What is a reformulation?

Definition
	A reformulation is a self-repair by means of a paraphrase of the repairable item.

Example (English)
	I need a new bolt for my oil pan, the bolt in the bottom for draining the oil.
	The response to the other-initiation in the following exchange is also a reformulation:
	A: I need a new bolt for my oil pan. B: Which? A: The big one underneath.

Generic
	A reformulation is a kind of
	What is self-repair?

Source
	Levinson 1983 329–330

Context for this page:

Concept module: reformulation
In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): R
In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

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