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AN OPTIMALITY THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF HUNGARIAN-AMERICAN BILINGUAL USE
the word masterpiece — which is obviously an exaggeration — only ironically
to refer to his pictures.
(g) Off-stage comment
Example [34]
1 G1F82,60 "Most veszem észre, nincs fülbevalóm."
(‘I have just realized that I have no earrings’)
2 G1M78,51"Az egészet újra kell csinálni."
(‘The whole (interview) must be recorded again.)
3 G1M78,51 “Rewind the tape now’.
(source: data collected by Koväcs in 2008-2009)
In this utterance, one inteviewee realizes that she was wearing no earrings
while the interview was being recorded. Her husband makes a remark that the
interview must be recorded again. Then he switches to English and commands
the interviewer to rewind the tape now. As the language of the interview is
Hungarian, by switching to English, he indicates that he makes a move away
from the original frame of the interview and takes on a new role, the role of
someone playfully instructing the interviewer. By switching to English the
speaker indicates that the comment he makes is not part of the interview, but
acomment off the record. Also as the comment is slightly sarcastic of his wife,
the switch to English softens his sarcasm and indicates that his comment is
definitely not part of the interview, only something funny off the record.
(h) Sarcasm
Example [35]
1 G1M27,50 “Nem, mert, aki erdeklödesböl kerdezi, annak elmondom, aki
meg
2 azért kérdezi, mert nem szereti, félti a kultúráját az idegenektől,
hát
3 azt meg sajnálom, mert azok általában nem tudják, hogy nem
kell
4 passport Texasba, tudod?”
(No, because if they ask me because they are interested, I tell them, but
those who ask me because they do not like or are afraid of aliens, I feel sorry
for them because they generally do not know that you do not need a passport
to go to Texas, you know?")
(source: data collected by Kovács in 2008—2009)
e l6l "