This study examines speakers' motivation to generate a specific instance of self-repair with or without ‘prosodic marking’ in Dutch spontaneous interaction, and thereto closely contemplates the repair function and the discourse context in which it is embedded. The study investigates the empirical bases for two proposals concerning the function of prosodic marking: one in which marking is a response to the speaker's confusion or discomfort at the error or mishap, and one in which marking serves the listener's benefit, to underline very essential information. It is suggested that speakers’ choices for or against prosodic marking are at least based on reflections of epistemic weight, precision and overstatement, and discourse coherence.