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Abstract

The starting point of most prior research on action formation and ascription is either a social action or a linguistic form. In contrast, our study will demonstrate analytic and methodological implications and cross-linguistic perspectives for Interactional Linguistics research of starting with a translation issue. In our paper, we compare the use of two formats that are both possible translations of the German soll ich, namely should I and ((do) you) want me to. Although both English formats elicit information that is consequential for the speaker’s agenda (cf. Couper-Kuhlen 2021), we will demonstrate that they are not only used for accomplishing different actions (e.g., different kinds of offers, requests for specification, candidate understandings), but also differ in terms of the ownership of the project this proffered action will contribute to. Our results demonstrate that translation issues within Interactional Linguistics research are not only an important methodological and analytic matter, but can also open up new perspectives with regard to cross-linguistic and cross-cultural diversity of social actions and practices for accomplishing them. Our results suggest that speakers of different languages not only differ in how specific domains of social action (e.g., offers, requests for permission) are realized, but also what sensitivities are oriented to across languages. Our study thus offers a new avenue for exploring domains of social actions and their realization across languages.