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

Kobin H. Kendrick

doi:10.1558/eap.36120

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

Kobin H. Kendrick

Language and Linguistic Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	5-26
Number of pages	22
Journal	East Asian Pragmatics
Volume	3
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1558/eap.36120
Publication status	Published - 23 Apr 2018

Bibliographical note

This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details

Access to Document

10.1558/eap.36120

Kendrick (2018) - Ba - Preprint
This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details
Accepted author manuscript, 441 KB

Cite this

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