Kendrick2018

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Kendrick2018
BibType ARTICLE
Key Kendrick2018
Author(s) Kobin H. Kendrick
Title Adjusting epistemic gradients: The final particle ba in Mandarin Chinese conversation
Editor(s)
Tag(s) EMCA, Chinese, Mandarin, Epistemics, Turn-final particle, Particle, Interactional Linguistics
Publisher
Year 2018
Language English
City
Month
Journal East Asian Pragmatics
Volume 3
Number 1
Pages 5–26
URL Link
DOI https://doi.org/10.1558/eap.36120
ISBN
Organization
Institution
School
Type
Edition
Series
Howpublished
Book title
Chapter

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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.

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