Clause combining, interaction, evidentiality, participation structure, and the conjunction-particle continuum: The Finnish että
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Ritva Laury
Abstract
This paper concerns the use of the Finnish particle/conjunction et(tä) in ordinary conversation. Traditionally, että has been considered a complementizer, but we question the description of että-clauses as complements. We show that uses of että range from ones where it serves as a clause linker to clear particle uses, with no clear dividing line. In terms of their pragmatic function, though, the different uses of että are closer to each other: they all serve to create dialogicality in one way or another. Että is used by speakers to regulate participation in conversation and to index shifts in footing. We also consider the historical origin of että and suggest an alternative to the scenario where particle uses are seen as having developed from conjunction uses.
Abstract
This paper concerns the use of the Finnish particle/conjunction et(tä) in ordinary conversation. Traditionally, että has been considered a complementizer, but we question the description of että-clauses as complements. We show that uses of että range from ones where it serves as a clause linker to clear particle uses, with no clear dividing line. In terms of their pragmatic function, though, the different uses of että are closer to each other: they all serve to create dialogicality in one way or another. Että is used by speakers to regulate participation in conversation and to index shifts in footing. We also consider the historical origin of että and suggest an alternative to the scenario where particle uses are seen as having developed from conjunction uses.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors vii
- Introduction ix
- From subordinate clause to noun-phrase: Yang constructions in colloquial Indonesian 1
- On quotative constructions in Iberian Spanish 35
- Bulgarian adversative connectives: Conjunctions or discourse markers? 79
- Projectability and clause combining in interaction 99
- Conjunction and sequenced actions: The Estonian complementizer and evidential particle et 125
- Clause combining, interaction, evidentiality, participation structure, and the conjunction-particle continuum: The Finnish että 153
- The grammaticization of but as a final particle in English conversation 179
- Quotative tte in Japanese: Its multifaceted functions and degrees of "subordination" 205
- Quoting and topic-marking: Some observations on the quotative tte construction in Japanese 231
- Index of names 247
- Index of subjects 251
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors vii
- Introduction ix
- From subordinate clause to noun-phrase: Yang constructions in colloquial Indonesian 1
- On quotative constructions in Iberian Spanish 35
- Bulgarian adversative connectives: Conjunctions or discourse markers? 79
- Projectability and clause combining in interaction 99
- Conjunction and sequenced actions: The Estonian complementizer and evidential particle et 125
- Clause combining, interaction, evidentiality, participation structure, and the conjunction-particle continuum: The Finnish että 153
- The grammaticization of but as a final particle in English conversation 179
- Quotative tte in Japanese: Its multifaceted functions and degrees of "subordination" 205
- Quoting and topic-marking: Some observations on the quotative tte construction in Japanese 231
- Index of names 247
- Index of subjects 251
