Greek and German telephone closings

audience at the 5 INTERNATIONAL PRAGMATICS CONFERENCE (Mexico City, July 4-9, 1996), where the first version of this paper was presented, and Gunter Senft, editor of Pragmatics. Special thanks goes to Sue Ervin-Tripp for her comments and our discussions on related issues during my stay at UCB (Summer 1997). I am particularly indebted to the unknown referee of Pragmatics whose comments, among other things, gave me lots to reflect upon!