Consider the following sentence:
I'm telling you, I left it right there.
In this sentence, the phrase "I'm telling you" is used to emphasise the truth of the clause that follows. What is the correct description of such a phrase? Is it an introductory adverbial clause?
A means of intensifying what someone says. An intensifying formula. "attestation" does not fit in this situation as it is a law expression for a document that testifies something.
preamble ~ a preliminary or preparatory statement; an introduction.
This could be considered an attestation, where to attest means (Dictionary.com)
- to bear witness to; certify; declare to be correct, true, or genuine; declare the truth of, in words or writing, especially affirm in an official capacity
This is different from simply reporting or relating what may be unsubstantiated facts that could be disavowed.
You sentence is a subordinating conjunction with an omitted expletive that and bridged by a comma as a replacement. You are referring to the main or independent clause of the conjunction.
This reflects the emphatic nature, as the main point is I'm telling you. The subordinate or dependent clause follows the comma. (The comma is replacing the expletive that).
"Seriously, I left it right there." Same part of speech, but a phrase. No?
