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Chapter 7. A -prefaced responses to inquiry in Japanese

  • Makoto Hayashi and Kaoru Hayano
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Between Turn and Sequence
This chapter is in the book Between Turn and Sequence

Abstract

This study explores the stances communicated by two turn-initial particles in Japanese, a and eh, when they are used to preface responses to inquiry. The particle a comes close in its usage to oh in English and is often used to acknowledge the receipt of new and/or unexpected information. Eh is similar to a in that it indicates that the information being received is unexpected; however, it is often employed in contexts where its producer problematizes or resists what the prior speaker has just said, such as in other-initiated repair and disagreements. We compare the workings of these two particles in the context of prefacing responses to inquiry and show that, while a-prefaced responses generally embody moves that are affiliative with the prior speaker, eh-prefaced responses convey more disaffiliative stances. Based on our findings, we suggest that there is a division of labor between a-prefacing and eh-prefacing of question responses in Japanese and that what is performed by one particle in one language (oh in English) may be carried out by two particles in another (a and eh in Japanese).

Abstract

This study explores the stances communicated by two turn-initial particles in Japanese, a and eh, when they are used to preface responses to inquiry. The particle a comes close in its usage to oh in English and is often used to acknowledge the receipt of new and/or unexpected information. Eh is similar to a in that it indicates that the information being received is unexpected; however, it is often employed in contexts where its producer problematizes or resists what the prior speaker has just said, such as in other-initiated repair and disagreements. We compare the workings of these two particles in the context of prefacing responses to inquiry and show that, while a-prefaced responses generally embody moves that are affiliative with the prior speaker, eh-prefaced responses convey more disaffiliative stances. Based on our findings, we suggest that there is a division of labor between a-prefacing and eh-prefacing of question responses in Japanese and that what is performed by one particle in one language (oh in English) may be carried out by two particles in another (a and eh in Japanese).

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements vii
  4. Chapter 1. Introduction 1
  5. Sequential departures
  6. Chapter 2. Nu -prefaced responses in Russian conversation 25
  7. Chapter 3. Bueno -, pues -, and bueno-pues -prefacing in Spanish conversation 59
  8. Chapter 4. Two types of trouble with questions 97
  9. Chapter 5. Diverging from ‘business as usual’ 119
  10. Chapter 6. Turn-initial particles in English 155
  11. Epistemic and Related Issues
  12. Chapter 7. A -prefaced responses to inquiry in Japanese 193
  13. Chapter 8. Treating something as self-evident 225
  14. Chapter 9. Reformulating prior speaker’s turn in Finnish 251
  15. Chapter 10. Turn design and progression 287
  16. Chapter 11. Making up one’s mind in second position 315
  17. Sequence Management
  18. Chapter 12. Calibrating an agnostic epistemic stance in Swedish conversation 341
  19. Chapter 13. Turn-initial voilà in closings in French 371
  20. Chapter 14. Turn-initial naja in German 413
  21. Chapter 15. Justifying departures from progressivity 445
  22. Appendix 477
  23. Author Index 481
  24. Subject index 485
https://doi.org/10.1075/slsi.31.07hay

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements vii
  4. Chapter 1. Introduction 1
  5. Sequential departures
  6. Chapter 2. Nu -prefaced responses in Russian conversation 25
  7. Chapter 3. Bueno -, pues -, and bueno-pues -prefacing in Spanish conversation 59
  8. Chapter 4. Two types of trouble with questions 97
  9. Chapter 5. Diverging from ‘business as usual’ 119
  10. Chapter 6. Turn-initial particles in English 155
  11. Epistemic and Related Issues
  12. Chapter 7. A -prefaced responses to inquiry in Japanese 193
  13. Chapter 8. Treating something as self-evident 225
  14. Chapter 9. Reformulating prior speaker’s turn in Finnish 251
  15. Chapter 10. Turn design and progression 287
  16. Chapter 11. Making up one’s mind in second position 315
  17. Sequence Management
  18. Chapter 12. Calibrating an agnostic epistemic stance in Swedish conversation 341
  19. Chapter 13. Turn-initial voilà in closings in French 371
  20. Chapter 14. Turn-initial naja in German 413
  21. Chapter 15. Justifying departures from progressivity 445
  22. Appendix 477
  23. Author Index 481
  24. Subject index 485
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