Autoclitic
Definition
Verbal behavior about the speaker's own verbal behavior, which modifies its effect on the listener — "I think" before a claim, "not" inside a sentence, word order and grammatical tags. Autoclitics ride on other verbal operants and tell the listener how strong, how certain or how to interpret what is being said.
In plain language
The parts of speech that comment on your own words, like "I think" or "maybe." They tell the listener how sure you are or how to take what you said.
Example
"It might be raining" versus "It is raining." The word might changes what the listener does with the statement.
Not autoclitic
Saying "raining" while looking out at rain. That is a plain tact with no modifying frame.
See also
Written from
- skinner-1957
Written from Skinner (1957). No textbook glossary consulted.
This entry has not yet been through clinical review. Treat it as a draft.