ABSTRACT
When analyzing argumentative discourse as a critical discussion, the problem is that the communicative function of speech acts often remains implicit. In practice, the explicit performance of a speech act is the exception rather than the rule. Explicitness is restricted to emphatic or formal usage and to situations in which the speaker wishes to exclude all possible misunderstanding. For some speech acts, an explicit formula is even not available:
* “I (hereby) amplify that …”
* “I (hereby) explain that …”
(* = not acceptable)
