Direct Speech

What language functions can be reported?

Recent studies have shown how reported speech can work in interaction, giving participants a way of dealing with possible tensions and signalling intended frames. This paper proposes a taxonomy of functions for direct reports of speech (and of writing and thought) in focus group discussions. Reported speech always suggests a shift in frame, and that shift can focus attention on the setting factuality, speaker's position, or the words themselves (or on several of these aspects at once). Reported speech both depicts the experience of the original utterance, and detaches the reported utterance from the reporting speaker; so within each of these categories, reported speech can have a range of functions from an emphasis on direct experience to an emphasis on detachment. Focus groups differ from some comparable group discussions in several ways, but they can serve as a guide to the ways participants in other kinds of group discussions might use reported speech to orient to other members of the group and to the purpose of the discussion.

Direct Speech	→	Reported Speech
Present	→	Past
"I work in Argentina"		He said that he worked in Argentina
"I am doing my job"		He said that he was doing his job
Past	→	Past Perfect
"We saw a good film on TV"		He said they had seen a good film on TV.
"I was dancing with Mary"		He said he had been dancing with Mary
Present Perfect	→	Past Perfect
"I have done this before"		She said that she had done that before
"I have been doing this for two years"		He said that he had been doing that for two years
Future	→	Conditional
"I will visit my mother"		He said that he would visit his mother
"I will be flying to Spain"		He said that he would be flying to Spain
Future Perfect	→	Conditional Perfect
"I will have arrived there by 5 pm"		He said he would have arrived here by 5 pm
"I will have been selling books for two years"		He said that he would have been sellingbooks for two years

What /which reporting verbs do we use to those funtions?

Function and strength	Example verbs
NEUTRAL: verbs used to say what the writer describes in factual terms, demonstrates, refers to, and discusses, and verbs used to explain his/her methodology.	describe, show, reveal, study, demonstate, note, point out, indicate, report, observe, assume, take into consideration, examine, go on to say that, state, believe (unless this is a strong belief), mention, etc.
TENTATIVE: verbs used to say what the writer suggests or speculates on (without being absolutely certain).	suggest, speculate, intimate, hypothesise, moot, imply, propose, recommend, posit the view that, question the view that, postulate, etc.
STRONG: verbs used to say what the writer makes strong arguments and claims for.	argue, claim, emphasise, contend, maintain, assert, theorize, support the view that, deny, negate, refute, reject, challenge, strongly believe that, counter the view/argument that, etc.