analysis of Mandarin Chinese final particle ba in dispreferred responses

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-261
Author(s):  
Jun Xu
Keyword(s):  
Conversation Analysis ◽  
Mandarin Chinese ◽  
Linguistic Features ◽  
Final Particle ◽  
Negative Valence ◽  
Close Relationship

In Mandarin Chinese conversation, the final particle ba is considered to performvariousfunctions. Using conversation analysis, this article examines the use of thefinal particle ba in dispreferred responses. It is argued that the particle ba is usedto mitigate negative valence with delays, alternative choices, accounts, and pro-formaagreement as well as other linguistic features in disagreements and decliningsuggestions or invitations. Also, the results reveal a close relationship between theparticle ba functioning as a mitigator or displaying a speaker's uncertainty in socialactions as well as sequential positions.

scholarly journals Adjusting epistemic gradients: The final particle ba in Mandarin Chinese conversation

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-26
Author(s):  
Kobin H. Kendrick
Keyword(s):  
Conversation Analysis ◽  
Mandarin Chinese ◽  
Epistemic Position ◽  
Final Particle ◽  
Social Actions

In Mandarin Chinese conversation, the final particle ba contributes to the formation of a variety of social actions. Using the methods of conversation analysis, this article examines the use of the ba particle in answers to questions, informings, and assessments. It is argued that the particle serves as a turn-constructional resource for the adjustment of the epistemic gradient invoked in the sequence, downgrading the speaker’s epistemic position. In assessment sequences, the epistemic adjustment made by the particle also serves to solicit a response from the recipient who invariably has knowledge of the matter in question. An analysis of the ba particle in terms of epistemic gradients and their adjustment unifies two accounts of the particle’s function put forward in the literature.

Restrictiveness, exclusivity, adversativity, and mirativity

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Fang Wang ◽  
Mei-Chi Tsai ◽  
Wayne Schams ◽  
Chi-Ming Yang
Keyword(s):  
Conversation Analysis ◽  
Mandarin Chinese ◽  
Discourse Marker ◽  
Spoken Discourse ◽  
Interactional Linguistics ◽  
English Only ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Turn Taking

Mandarin Chinese zhishi (similar to English ‘only’), comprised of the adverb zhi and the copula shi, can act as an adverb (ADV) or a discourse marker (DM). This study analyzes the role of zhishi in spoken discourse, based on the methodological and theoretical principles of interactional linguistics and conversation analysis. The corpus used in this study consists of three sets of data: 1) naturally-occurring daily conversations; 2) radio/TV interviews; and 3) TV panel discussions on current political affairs. As a whole, this study reveals that the notions of restrictiveness, exclusivity, and adversativity are closely associated with ADV zhishi and DM zhishi. In addition, the present data show that since zhishi is often used to express a ‘less than expected’ feeling, it can be used to indicate mirativity (i.e. language indicating that an utterance conveys the speaker’s surprise). The data also show that the distribution of zhishi as an adverb or discourse marker depends on turn taking systems and speech situations in spoken discourse. Specifically, the ADV zhishi tends to occur in radio/TV interviews and TV panel news discussions, while the DM zhishi occurs more often in casual conversations.

scholarly journals Mirativity in Mandarin: The Sentence-Final Particle Le (了)

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 589-607 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongmei Fang
Keyword(s):  
Mandarin Chinese ◽  
Grammatical Category ◽  
Final Particle ◽  
Discourse Grammar ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Interpersonal Level

Abstract Mirativity is a distinct grammatical category. In the literature, no mirative marker has been identified so far in Mandarin Chinese. This paper aims to argue that Mandarin Chinese is a language that has grammatical means of expressing mirativity. The sentence-final particle le (SF le) in Mandarin is a mirative marker in its own right. It encodes the information as newsworthy or surprising and occurs with different time references and Illocutions. Based on the data from SF le, this paper extends the definition of mirativity given by Hengeveld & Olbertz (2012) by proposing that mirativity can not only be targeted towards either the speaker or the addressee, but also towards both. Lastly, it is argued that mirativity should be accounted for at the layer of Communicated Content at the Interpersonal Level in Functional Discourse Grammar.

scholarly journals Small but Multi-functional: Response Tokens in Content Language Integrated Learning Interaction

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arab World English Journal ◽  
Sabria Salama Jawhar
Keyword(s):  
Conversation Analysis ◽  
Corpus Linguistics ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Classroom Interaction ◽  
Integrated Learning ◽  
Linguistic Features ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Interactional Functions ◽  
The Relationship

This paper is an investigation of language use inside a content language integrated learning (CLIL) classroom at Saudi tertiary level. It examines the difference in language use between teachers and students in four subject-specific classrooms in which English is used as a medium of instruction. The study is informed by corpus linguistics (CL) and uses the principles and theoretical underpinning of conversation analysis (CA). It identifies the most frequent linguistic features of CLIL and examines their diverse interactional functions in this context. Amongst the most frequent linguistic features in CLIL are short response tokens such as “yes” and “no”. Using a micro-analytic approach to conversation analysis, a closer look at the data shows the students’ ability to use small and limited linguistic resources to accomplish multiple interactional functions such as taking the floor, taking turns and, most importantly, displaying orientation to knowledge. The data reflected the relationship between frequency and meaning construction. With regard to the difference in language use between teachers and students with regard to comes to short response tokens, the study shows some common interactional uses of response tokens between teachers and students, such as agreement, acknowledgement, response to confirmation checks and yes/no questions. On the other hand, it shows some exclusive interactional use of the same token by teachers and students. Finally, the paper emphasises the relationship of language, interaction and orientation to content knowledge in CLIL classrooms. Pedagogically, the findings have implications for teachers’ language use and for increased classroom interaction.

