This article examines the syntax and semantics of please. Using a mainstream generative syntactic framework, I propose that syntactically integrated please is a discourse marker that marks the clause in which it occurs as a request. Please may appear clause-initially or clause-medially as determined by a number of factors, including clause type, modality, negation and the application of ellipsis. There is also a homophonous marker please that occurs in clause-final position; clause-final please does not mark requests per se but ‘bonds’ a speaker and addressee, reinforcing their relationship as requester and requestee. This analysis of please provides support for syntactic approaches to speech act structure, particularly the claim that illocutionary force is part of narrow syntax rather than a solely pragmatic phenomenon. The article provides support for pursuing a model of the syntax–discourse interface in which interactions between discourse markers and clause-internal functional elements, such as mood and modality, form the interface between syntax and discourse.

中文翻译：

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迈向句法-话语界面的模型：please 的句法分析

本文检查了语法和语义请. 使用主流的生成句法框架，我建议在句法上集成请是一个话语标记，将它出现在其中的子句标记为请求。请可能出现在从句开头或从句中间，这取决于许多因素，包括从句类型、情态、否定和省略号的应用。还有一个同音标记请出现在子句的最后位置；终句请不标记请求本身但“联系”了说话者和收件人，加强了他们作为请求者和被请求者的关系。本次分析请为言语行为结构的句法方法提供了支持，特别是声称言外之力是狭义句法的一部分，而不仅仅是一种语用现象。本文为追求句法-语篇界面模型提供了支持，在该模型中，语篇标记和从句内部功能元素（如语气和情态）之间的相互作用形成了句法和语篇之间的界面。