This article focuses on two Finnish personal constructions which can be
used to create indexically open reference, i.e. they can be used to
refer to generalized or shared human experiences. These two
constructions are the zero-person construction and the open 2nd person
singular construction. Using Finnish everyday conversational data, we
(i) statistically analyze the distributional semantico-grammatical
differences in the use of the zero-person and open 2nd person singular
constructions, and (ii) examine these differences on a clausal and
sequential level in interactional contexts. In our analysis, we
integrate quantitative and qualitative methods. Our aim is to show that
by mixing methods it is possible to both reveal the recurring
semantico-grammatical patterns of the constructions across a large
corpus and analyze how these patterns are shaped by the ongoing
interaction.