A study of repeat-formatted repair initiations in Mandarin Chinese conversation

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 158-186
Author(s):  
Lihong Quan ◽  
Jinlong Ma
Keyword(s):  
Conversation Analysis ◽  
Mandarin Chinese ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Epistemic Stance ◽  
Research Findings

Abstract Using the methodology of Conversation Analysis (or CA), this study examines three types of other-initiated repair initiators (henceforth OIs) that repeats some element in the trouble-source (henceforth repeats) in Chinese conversation: repeats suffixed with question particles ma (吗), repeats suffixed with question particles a (啊), and question-intonated repeats. It attempts to explore the differences between these typical formats, in terms of their forms/functions and the epistemic stance of the speaker who initiates repair. The main research findings indicate that question-intonated repeat implements an understanding check while repeat suffixed with question particles (ma or a) tends to serve different functions, in that, ma-suffixed repeat is inquiry-implicated while a-suffixed repeat contributes to constructing surprise, (dis)agreement or (dis)belief.

Doing conversation analysis in Mandarin Chinese

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruey-Jiuan Regina Wu
Keyword(s):  
Conversation Analysis ◽  
Mandarin Chinese ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Analytic Process ◽  
Chinese Scholars

This article aims to introduce Conversation Analytic (CA) methods to the community of Chinese scholars, and especially to linguists who work with Mandarin Chinese and are just beginning to adopt CA methods in their work. I believe doing CA requires not only an understanding of its terminology but also a working knowledge of CA methods. To this end, rather than simply explaining CA methods abstractly, I offer the reader a glimpse of the research process in action by presenting data and findings of my own research and then taking the reader step-by-step through the analytic process — from initial observations of a candidate phenomenon, through the process of making a collection of cases, and finally explaining criteria for establishing an empirically-grounded finding. Special focus is placed on the importance of detecting “participants’ orientations to action” and the more difficult process of finding evidence for the phenomenon from nonconforming specimens.

scholarly journals Building connected discourse in non-native speech

Pragmatics ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 591-614 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yo-An Lee
Keyword(s):  
Conversation Analysis ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Spontaneous Speech ◽  
Linguistic Features ◽  
Speaking Proficiency ◽  
Connected Discourse ◽  
Sequential Organization ◽  
Native Speech ◽  
Professional Fields

The demand for proficient non-native speakers (NNSs) of English has increased across professional fields in recent years. While speaking skills involve a complex array of factors and constraints, previous studies resorted to unexamined perceptions or intuitive impressions drawn from surface linguistic features. Particularly missing is close analytic descriptions of non-native discourse that is produced in spontaneous contexts. The present study investigates the process by which NNSs of English produce connected discourse as it unfolds in real-time. The ability to produce connected discourse is considered a hallmark of advanced speaking proficiency and this study therefore focuses on tracing the sequential organization of multiple utterances that NNSs produce in spontaneous speech. Following the principles of conversation analysis (CA), the present paper analyzes three sets of excerpts demonstrating the contingent choices that NNSs make in building connected discourse. The findings offer empirical resources for non-native professionals to identify the practicality and generality of connected discourse in real-time speech contexts.

scholarly journals A Case Study of Code-switching in a City of East China

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoping Jie
Keyword(s):  
Data Analysis ◽  
Mandarin Chinese ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Code Switching ◽  
East China ◽  
Linguistic Features ◽  
North East ◽  
Language Variety ◽  
Local Dialect

This study attempts to observe how natives of different age groups in a city of south-east China switch between Putonghua (Mandarin Chinese), the H language variety, and the local dialect, the L variety, the linguistic features of different CS patterns, and the function of the H variety in conversation. Topics of the participants’ conversations ranged from family to friends, neighborhood, games, movies, computers and business. Data analysis shows that the participants mainly use the local dialect and Putonghua in their daily conversation, while English and other dialects in China like Cantonese and Dongbeihua (Dialect in north-east China) are also used.

Mandarin telephone closings among familiars

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-226
Author(s):  
Shu-Yu Huang
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Mandarin Chinese ◽  
The United States ◽  
Linguistic Features ◽  
Structural Pattern ◽  
Chinese Learning ◽  
Natural Data ◽  
Catch Up ◽  
Mutual Agreement

Abstract This study compared Mandarin phone closings among familiars in natural conversations with those in Chinese learning textbooks. The natural data was drawn from the CALLFRIEND Mandarin Chinese Corpus (Canavan & Zipperlen, 1996a, 1996b), while the textbook dialogues were extracted from 20 series published in the United States, China, and Taiwan. Based on Button’s (1987) framework, this article adopted corpus-based research to analyze the structural pattern and the linguistic features of closings. It found that Chinese phone closings generally consisted of much repetition and thus were more complex than the archetype Button proposed, which suggests that reaching a mutual agreement is essential in Chinese telephone closings. The pattern of a closing depends on whether the caller is calling to catch up with the recipient or if they have a specific purpose. Common tokens for initiating closings such as jiu zheyang, hao, and xing and relation-enhancing expressions were also identified. However, the current research revealed that most textbook dialogues except for unscripted dialogues do not reflect these characteristics. Therefore, this study argues for the inclusion of unscripted dialogues and instructions that direct learners’ attention to the conversational management of phone closings in Chinese learning textbooks.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document