We seek to investigate a broader range of the generic pronoun you beyond simple prototypical usage as well as its possible relationship with “territory.” This paper focuses on unraveling key perceptions within authentic interactions and how the pronoun you is involved in the unfolding of stance-taking in conversation. Previous research has considered distal functions of the pronoun you, such as creating psychological space between oneself and information to diffuse accountability, making external generalizations, or those related to listening audiences (O’Conner 1994; Thomas-Ruzic, 1999; Kamio 2001; Stirling and Manderson 2011). However, this study departs from these previous distal deictic and broadening interpretations of the pronoun you. Instead, we suggest that psychological domains of a more proximal “territory of information” serve as a type of salient and well-informed piece of information when offering insight and expertise, signaling the correction of common misnomers or as a way of relating keys to greatness or success where speakers use this pronoun to take a stance or position in interaction. Kamio’s (1997) framework hypothesizes that certain linguistic utterances are used for marking territory over information. We view the generic you switch as a type of “Realis” device. We also suggest that an inclusion of the non-prototypical you requires adding to Kamio’s (2001) framework to depict a much closer proximal psychological subarea comprising these stances that represent strong claims over information.